Baseball is a game of strategy, but sometimes that strategy pushes the boundaries of fair play. Over the years, players and teams have resorted to underhanded tactics—from doctored balls and corked bats to high-tech sign stealing and mysterious substances—all in the pursuit of victory. While some of these scandals resulted in suspensions and damaged reputations, others became infamous chapters in the sport’s history.
This list explores some of Major League Baseball’s most notorious cheating scandals and the lasting impact they’ve had on the game.
13. Norm Cash – The Corked Bat Confession
Detroit Tigers’ Norm Cash openly admitted to using a corked bat during his stellar 1961 season, when he won the batting title with a .361 average. Cash claimed he drilled holes in his bats and filled them with cork, sawdust, and glue. Despite this confession, he maintained that his success was due to expansion pitching and seeing the ball well.
12. Rick Honeycutt – The Thumbtack Incident
In 1980, Mariners pitcher Rick Honeycutt taped a thumbtack to his finger to scuff the ball. He was caught after just two batters when he accidentally cut his own forehead with the tack. Honeycutt was ejected, suspended for 10 games, and fined $250. Despite the mishap, he went on to have a successful 21-year MLB career.
11. Graig Nettles – Super Balls in the Bat
In 1974, Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles was caught using a bat stuffed with six super balls. During a game against the Tigers, his bat came apart, revealing the illegal modification. Surprisingly, Nettles was only suspended for ten days, claiming a fan had given him the doctored bat.
10. Don Sutton – Alleged Ball Doctoring
Don Sutton, a Hall of Fame pitcher, faced numerous accusations of doctoring baseballs throughout his career. Though only ejected once in 1978, Sutton was known for allegedly scuffing and defacing balls to gain an advantage. Despite the controversy, he maintained his innocence, famously quipping, “I’m the most accused and least convicted guy in the country.”
9. George Brett – The Pine Tar Game
In 1983, George Brett’s game-winning homer was initially nullified due to excessive pine tar on his bat. However, the Royals’ protest was upheld, and the game was resumed with Brett’s homer counting. This incident led to rule changes regarding pine tar use in MLB.
8. Sammy Sosa – Cork in the Bat
In 2003, Sammy Sosa’s bat shattered during a game, revealing cork inside. He claimed it was his batting practice bat used by mistake. Despite the controversy, Sosa’s other bats were tested and found clean. He served a 8-game suspension, but his legacy remains largely intact, with 609 career home runs.
7. Kenny Rogers – The Mysterious Substance
During Game 2 of the 2006 World Series, Kenny Rogers was spotted with a brown substance on his pitching hand. Despite suspicions of pine tar, Rogers claimed it was dirt and rosin. The substance disappeared after the first inning, but Rogers continued to dominate, pitching eight scoreless innings. The incident remains controversial in baseball history.
6. Joe Niekro – The Emery Board Affair
In 1987, Twins pitcher Joe Niekro was caught red-handed with an emery board and sandpaper during a game. When asked to empty his pockets, Niekro attempted to discreetly toss the emery board away, but umpires spotted it. He claimed it was for nail maintenance, but received a 10-day suspension.
5. Mike Scott – Suspected Ball Doctoring
Mike Scott’s sudden transformation into an ace pitcher for the Houston Astros in 1986 raised suspicions. Despite denials, Scott later admitted to throwing scuffed balls, though he never confessed to scuffing them himself. His alleged doctoring became a major controversy during the 1986 NLCS against the Mets.
4. Albert Belle – The Corked Bat Incident
In 1994, Albert Belle’s corked bat was confiscated during a game. Cleveland Indians pitcher Jason Grimsley crawled through the ceiling to swap it with a legal bat. The ruse was discovered, and Belle received a 7-game suspension. In 2024, Belle admitted he could now laugh about the incident.
3. Whitey Ford – The Artful Scuffer
Yankees legend Whitey Ford was a master of ball doctoring. He used his wedding ring to scuff baseballs and concocted a mixture of baby oil, turpentine, and resin to alter pitch movement. Ford even had catcher Elston Howard scrape balls on his shin guard buckles. Despite these tactics, Ford remains in the Hall of Fame.
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2. Gaylord Perry – Master of the Spitball
Gaylord Perry, a Hall of Fame pitcher who was legitimately talented, built his career on throwing illegal spitballs. He openly admitted to doctoring baseballs with Vaseline and other substances, even writing a book titled “Me and the Spitter.” Despite widespread suspicion, Perry was ejected only once in his 22-year career for throwing an illegal pitch.
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1. Barry Bonds – The Steroid Slugger
Barry Bonds, MLB’s all-time home run leader, was embroiled in the BALCO scandal. Despite allegations of steroid use, Bonds never failed an MLB drug test after the league implemented its official testing program. His 2011 obstruction of justice conviction was overturned in 2015, allowing him to avoid formal punishment for alleged PED use during his record-breaking career.
