“Cheating started when they threw the first pitch in the first game.” – Rogers Hornsby, My War with Baseball (1962)
While the above quote from the game’s greatest second baseman shouldn’t be assimilated at face value, there is some truth to the icon’s hyperbolic assertion. Since bat first connected with ball, the players involved with the action have, and always will, do whatever it takes to win. Pitchers have doctored balls, and batters have corked bats. Some have injected steroids to gain advantage, and others have consumed amphetamine stimulants with the same target in mind. Even those on the outskirts of the diamond have been known to push the barriers. Groundskeepers have tampered with the foul lines in an effort to help their home team generate more successful bunts. On any given night, one or both ball clubs are liable to steal a sign or two from their opponent.
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