Mariners considering alcohol ban

SEATTLE – The Mariners are the only Seattle professional sports team to allow alcohol at work. But that may soon change.

The baseball team recently eliminated drinking on some team flights and is reviewing other alcohol policies for players. The Mariners, like many major league teams, permit alcohol inside clubhouses after games – for now. But they recently banned alcohol consumption on inbound team flights once their plane is within three hours of Seattle.

The Seahawks follow the NFL’s rule: No alcohol in any team circumstance. Teams can’t even have a champagne shower to celebrate winning the Super Bowl.

The SuperSonics and their sister team, the WNBA’s Storm, have the same policy: no alcohol surrounding any team function, including in the locker room after games. The Sonics are one of at least 14 NBA teams than ban alcohol in the locker room.

Team-sanctioned alcohol has come under national scrutiny in the wake of St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock’s recent alcohol-related death. Police in St. Louis said Hancock was legally drunk at the time of his fatal automobile crash about six hours after he left Busch Stadium, though no one has suggested he drank in the clubhouse before he left it.

At least 13 major league teams now prohibit beer and other alcoholic beverages from being consumed in the clubhouse, some since Hancock died after colliding with a parked tow truck.

Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi is considering whether to become the 14th team. Currently, alcohol is permitted in both the home and visiting clubhouses at Safeco Field. Players occasionally drink beer after games at their lockers – though that sight may become more rare or at least less noticeable following Hancock’s death.

Bavasi said he looks at the policy each off-season “to keep tabs on it.”

“Obviously, we are taking an even harder look now,” he said.

Team spokesman Tim Hevly said the change in the alcohol policy on team flights was agreed to during a preseason meeting between Bavasi and veteran Mariners players, but had not been instituted until last week. Alcohol is now prohibited on any Mariners flight to Seattle of less than three hours.