Rise and Fall of Steve Howe

A chronology of Steve Howe’s career:

June 5, 1979: Selected by the Dodgers on first round of the amateur draft (16th player selected).

1980: Saved 17 games for the Dodgers and named National League rookie of the year.

1982: Undergoes drug rehabilitation after the season.

June 29, 1983: Fined one month’s salary ($53,867) and put on probation by the Dodgers after admitting a drug problem.

July 13, 1983: Filed a grievance against the Dodgers over the fine.

July 15, 1983: Reported late for game and suspended two days by the Dodgers (July 16-17).

Sept. 23, 1983: Missed team flight to Atlanta and suspended indefinitely by the Dodgers for what the team says is cocaine dependency. Goes into substance abuse rehabilitation.

Dec. 15, 1983: Suspended for one year by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn for cocaine use.

May 1984: In a grievance settlement, agreed not to play in 1984.

June 23, 1985: Fined $300 by the Dodgers for arriving three hours late for a game.

July 1, 1985: Put on the restricted list by the National League for three days at the Dodgers’ request after missing a game against Atlanta.

July 3, 1985: Released by the Dodgers.

Aug. 12, 1985: Signed by the Minnesota Twins.

Sept. 17, 1985: Released by the Twins after missing three games with what the team said was a “temporary recurrence” of cocaine problem.

March 20, 1986: Signed by San Jose of the Class-A California League.

May 15-June 24, 1986: Suspended by the National Assn. of Professional Baseball Leagues after allegedly testing positive for cocaine.

July 15-Dec. 31, 1986: Suspended by the National Assn. of Professional Baseball Leagues after allegedly testing positive for cocaine.

Dec. 31, 1986: Released by San Jose.

July 11, 1987: Signed by Oklahoma City of the triple-A American Assn.

Aug. 6, 1987: His contract is purchased from Oklahoma City by the Texas Rangers.

November 1987: Agreed to two-year, $1.2-million contract with the Rangers.

Jan. 19, 1988: Released by the Rangers after violating aftercare program by using alcohol.

April 4, 1990: Signs contract with Salinas of the California League.

Feb. 1991: Signs contract with Columbus of the International League.

May 9, 1991: Contract purchased by the New York Yankees.

Nov. 5, 1991: Signs one-year contract with the Yankees.

Dec. 19, 1991: Arrested on cocaine charges in Kalispell, Mont.

June 8, 1992: Suspended indefinitely after entering a guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Missoula, Mont., to a misdemeanor charge of attempting to buy a gram of cocaine.

June 24, 1992: Suspended permanently by Commissioner Fay Vincent after pleading guilty to a drug misdemeanor in Montana on June 8.