As recent as 20 years ago, this would be a non-story with as prevalent that smoking was. I remember as a kid in the 1990s cigarettes were EVERYWHERE. I was like 12 when cigarette ads on billboards were banned and that seemed to be around the same time Big Tobacco quit putting up ads in stadiums amd sponsoring sporting events. Vaping is definitely the new smoking.
One thing I enjoy doing is telling kids and teenagers learning about the Beatles that they all smoked and seeing the looks of shock on their faces. Never mind that the Fab Four did more than smoke--they seem to be more in shock over that than their drug use. Hell, George Harrison died from lung cancer as a direct result of smoking--if that isn't enough of a dead giveaway that the Beatles smoked cigarettes.
There are multiple shots of Roger Maris smoking in uniform in the Yankees' locker room. And they had a scene in "61" showing Barry Pepper as Maris puffing away in pinstripes. Maris also was a spokesman for Camels in his heyday. I collect old sports magazines and Orioles game programs and there are many ballplayer endorsements of cigarettes. Chesterfield signed some really big names, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Ted Williams and others. Mark Belanger of the Orioles was a chain smoker and I swear I've seen pics of him smoking in the dugout but I'm coming up dry with a quick Google this morning.
In about 1983, when I was 14, I was watching a Brewers/A’s game on TV. Brewers catcher Ted Simmons had just thrown out Rickey Henderson for the second time in the game. After the commercial break, the Brewers announcers were talking about what a great feat it was for Simmons to be able to throw out Henderson twice. The camera was focused on Simmons as he was smoking a cigarette in his catcher’s gear on the bench. It just seemed odd to see an athlete smoking, even back then.
There's also the famous story of when a fan saw John Kruk of the Phillies out at a restaurant, drinking beer and smoking a cigarette. She told him a pro athlete should take better care of himself.
Kruk responded, "I ain't an athlete, lady. I'm a baseball player."
No photos, but coincidentally guys on the 2026 Brewers smoked cigs before taking batting cage. It was a superstitious thing, "if they smoke heaters in the cage, they'll smoke heaters in the game."
As recent as 20 years ago, this would be a non-story with as prevalent that smoking was. I remember as a kid in the 1990s cigarettes were EVERYWHERE. I was like 12 when cigarette ads on billboards were banned and that seemed to be around the same time Big Tobacco quit putting up ads in stadiums amd sponsoring sporting events. Vaping is definitely the new smoking.
One thing I enjoy doing is telling kids and teenagers learning about the Beatles that they all smoked and seeing the looks of shock on their faces. Never mind that the Fab Four did more than smoke--they seem to be more in shock over that than their drug use. Hell, George Harrison died from lung cancer as a direct result of smoking--if that isn't enough of a dead giveaway that the Beatles smoked cigarettes.
Here, I'll add one to the list: Lou Gehrig! https://www.instagram.com/p/DY-AjV_jZ-T/
There are multiple shots of Roger Maris smoking in uniform in the Yankees' locker room. And they had a scene in "61" showing Barry Pepper as Maris puffing away in pinstripes. Maris also was a spokesman for Camels in his heyday. I collect old sports magazines and Orioles game programs and there are many ballplayer endorsements of cigarettes. Chesterfield signed some really big names, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Ted Williams and others. Mark Belanger of the Orioles was a chain smoker and I swear I've seen pics of him smoking in the dugout but I'm coming up dry with a quick Google this morning.
Good call on Roger Maris, Bob! Here's a typical shot: https://www.facebook.com/baseballinpics/posts/roger-maris-takes-a-smoke-break-during-his-record-breaking-1961-season-a-stressf/1390128073232269/
It might have been for an ad for Beech-Nut tobacco, but I've always liked this photo of White Sox second baseman Nellie Fox smoking a pipe in the dugout: https://media.gettyimages.com/id/514881230/photo/nellie-fox-smoking-corn-pipe-in-dugout.jpg?s=594x594&w=gi&k=20&c=CNhKpgJVBVKCZi3_4wnG9DjkQd7kSYYZF3JHj4gv6HU=
Another pipe smoker in uniform: Sparky Anderson!
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/manager-sparky-anderson-of-the-detroit-tigers-smokes-his-news-photo/453736187?phrase=mlb%20smoking&adppopup=true
In about 1983, when I was 14, I was watching a Brewers/A’s game on TV. Brewers catcher Ted Simmons had just thrown out Rickey Henderson for the second time in the game. After the commercial break, the Brewers announcers were talking about what a great feat it was for Simmons to be able to throw out Henderson twice. The camera was focused on Simmons as he was smoking a cigarette in his catcher’s gear on the bench. It just seemed odd to see an athlete smoking, even back then.
Not sure if you are looking for smokers in other sports, but Len Dawson smoked in the locker room during half time of Super Bowl I.
https://kcyesterday.com/articles/len-dawson-cigarette?srsltid=AYCX9vJGk6a0Rg140GFJYt84YO52CBk2YV817iHQUA5luy60liAkTW3K
A classic!
There's also the famous story of when a fan saw John Kruk of the Phillies out at a restaurant, drinking beer and smoking a cigarette. She told him a pro athlete should take better care of himself.
Kruk responded, "I ain't an athlete, lady. I'm a baseball player."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1278429._I_Ain_t_an_Athlete_Lady_
No photos, but coincidentally guys on the 2026 Brewers smoked cigs before taking batting cage. It was a superstitious thing, "if they smoke heaters in the cage, they'll smoke heaters in the game."
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-milwaukee-brewers-smoked-cigarettes-190452353.html
Oh wow, I missed that. Perfect full-circle detail! I'll add that to the text.