Chewing Tobacco and Baseball
On June 16, 2014 , HOF outfielder Tony Gwynn died at the age of 54 of oral cancer. The cause – dipping chewing tobacco, a long time tradition of many ball players since baseball had begun. He was not the only player to suffer oral cancer. Babe Ruth, Bill Tuttle, Brett Butler and many old time players, not of record, were victims. It became nationally recognized as a danger in the 1990s when retired outfielder Bill Tuttle visited clubhouses to speak to players of the dangers. Bill had lost teeth, his jawbone, his right cheekbone and his taste buds as a result of chewing. Eventually, he lost his speech. It wasn’t until 2016 that MLB cracked down on its use banning the use in all minor leagues and for new players entering the majors. Current players who used it were grandfathered the right to continue its use. It has been officially banned in the states of California and New York. Despite these precedents, there are still ballplayers who rely on the use of this smokeless tobacco.
I chewed Red Man until I was 75..so I got Lucky !
You are lucky. I smoked for 30 years before quiting and have survived