Beer and baseball reserved for fans, not the players

There’s nothing quite like attending a baseball game and sipping on your favorite beer between taking bites of a steaming hot dog. Beer and baseball is a natural pairing for many fans. But did you know that many of the players themselves can only enjoy a drink after they leave the ballpark?

That might surprise some people who think of the boys’ clubs that exist in team clubhouses. When teams win a game and head to the clubhouse to celebrate, the celebration cannot include any alcohol for more and more teams, including the Baltimore Orioles. It’s a response to DUIs and related accidents that have occurred among MLB players.

About four years ago, an MLB pitcher died when he drove drunk and caused an accident after a baseball game. Another incident that inspired a team to limit its players from drinking was when an MLB pitcher was ticketed for suspicion of DUI right after a game. No injuries resulted, but the event was enough for his team to take a proactive approach.

While not all teams have adopted strict drinking rules, a league-wide ban on drinking within the clubhouses and stadiums remains on the table. For the organization and individual franchises, protecting the reputation of the league and its players is important for business.

However, even if some players cannot drink in the clubhouses, they can still get into legal trouble during their free time. And the system likes to make an example of high-profile suspects, which is why it’s important not to hesitate to work with an aggressive criminal defense attorney as soon as possible after a DUI arrest.

Source: Los Angeles, “Baseball is moving toward alcohol-free clubhouses,” Kevin Baxter, March 19, 2012