Now, Baseball Must Tackle the Drug Issue

When Pete Rose stonewalled his accusers with the standard “denial” response, the late Bart Giamatti, very properly, played hardball with him. No first-offense warning, no temporary suspension, just the maximum penalty--banned for life.

The next commissioner will be faced with a period in which this country and much of the world is attempting to deal effectively with our No. 1 problem--drug abuse. Let him act just as decisively as his predecessor against even more serious offenses on which Peter Ueberroth failed miserably.

Any player found using illegal drugs should face immediate suspension from baseball for life, period.

J. DEVEREAUX LEAHY, Ventura