Major League Baseball

Senators urge baseball to ban tobacco

Published Oct. 18, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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Four U.S. senators and health officials from the cities hosting the World Series are urging the baseball players union to agree to a ban on chewing tobacco at games and on camera.

The senators, including the No. 2 Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois, and the health officials from St. Louis and Arlington, Texas, made the pleas in separate letters, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. The World Series between the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals begins in St. Louis Wednesday night.

The senators told union head Michael Weiner that when players use smokeless tobacco, they endanger their own health as well as the health of kids who watch the games on TV.

Leading health officials in St. Louis and Arlington urged players in the series to abstain from using tobacco, in addition to calling for a permanent ban.

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