I hate ESPN. What should be a great family of networks that celebrates all things sports, it has become a self-promoting, propaganda machine. 99.9% of their “talent” hates the Yankees. FACT.
So with that said, to my amazement, this morning, Outside the Lines, a show that bucks the trend at the “all sports leader”, did an amazing piece on one of the greatest hitters the game has ever seen, Tony Gwynn. Read/see it here.
Tony Gwynn is a cancer survivor. Mouth cancer he got from dipping tobacco, a disgusting habit. This product needs to be banned, nothing good has ever come from it. In the piece, Tom Friend says most players always think it’ll be the next guy. But lets face it Smokeless tobacco causes more problems per user than smoking ever will.
Now, I won’t get all righteous about dipping not being the Yankee way, because that’s bunk. Numerous Yanks have been dippers as well, and it's still NASTY, but in 2011 I think we all need to open our eyes to the hazards of smokeless tobacco use. Lets face it, cancer is horrible, not only to the patient, but to everyone around them. In fact, the first person that really made people aware of the dangers of chewing tobacco was catching great Joe Garagiola, who's friend Bill Tuttle another ballplayer chewed during his playing days and later was forced to have multiple surgery's to remove the cancer. Things turned for the worst for poor Mr. Tuttle. You can read about the disturbing details HERE. So you see my point. 
Tony Gwynn seems like a smart man. He’s a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest hitters the game has ever seen. If he can fall to the demons, so can everyone else. Let's try and rid the game we love of this disgusting and deadly habit.
Think about it. Think about the kids.
--Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Contributor
Email me at:bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com
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