Steve Howe had a 12-year career in the big leagues cut short by suspensions for drugs, and alcohol. The one-time Rookie of the Year, 1980, and All Star, 1982, was very talented, but drug addiction took control of his life. He was suspended seven times before being permanently banned from baseball in 1992 by Commissioner Faye Vincent. Although he was later reinstated, Howe was plagued by inconsistency and unreliability and never reached his previous dominance. After several years with the New York Yankees, he was released in 1996. He had a career record of 47 – 41 with 91 saves and an ERA of 3.03, primarily with the Dodgers. Howe was popular with fellow ballplayers and fans. He was considered by friends as the nicest guy in the world, but unfortunately, was obsessed with drug and alcohol demons. After years of rehab and attempts to break the addiction, Howe died while driving alone in a tragic car accident in 2006 at the age of 48. A toxicology report revealed drugs in his system.
Steve Howe was the first Major League player to be banned for cocaine use. It was the unveiling of evidence of excessive drug usage by professional athletes. More than likely, drug usage had been hidden and swept under the rug until the Howe story which caused red flags to go up and set the stage for the start of an era of drug problems that would haunt baseball for the next decade.