MLB History: The 30 most controversial scandals

Whether it’s in the NFL, the NBA or even Tennis, some sort of controversy has transpired. Yet, when it comes to the MLB, it appears as though no sport has found itself in more headlines for shady reasons.

The phrase “I’m willing to do anything to win” takes on an entirely different meaning when it comes to them. With over 150 years of baseball to look back at, controversy and the MLB seemingly go hand in hand. Unlike most sports, where controversy is aligned with the field of play, in baseball, it occurs everywhere.

Simply put, to win a World Series, players, coaching staffs and even front office personnel are willing to do whatever it takes. In recent memory, the Houston Astros were picked apart for stealing signs. Although we’ll dive more into it later on, they were publicly castigated and torn to shreds at every turn. But, compared to the vast majority of controversies that are on this list, the Astros were simply a soft touch.

When it comes down to it, winning or losing a ball game wasn’t the only thing that these controversies revolve around. To get a better grip on how deep the cheating, lies and scandals go, we’ve decided to take a close look at every single instance that appeared controversial. Admittedly, not everyone on this list was found guilty by the MLB but public perception matters and in that case, they were all guilty as can be.

Whether it was comments or physical actions, we have it all covered here. So come on, let’s dive in.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #30. Michael Pineda pine tar incident

Former New York Yankee Michael Pineda has never been confused with an ace. Throughout the course of his career, Pineda essentially hovered around a 4.00 ERA. In short, he was below average.

Something strange happened in 2014 though. Pineda became one of the best pitchers in the game. For the year, his ERA plummeted to a sub 2.00. Although his massive improvement could be viewed as a man who simply worked hard on his craft, then Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell simply wasn’t buying. With no hesitation, Farrell pointed out an odd-looking shiny substance on the neck of Pineda to the umpires. It was a well known rule that Major League Baseball did not allow pitchers to use pine tar. Their reasoning was simple, it gave them too much control over the ball and left hitters at a major disadvantage. Although most players on this list attempt to lie and con their way out of their situation, Pineda was completely honest.

Somewhat.

Pineda admitted that it was pine tar on his neck, claiming he needed help gripping the ball on a particularly cold night. This wasn’t the first time Pineda was caught using pine tar but on previous occasions, he simply said it was dirt. With his own admission used against him, Pineda received a ten game suspension.

Since then, Pineda has been awful on the mound, never coming close to his previous production. Now, with no pine tar at his disposal, Pineda became very much ordinary.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #29. Mysterious man in all white

For each and every one of these controversies, a long line of facts accompanies them. In the case of the mysterious man in white, however, no hard evidence was found to support the claims of Chicago White Sox players.

During a game between the Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010, something appeared a bit odd. An enigmatic man dressed in all white was reportedly seen flashing signs to Toronto players. Where the man was sitting, ironically enough, was the perfect spot to see which pitch the pitcher was throwing as well as a great spot to relay the message.

In a bit of a weird situation altogether, the mysterious man left his seat and never returned after then, Toronto Blue Jays player Jose Bautista, was confronted about it. Not only did the man leave the ballpark for the entirety of the game but he was never seen or heard from again.

It was certainly a quirky situation but considering the bizarreness of the entire situation, every Major League team was suspicious of the Blue Jays for the rest of the season. We’ll never know the exact truth, but that’s what makes this one all the more intriguing.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #28. Kenny Rogers, was it pine tar or not?

Without question, the biggest stage in Major League Baseball comes in the World Series. As two teams battle it out all year to make it to the finals, the baseball world watches extremely closely.

The Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals put it all on the line in 2006. Although everything appeared to be on an even playing field, the cameras in the ballpark noticed something a bit odd on the hand of Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers. By all accounts, it appeared as though the long-time pitcher was using pine tar, a banned substance used to give pitchers an unfair grip on the ball.

Believing they had all of the evidence they needed, the Cardinals brought light to the situation. After a close examination, umpires ruled that it was simply dirt, not pine tar. While the Tigers were cleared of any accusations, it was still considered a major controversy.

To further buffer their argument, the Tigers lost every game of that series outside of, ironically enough, the one game Rogers played in. If the Tigers found a way to win that series, this controversy would be more mentioned today. However, considering how badly they were blown out outside of that one game, this entire situation was swept under the rug.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #27. Collusion

Both the owners and players in the MLB have always had a contentious relationship. Seemingly everything has to be an argument between the pair. Some of that, in part, is due to what happened in 1985.

Although they were extremely wealthy, owners weren’t too keen on spending an excessive amount of dollars on the players. In order to keep the cost down, they colluded with one another. That, in turn, set the market price for free agents and prevented players who were truly looking to cash in. No one had a leg up and players would get offered the same amount of money no matter which team they decided to go to.

For a number of years, the owners worked in the shadows as they continued to collude with one another. Completely unaware of what was taking place, the players blindly took what was offered to them. It wasn’t until 1994 that things were revealed to the players. The result of the owner’s collusion cost the players roughly $400 million over that time frame. Maybe now you’ll understand why the players have always looked at owners with a bit of a sideways glance.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #26. Sammy Sosa caught red handed with a corked bat

In the case of some of these controversies, a player or team for that matter, could build a plausible case surrounding their innocence. Although they were often still found guilty, in the back of the mind of fans, they held out hope that their childhood hero or favorite team was simply the recipient of a bad break. In the case of Sammy Sosa in 2003, he was caught cheating in front of the entire world.

Sosa was an all-time great player. But, like all of the greats, he was in the midst of an awful slump. On most occasions, the ball simply flew right off his bat and into the stands but for approximately a month, Sosa simply couldn’t track the ball.

As Sosa stepped up to the plate on a hot summer day against the Devil Rays with the bases loaded, Sosa finally registered a hit. In an unfortunate situation for Sosa, the bat immediately shattered. Not thinking anything of it, the Umpire simply picked up the pieces to clear the field so that the game could continue. While doing so, a cork was noticed inside the bat, a banned object which is used to give hitters an unfair advantage.

Seemingly caught red handed, Sosa still attempted to lie as he said he used that bat during batting practice and merely grabbed the wrong one for the start of the game. Major League Baseball, of course, wasn’t falling for it as they suspended him for eight games. Ironically enough, the stats of Sosa took a nose dive every year since then, bringing into question just how long was he corking his bat?

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #25. Steve Bartman ruins the momentum

It was both an innocent and routine play, one that happens quite literally in every ballpark during every game. Things are fairly simple on the baseball diamond, while fans enjoy watching the game, if, given the opportunity, they’ll make their presence known. On most occasions, it isn’t much of a problem, however on October 14th, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, everything changed.

With the Chicago Cubs taking on the Florida Marlins, the home team enjoyed a 3-0 lead in the eighth inning. Both the win and a trip to the World Series seemed inevitable. The Cubs led 3-2 in the series and we’re only one and a half inning’s away from locking things up. One player for the Marlins already failed to produce a run. As the second batter in Luis Castillo knocked the ball in foul territory, long time Cubs fan, Steve Bartman reached out and made a play for the ball. The only problem with that scenario was that so did Cubs outfielder Moises Alou. He appeared to have a clear play on the ball but the outstretched hand of Bartman knocked it away.

As a result, both Castillo and the Marlins began lighting up the scoreboard, scoring eight in the inning. The Cubs would ultimately fall in Game 7 and Bartman would become the most hated man in Chicago for roughly a decade and a half.

Eventually, all was forgiven once the Cubs took home the World Series in 2016 but still, there wasn’t a day that passed by where Bartman didn’t hear every curse word in the book hurled in his direction.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #24. Joe Niekro gets caught with emery

No matter if it’s on the major league level, minor league, college, high school or even at your neighborhood park, a baseball is a baseball.

During the 1987 season, however, something looked a bit off. For pitchers, getting a good grip on the ball is vital to their success. To help placate those issues, they are often seen reaching down to grab a bit of dirt to rub on the ball in an effort to enhance their grip. With the MLB banning pine tar, a thick gooey substance that helped in that effort, Joe Niekro decided to get a bit creative.

While standing out on the mound ready to deliver a pitch, the umpires decided to halt the game and take a closer look. They grabbed the ball with which he threw his latest pitch and noticed several scuff marks. From there, they asked to take a look at his gloves. A seemingly pissed off Niekro angrily handed over his glove but nothing was found. They then moved on to asking him to empty his pockets. Knowing he was caught red handed, Niekro pulled off a slick move, he reached into his back pockets, quickly tossed something away and acted as if his pockets were empty.

The mysterious object he attempted to get rid of was emery and a piece of sandpaper.

No matter how fast he thought he was, the umpire saw exactly what he did and tossed him from the game. When ultimately asked to explain himself, Niekro claimed that he always had those objects to file down his nails during the game. No, this isn’t hyperbole. It was an awful excuse and it brought a ton of shame and controversy to his Hall of Fame career. Was that the first time he ever used it or was that the first time he was caught? It brought everything into question.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #23. Marge Schott said what?

Marge Schott was essentially a trailblazer and pioneer. She was only the second woman in MLB history to own a team. Well, at least without inheriting it. She was born and raised in Cincinnati and her involvement with the Reds was a perfect fit. Schott played a major role in their 1990 World Series title and contributed positively to the game several times over.

She did, however, have several controversies but it was what she said in 1993 that gives her a place on this list. The history of Adolf Hitler is a long and horrific one. In total, the ruthless dictator is responsible for roughly six million deaths in the Jewish community.

In spite of those large numbers, Schott revered Hitler, stating he was “good in the beginning” before ultimately “taking things too far.” Her words saw Major League Baseball throw her out of the game for two years. She would continue to say and do other controversial things but this one by far takes the cake.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #22. Pine tar forces long replayed game

Pine tar is banned just about everywhere, not just for pitchers. During a regular season game in 1983 between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals, George Brett stepped up to the mound for the Royals with his team down 4-3. With a runner already on base, Brett hit a two run homer in the ninth inning. Manager Billy Martin immediately became irate, not because of the home run but more so because of what he noticed.

According to Martin, the bat of Brett had an excessive amount of pine tar. Under normal circumstances, MLB allows players to have up to 18 inches to help with their grip. Anything more than that, and it’s considered excessive and illegal. Once Martin brought it to the attention of the umpires, they inspected the bat and noticed that it did in fact have over 18 inches of pine tar. The game winning homer was immediately nullified and taken off the board. The Yankees would go on to win but not without the Royals protesting the call.

Much to the chagrin of the Yankees, the call was actually reversed and the home run officially counted. Since it was the top of the ninth inning, MLB forced both teams to continue play from that exact inning. From there, the theatrics truly began. Before the first pitch was thrown, George Frazier, the Yankee pitcher, threw it to first, claiming that Brett never touched the base originally. After denying his claim, he threw it to the second basemen. It was a crafty and well thought plan, although it never worked.

Ultimately, the Yankees went on to lose the game 5-4 and MLB listened to nonstop criticism of how they handled the entire situation.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #21. Fans stuff the All-Star game ballot

When it comes to making the All-Star game, players pride themselves on being selected. The mere thought of being mentioned amongst the best players in the world is a feather in their cap that simply can’t be duplicated.

Their excitement, while high, plays second fiddle to die-hard fans. Although on some occasions, the win column may not be as plush as they would like, when it comes down to it, they want their player in the All-Star game. Their support, of course, is both understandable and relentless. With that said, they took things overboard in 1957.

On the year, fans of the Cincinnati Redlegs did everything in their power to get their hometown players in the big game. Ultimately, it resulted in seven Redlegs getting a starting spot and eight players getting selected all together. MLB decided to investigate and that’s when things got weird.

The local Cincinnati newspaper was found to have printed out several All-Star game ballots with the Redlegs starting lineup and gave them out.
To make matters worse, local bars reportedly refused to serve alcohol to customers unless they filled out a ballot for the Redlegs starters. In the end, it all worked but MLB was none too pleased. They replaced two players from the starting lineup and suspended the fan vote because of it.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #20. Mike Fiers snitches on the Houston Astros

Cheating was fine when it benefited both him and his team but when the script was flipped, Mike Fiers had a major issue with it.

During his two seasons with the Houston Astros, Fiers was let in on one of the ball club’s biggest schemes, stealing signs. Technically, stealing signs isn’t against the rules if done without electronic help, it’s just heavily frowned upon and a big no-no in the “unwritten rules” of baseball. Many have attempted to sneakily get away with pulling it off but ultimately, they were eventually caught. In the case of the Astros, they had appeared to have a perfect system set in place.

With the help of a video camera that was well-positioned in centerfield, the Astros knew exactly what pitch was coming. Becoming aware of their cheating ways, Fiers kept his mouth shut and continued to go out there and pitch. The Astros, seemingly as a result, became powerhouses. They made multiple trips to the World Series, took home a title and for roughly five years, were considered a true threat to win it all.

When Fiers decided to leave the Astros and head to the Detroit Tigers, he began spilling the beans on the operation the Astros had going on. MLB took his words seriously and launched an investigation of their own. Fiers was found to be telling the truth and several suspensions soon followed.

While Fiers helped restore more of an even playing field, many simply looked at him as a snitch for ratting out his former ball club.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #19. Did Jose Altuve wear a buzzer?

The Houston Astros scandal was already discussed but something even more pressing took place along the way.

The New York Yankees were trapped in a back-and-forth brawl with the Astros in the American League Championship in 2019. With the game knotted at four apiece in the ninth inning in game six, the Yankees sent out their best closer, Aroldis Chapman. It appeared as though both squads were destined to settle their differences in overtime. At least, that’s what many believed.

With All of the confidence in the world, Chapman took his position on the mound, got into his pose and let off a fastball of over 100 miles per hour. Almost no one can catch up with Chapman’s best pitch. Unless they knew it was coming.

Altuve was said to be wearing a buzzer underneath his jersey that signaled to him which pitch was coming next. It seemed far-fetched and not true as an MLB investigation found nothing to support those claims. But, when looking back at the tape, something looks incredibly odd.

In the major leagues, whenever a player hits a walk off, especially in such dramatic fashion with everything on the line, once they round the bases, they’re immediately mobbed by their teammates. Oftentimes, their shirts are ripped off but who cares? Said player just hit the biggest shot of the year. Yet, when you look at the video, Altuve held his shirt and told his teammates don’t rip his shirt off. Never had Altuve, or anyone for that matter, acted in that way. After he hit the shot of all shots, Altuve then sprinted to the back as opposed to waiting around to be interviewed. When questioned, Altuve came up with a comical excuse, claiming his wife doesn’t like it when his shirt gets ripped when he’s playing.

While he technically was innocent, most of the MLB world simply isn’t buying it.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #18. Connie Mack ruins a championship ballclub

The Philadelphia Athletics shocked the world in 1913. Although they weren’t exactly considered a title threat heading into the season, they still managed to win it all.

Taking home back-to-back titles is difficult enough but somehow, someway, the Athletics found themselves in prime position to do just that as they took on the Boston Braves in 1914. To say the Athletics were outclassed would be an understatement as they were simply destroyed.

As a team, they combined to bat just .172. Their inability to get any runs on the board resulted in them losing every game of the series.

Beyond ticked at this point, manager Connie Mack didn’t hold back when criticizing his team. He believed his ball club didn’t try at all and pushed all of his great players, including Chief Bender and Eddie Collins, out of the door. The results were what you would expect as they became God awful. For roughly two decades, the Athletics were the laughingstock of the league, all because their manager believed his team quit as opposed to giving the opposing squad credit.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #17. Sammy Sosa never admits to taking PEDs

Like many of the all-time greats in the early 2000s, Sammy Sosa was believed to be a drug cheat. It wasn’t just that his numbers were off the charts but it was his rapid rise to the top that brought about questions.

In 2003, those assumptions were proven to be true as Sosa was named amongst a long list of star-studded players who tested positive for steroids. Regardless of many of those names admitting that they did in fact, use performance enhancers, Sosa refused to capitulate to public pressure.

Although he officially was never charged or punished, Major League Baseball has gotten him back in other ways. Since 2013, his first year of eligibility, Sosa has received a minuscule amount of votes for the Hall of Fame. His numbers, however, scream for his inductions: 7-time All-Star, 6 time Silver Slugger, 9th on the home run list and several other notable accolades would seemingly make Sosa a lock. Yet, it appears he’ll never get in. Whether he wants to admit it or not, most of the baseball world believes he was a drug cheat.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #16. Who deserves a car?

Long before multimillion-dollar contracts were handed out with regularity, Major League Baseball players didn’t have that luxury. So while winning awards at the season was great to place on their mantle, ballplayers were more interested in the perks that came along with it.

During the 1910 season, a brand new car was given to the winner of the batting title. The car in question was a Chalmers Automobile. Before you laugh, back then, it was without question one of the hottest cars around.

The mere thought of a player in today’s game getting excited over the possibility of getting a free brand new car is laughable considering their enormous salaries allow them to buy essentially whatever they want, but let’s put things in its proper perspective. Let’s take Hall of Famer Babe Ruth for example. In 1915, arguably the greatest player the game has ever seen made an annual salary of approximately $3,500. A Chambers Automobile sold for about $1,500-$3,000.

Simply put, getting a brand new car was a big deal.

The batting title ultimately came down to Ty Cobb and Nap Lajoie. For the stretch run, Cobb opted to sit out while Lajoie continued to play. Things got a bit sketchy as certain teams seemingly allowed Lajoie to register a few cheap hits. From there, everything came into question. Both players were convinced the other cheated.

Despite it all, Cobb was handed the batting title but to placate both players, they were each given a car. While they were ecstatic that they were driving around in a stylish vehicle, the question of who was the true batting champion was never quite answered.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #15. Game fixing at its finest

Winning the pennant was essentially a guarantee for the Louisville Grays in 1877. With roughly a five game lead over the Boston Braves and only 20 games left on the schedule, the Grays were in great position. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the losses mysteriously began popping up. The Grays went winless over the course of nine games.

As the losses continued to pile up, the Braves began picking up steam as they essentially couldn’t lose. In the end, the Grays blew their lead and handed the pennant to the Braves. Although some viewed it as a team that simply crumbled down the stretch, fans of the sport raised an incredulous eyebrow.

After a lengthy investigation, four players stepped up to the forefront and admitted their wrongdoing. Pitcher Jim Devlin, shortstop Bill Craver, outfielder George Hall and Al Nichols all came clean to betting and fixing games. In the case of Devlin, he received $100 each game for his role, which would be the equivalent of approximately $2,000 today. Not exactly worth what turned out to be a lifetime ban.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #14. Racism rears its ugly head

Racism was not only prevalent in the game of baseball but it was openly accepted. While Jackie Robinson is often given credit as a player who broke through the color barrier, it was Moses Fleetwood Walker who was actually the first African American player to play in the Major Leagues.

As a member of the Toronto Blue Stockings in 1884, Walker harmlessly sauntered his way into Chicago to take out on the White Stockings. Adrian “Cap” Anson, one of the best players on the White Stockings, was a well known racist. Once he took the field and noticed Walker, he refused to play due to his skin color. While the White Stockings attempted to convince Anson to play, he vehemently refused.

In order to change his mind, two things were forced to happen. For starters, losing all profits for the game was used as an attempt to get Anson to get on the field. When that essentially failed, the Blue Stockings decided to bench Walker. That, in turn, satisfied Anson as he agreed to play.

Although racism was well accepted at the time, the actions of Anson were frowned upon. Needless to say, if anything even remotely close to that happened in today’s day and age, the game of baseball would receive an unprecedented amount of scrutiny.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #13. Chris Correa hacks the Houston Astros

Whether baseball fans like to admit it or not, cheating is a major part of the game. At times, they’re lining up their bats with pine tar, in other instances, they’re attempting to steal signs. Whatever the case, cheating in baseball is a well known practice.

Still, with that said, what took place in 2015 was unheard of.

The St. Louis Cardinals decided to get a bit creative with their cheating. Chris Correa, the former scouting director for the ball club, found a way to hack the database of the Houston Astros and became privy to private information. Once the Astros caught wind, they immediately pressed charges. Realizing that he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Correa openly accepted the punishment that was handed down to him by a federal judge. Correa was actually found to be guilty of having unauthorized access to a protected computer from as far back as 2013.

In total, Correa was sentenced to 46 months in jail, just short of three years. He was also forced to pay restitution in the amount of $279,038.

The information Correa was reportedly able to get his hands on was draft related and a long list of other valuable knowledge. The loss resulted in roughly $1.7 million for the Astros.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #12. Ty Cobb fights a handicapped fan

The game of baseball is almost impossible to tell without mentioning the name Ty Cobb. On the field, he was known as one of the games best. For eight straight seasons, took home the batting average title and 11 years total, he was the outright winner. His .366 rank number one all time. Simply put, Cobb was prolific at knocking the ball either out of the park or out of the outstretched glove of an outfielder.

After enjoying a ridiculously good career, Cobb was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936. While he was connected to gambling, Cobb makes his way on this list due to his interaction with a certain fan.

Although he was a great player, Cobb had a tendency for allowing either opposing players or fans, get under his skin. In 1912, a heckling fan started jawing at Cobb. He may have been able to ignore him for the bulk of it, but Cobb lost it once the fan insinuated that he was part African American. From there, Cobb jumped into the crowd and began beating the man senseless.

The fan Cobb began beating was handicapped as he had no hands. Once Cobb became aware, he continued beating the man anyways. He was eventually banned from the game but ultimately found his way back into MLBs good graces.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #11. Al Campanis shows his true colors

For roughly two decades, Al Campanis represented the Los Angeles Dodgers as both a player and manager. His work in either department was always lauded but it was the disparaging and quite frankly, racist remarks he used when describing Jackie Robinson, which lands him on this list.

During the 1980s, baseball had a major issue in terms of pushing forward men of color in executive/managerial roles. With such a huge disparity, Campanis was asked to discuss things further on an episode of Nightline.

Although Campanis actually was a roommate of the late great Jackie Robinson, Campanis seemingly viewed both him and people of color as a step below in terms of intelligence. Campanis explained that the reason why more African Americans aren’t in higher positions in league front offices is because he didn’t believe they had the right “necessities” to be successful in the position. Those comments and several more, left Campanis the target of widespread criticism.

Unable to withstand it any longer, Campanis resigned from his position. Unsurprisingly, no team has called him in since then.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #9. Willie Mays & Mickey Mantle receive bans

With the league becoming more and more known for game fixing and gambling, they attempted to fix their image. The commissioner cracked down on shady characters around the game and issued heavy fines and suspensions for anything that looked even remotely like game fixing.

Having wrapped up their Hall of Fame careers, both Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays didn’t play during a time where an excessive amount of dollars were available. So, like normal citizens, both were forced to get jobs after retiring from the game. Luckily for them, gambling casinos in Atlantic City welcomed them with open arms. Their new jobs were simple enough, they merely greeted guests as they came into the casino.

MLB commissioner Bowie Kuhn was none too pleased and immediately banned them from the game. The reasoning behind Kuhn’s need to ban them both was that it looked awkward. Considering how hard Kuhn worked to clean the game up, having two of the best players to ever play, now work in gambling casinos just didn’t sit right with him.

Eventually, their ban was lifted by new commissioner Peter Ueberroth, but not before spending several years away from the sport.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #8. Umpire Dick Higham receives lifetime ban

The list of individuals that have been banned from baseball is a long one. From players to managers, the list simply goes on and on. Yet, when it comes to umpires, only one name is present on that list, Dick Higham.

To be fair to umpires, it is an incredibly difficult job. Although now, there are electronic balls and strikes, umpires are still expected to go out there every game and make the right call. Seemingly every game, a manager of a ball club will angrily stomp his way onto the field to argue a call, nothing out of the ordinary. However, in the case of Higham, things looked way too fishy.

Then manager of the Detroit Wolverines in William Thompson had a serious issue with the way Higham was calling games against his club. Believing something dubious was going on, Thompson enlisted the help of a private investigator. It wasn’t long until the fears of Thompson were found to be true as Higham was caught fraternizing on several occasions with a well known gambler. It was later revealed that Higham purposely gave the Wolverines the short end of the stick as he was fixing games. Needless to say, Higham was permanently shunned from the league.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #7. The Cleveland Indians go to extreme measures to help their man

When it comes to baseball, teams act more so as a family more so than anything else. When one player has a problem with someone on the opposing sidelines, they all do.

To prove how much camaraderie truly exists, look no further than the 1994 Cleveland Indians. To get one of their own out of a jam, they were willing to do anything, including taking a page straight out of a James Bond movie.

Something seemed a bit odd to the Chicago White Sox manager during a game between both clubs. He quietly voiced his suspicions that the bat of Indians player Albert Belle’s was corked. Not wanting to leave anything to chance, the umpires grabbed his bat and placed it in their office to inspect after the game. Every single Indian in the clubhouse knew the bat was corked. If caught, the penalties could be severe.

Clearly, pitcher Jason Grimsley spent way too much time watching action movies. With no one paying attention, Grimsley climbed through a somewhat hidden vent up above the dug house and eventually landed in the umpire’s office. He then took the corked bat and replaced it. There’s a good chance he would’ve gotten away with it if the bat wasn’t more of a novelty one, as it had an autograph signed by Paul Sorento.

Needless to say, the Indians were caught and Major League Baseball handed Belle a seven game suspension. The controversy made the Indians the talk of the town for months on end.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #6. Mark McGwire finally comes clean

For a five to ten year stretch, the argument could be made that Mark McGwire was the best player in baseball. Everything seemed unnatural. His on base percentages were constantly through the roof, his batting average was stellar and his home runs year after year were ranked near the top. In fact, during the 1998 season, McGwire set the MLB record with 70 homers, although it was later shattered by Barry Bonds and his 73 three seasons later.

During his career, many suspected he was using performance enhancing drugs. Yet, he would always walk away from criticism unscathed. Tired of all the judgment and speculation, McGwire finally admitted to being a user. It wasn’t just that he confessed to using drugs but it was the lengthy amount of time in which he said he used it.

For ten years McGwire consistently used PEDs. He, like everyone else, had an excuse though. In no way, shape or form was McGwire looking for a leg up on the competition allegedly. Instead, he simply explained that he used PEDs for medical purposes.

Regardless of his half-hearted confession, McGwire stood steadfast in his belief that he never needed PEDs. Considering the length in which he used it, fans and media members alike sincerely doubt that.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #5. The New York Giants try to bribe their way to a win

The New York Giants knew they were up against in 1908. In the final game of the year, the Giants were scheduled to take on the Chicago Cubs. The winner would be crowned as the National League Champion.

Believing they were overmatched, the Giants sought out a bit of help from the umpire. Unwilling to risk his integrity, he rejected their bribe. As a result, the Giants lost the game. The umpire, at least at the time, refused to tell anyone what transpired beforehand. He instead opted to wait until the following year to let everyone aware of the Giants and their cheating ways.

Unsurprisingly, the news hit MLB like a ton of bricks. The audacity of someone from an organization willing to cheat was bad enough but to seek out the help of an umpire was almost impossible to believe. After a lengthy investigation, the former Giants team physician was believed to be the one behind the entire ordeal. Whether he was covering for someone or not didn’t quite matter, MLB threw the book at him as he was banned for life.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #4. Cocaine makes its way to the MLB

It all started fairly innocently.

Former Philadelphia Phillies clubhouse caterer Curtis Strong didn’t appear to do anything out of the ordinary. He was always seen around the ball club serving up food and making harmless small talk. Yet, behind his smiling face was a man with a hidden agenda.

After becoming fairly close to all of the players of Phillies, Strong began forging relationships with several players on various clubs. Now, with his clientele fully intact, Strong got the ball rolling on his master plan. The long-time caterer went from handing out food to dishing out cocaine (subscription required).

Once the cat was out of the bag, all of the players began throwing Strong under the bus. The reason behind them pointing a blaming a finger at their former caterer was because each player was granted immunity by the FBI. Several players, including the Pittsburgh Pirate mascot, admitted to the wrongdoing. In total, 11 players were suspended from the league but ultimately got off the hook in exchange for heavy fines and roughly 100 hours of community service.

As for Strong, his penalty was much more severe. He was handed a 12-year prison term. But, he was given somewhat of a break as he was released after only serving four years of that sentence.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #3. Barry Bonds lies under oath

Barry Bonds stepped into a courtroom, raised his left hand, placed his right hand on the Bible, looked directly into the camera and openly lied.

During an investigation into whether or not Bonds knowingly used performance enhancing drugs, he told a judge and a courtroom full of jurors that he never knowingly took anything.

Yet, no matter how defiantly Bonds stood in the eye of the storm, he was proven to be a liar. For starters, in 2001, the year in which Bonds was mostly accused of using the banned substances, he smacked an all-time record 73 homers. Before and after that legendary season, Bonds never accumulated more than 49 in a single year.

Although for years, he held firm in his original notion that he never used steroids, he would later admit that he did in fact, use banned substances. Everything began falling apart the moment Conte and Bond’s former personal trainer Greg Anderson, pleaded guilty to distributing steroids.

Even with the opportunity to come clean and somewhat save face, Bonds instead choose to save face, claiming that he believed he was using flaxseed oil and arthritis cream. Ultimately, Bonds was found guilty of obstructing justice and was sentenced to 30 days of house arrest, two years of probation and 250 hours of community service. His ultimate punishment, has come from the MLB Hall of Fame voters as they refuse to let the drug cheat into their esteemed ranks.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #2. Alex Rodriguez finds himself in all kinds of trouble

Alex Rodriguez had the baseball world in the palm of his hands. It’s nearly impossible to talk about the game without mentioning him. By the time he hung up his cleats, the former New York Yankee, Seattle Mariner and Texas Ranger put together the sort of career that would land him as a unanimous selection as a Hall of Famer. Rodriguez smashed 696 home runs, over 2,000 runs batted in, registered over 3,000 hits and has a World Series ring to his name as well.

To add to his accomplishments, Rodriguez was also a 14-time All-Star, multiple MVP and currently holds the record for the most grand slams in MLB history with 25. Despite the utterly ridiculous numbers, it’s safe to say that Rodriguez will never hear his name inducted to the Hall of Fame.

In early 2009, reports first surfaced that Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan, an anabolic steroid in 2003. After deflecting questions pertaining to the situation, Rodriguez officially admitted that he used steroids from 2001-2003 but no further.

Rodriguez was later connected to illegal Poker games, most of which involved cocaine use. Those allegations, however, were never proven to be true. While he attempted to steer past several bad press, Rodriguez found himself in the midst of controversy again. In 2014, he was found guilty in his part in the Biogenesis scandal which detailed his lengthy PED use. He was later suspended for the entirety of the year.

The list of scandals for Rodriguez is outrageously long and because of it, he’ll never obtain a spot in the Hall of Fame but he does get one near the top of this list.

Most controversial scandals in MLB history: #1. Pete Rose’s gambling ways brought to light

Pete Rose enjoyed a ridiculous MLB career. After roughly two decades of dominance Rose’s stats and accomplishments simply jump off the page. He was a 17-time All-Star, multiple-time MVP and currently ranks number one all-time in hits with 4,256.

Despite all of those impressive numbers, not only will Pete Rose never get into the Hall of Fame but he’ll never be welcomed back to the game ever again.

After dominating on the Cincinnati Reds for the bulk of his career, once Rose hung his cleats up in 1986, that same organization gave him a chance to return, this time, as a manager. Still wanting to get away from the gambling image, MLB was a bit hesitant on Rose and his betting past. After opening an investigation to make sure everything was on the up and up, the results of their findings left them with no choice but to get rid of Rose.

In 1987, it was reported that Rose bet on at least 52 Reds games. It wasn’t an insignificant figure either as Rose is believed to have bet at least $10,000 per game. Although he denied it, Rose knew he was dead in the water. As a result, he negotiated a deal. The details of said deal were he would accept a ban from baseball but MLB would come out and say Rose did not admit to anything and nothing was found. Essentially, Rose agreed to his removal from the game as long as they didn’t tell on him.

Eventually, after years of trying to get reinstated, Rose decided to come clean. He admitted that he betted on games but only for the Reds to win. His last-ditch attempt to earn a few sympathy points didn’t work as he’s still banned from the sport of baseball.