Rod Scurry - A Casualty of 80's Drug Culture 🦜 

So very sad re-living this horrible tragedy. I remember the early days when I first met Rod. He was a very quiet guy but we did have some good times together before his addiction kicked in. What a tragic loss for his entire Family. -Dale Shiffman 2024

The Pirates World Series appearance drought currently stands at 44 years and counting, second only to the Mariners. With baseball fans tendency to ascribe long droughts to curses associated with events, it's kind of a wonder that we don't talk about the "Cocaine Curse". (Or, maybe a little more light-heartedly, the Curse of the Parrot).

Lol he had to keep sniffing through the game or he'd crash

recommendation: End with federal level drug help contact info. Nice video though.

My favourite thing about these videos is your empathy towards these guys

I remember when Scurry died. It was sandwiched between Sid Bream scoring and Lemieux’s lymphoma. It was a really dark time.

There's a Pirates Phillies game from 1982 here on RU-vid that I go back and watch from time to time, I usually skip ahead to the eighth inning. Rod comes on in relief in a tight game with nobody out and the bases loaded. He gets Pete Rose to hit into an inning-ending double play and strikes out Mike Schmidt in the ninth to get the save. Maybe one of his best games. There's a nice interview afterwards.

Mike Tyson had to say say no to crack cause he couldn’t say so no to coke with a straight face 😂

Thank you so much for doing this video, and honoring my request i got chills watch it, I vividly remember Rod scurry Pitching in relief on opening day in 1986 for the Yankees and had a sick curve ball. The music, the message every thing this is the best video you ever did and great looking out Scurry could not overcome his demons Respect ✊ SIP Rod

Tim Raines admitted to carrying a gram in the back pocket of his Expo game pants, then escaping down the tunnel between innings to snort. He would finish the gram during the game, then load up again after the game. Whitey Herzog stated Montreal was the only city where the Cardinal players were quarantined inside the hotel for the entire 3 or 4 game series against an opponent. He stated Montreal had "too many bad temptations for young players." 😳

Dang this is a sad video. But Dusty Baker? Wow I didn’t know he fell victim to cocaine use

Thanks for the retrospective on Rod Scurry. Unfortunately he wasn't the only former MLB player that couldn't shake off the cocaine habit that ended up costing them their lives. And Darrell Porter (1952-2002) who was featured in one of the commercials at 0:43 passed away from what was believed to be excited delirium caused by his cocaine use that ended up stopping his heart. RIP to them all.

I was well on my way to an alcoholic death, as I approached 27 years old, because my insides were ravaged by untreated heartburn, and other digestive issues. A couple years into my sobriety, I was diagnosed with some food allergies, most notably lactose intolerence and certain grains. The hops and/or barley were killing my insides, as was the alcohol. Most notable was a drinking buddy, who was a heavy user of cocaine. He was ten years older, had the strong grip of a career bass and guitar player, and warned me, "If I ever find out you are using cocaine, I'll kill you.' his example, and threat, saved me from pursueing this deadly path, as I was already a regular user of Vivarin to get past hangovers and function at work. It's a brutal addiction, with coca leaves perverted and cut with all kinds of terrible stuff by the time an American buys it from a dealer. Combined with peer pressure, and an athlete's inability to see themselves as mortal in their youth, is a deadly combination in sports.

Imagine being in a club bathroom stall at 2am, in the mid 1980s, doing bumps of blow with the Pittsburgh Pirates parrot and talking about nonsense like solving the world's problems and shit.

Rod Scurry was a sad story, I remember getting lots of doubles of his baseball cards in the 85 Topps packs.

Killer soundtrack to this one.

rod took the wrong road😢

Len Bias’s death played a role in the scrutiny. I knew people who used coke casually in the early 80s. When Bias ODed they all stopped. A wake up call for a naive generation.

Lived on the same street as rod my while life to the point he died and played baseball with his son throughout my childhood. So nice to find this video.

Wow. Tom Brennan's pitches look so ridiculous.

If you’re doing it, stop it. Thanks Mike! I wish it were that easy…

Another stellar video Hatbilly! Tremendous work and I applaud you for spreading awareness to Rod's story 👏

Lots of people in this video, I wish I knew who the hell they all were. Just a thought.....

Can you imagine coacane and steroids at the same time!?!?!? Canseco!!

Whos on coke now? Gotta be salvy? Hes been running too fast

The best baseball channel on RU-vid right here...

Interesting video of my Hug High School teammate and good friend Rod Scurry, a truly tragic tale, but the videos depicting Scurry’s high school years are not of Hug or Scurry

All these people are addicted to something

Today i learned of butch edge.

I was a High Schooler and had some insight into some players on those PITT teams. Vice and stupidity ruined a lot of potential of the Buccos. Shameful.

I did drugs while watching this.

I again want to thank you so much for fulfilling my request,.

FYI: 7 grams a week between 4-5 people is nothing. Hell i wasn't even into coke that much and i could blow through 7 grams in a weekend by myself.

So, Scurry was outside his home in a delirium complaining about snakes. The Cops arrive, soon after he's not breathing. I wish they had body cams back then

7 grams a week!?

Great job, I remember Scurry well. As a Cards fan, I about blew a gasket when Hernandez was **given** to Mets but despite all that talent, Doc & Straw must’ve gotten the coke bug from Keith, but later on Whitey said he knew what was going on, he told the GM “just get rid of him, I don’t care who or where, just get him outta here”, regardless Hernandez. One of my best friends on Twitter is a huge Bucs fan, he wasn’t sold on Cole, but I was. He was and is, really good.

Man, this is something else. Scurry's tale is a cautionary one of how drugs can ruin your life. Much like Darrell Porter, Eric Show, Sammy Stewart, Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Tim Raines, and others who fell victim to addiction.

You listened to me and brought back WoodBooger!!!

Thanks for reminding me im not the only one. Relapsing tonight.

This channel is great. Appreciate the description and tags on the video here. Makes it easier to find good stuff like this

Thanks for providing us with another awesome video. This was an important story. Cheers.

What a time…

party on wayne!

Who?

Did you really say Scurry didnt start much due the "..wealth of pitching depth" with the 85 Pirates? They lost over 100 games.....pitching depth?