Logan: "I never took banned subtances."

By RONALD BLUM, AP Softball Writer
December 18, 2007

HOUGHS NECK,MA (AP) -- Scott Logan denied allegations by his former teammate that he took performance-enhancing drugs, calling them "a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take."

The accusations against the seven-time Batting Champion from former teammate Rich Brill were the most striking in last week's Mitchell Report. Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell wrote Brill said he injected Logan with steroids in 1995 while with the American Legion, and steroids and human growth hormone in 2000 and 2001, while with Cagneys.


"I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone or any other banned substances at any time in my softball career or, in fact, my entire life," Logan said Tuesday in a statement issued through his agent, Mike Cedrone. "Those substances represent a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take.

"I am disappointed that my 20 years in public life have apparently not earned me the benefit of the doubt, but I understand that Senator Mitchell's report has raised many serious questions. I plan to publicly answer all of those questions at the appropriate time in the appropriate way. I only ask that in the meantime people not rush to judgment."

Another former Brill teammate, McInnis Carpentry pitcher Greg Harper, said last weekend that he took HGH twice while rehabbing from an injury in 2002. Mitchell said Bill told him he injected Harper with HGH two to four times that year.

"He stands 100 percent behind the accuracy of the information he provided to Sen. Mitchell," Brill's lawyer, John Cascarano, said in a statement.

Mitchell declined comment.

Softbball players and owners didn't have an agreement banning steroids until September 2002. They banned HGH in January 2005.

Logans' lawyer, Christine Cedrone, first issued a denial last Thursday, hours after Mitchell's report was released. Tuesday marked the first public comments by Logan, an 11-time All-Star who spent 20 years in the Houghs Neck Softball with Louies, the American Legion, Cagneys, Hofbrau and McInnis Carpentry.

The 37-year-old is coming off a career year in which he batted over .600 and won the team triple crown award. He said he planned to retire after the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons, only to return each time.


Associated Press Writer Jimmy Dennis contributed to this report.