Baseball’s dark side surfaced again when San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was suspended for life gambling on the game.

In the process, Reading Phillies infielder Jose Rodriguez, along with fellow minor league pitcher Jay Groome (San Diego) and pitchers Andrew Saalfrank (Arizona) and Michael Kelly (Oakland) were handed a one-year ban for gambling.

Rodriguez’s ban reignited thoughts of former Phillie Pete Rose’s lifetime ban in 1989 from late MLB Commissioner Bart Giamatti for betting on the game. It also reintroduced the discussion of his Hall of Fame eligibility.

In this week’s edition of my Yesterday column - reminiscing about sports and pop culture in the 1960s, 70s, 80s and sometimes before and beyond - I’ll take a look at some of the Phillies and other teams’ troubles involving gambling and drug addictions through the years.

Thinking ahead ... Did the Phillies have ties to the 1919 “Black Sox” scandal? How did “greenies” involve the Phillies? What former Flyers’ goalie had a heart attack during a game? Did McDonald’s have pizza?

The Thorns Among the Rose ... Do you remember? On Aug, 24, 1989, Rose signed an agreement with Giamatti stating that he was permanently “ineligible” from baseball. In exchange, there was no formal declaration made whether Rose bet on baseball.

However, if you want to read some fascinating accounts of Rose’s escapades, they can be found in the “Dowd Report” (thedowdreport.com) that highlights Rose’s time as manager of the Reds. Rose has denied all of the allegations that he bet on baseball.

There also was a clause that stated Rose could be reinstated within a year. Rose’s all-time hit mark of 4,256 likely will be difficult to surpass.

Some Philly Dirty Sox ... Did the Phillies trigger the 1919 Black Sox scandal? There is a prevailing theory that they did.

If it wasn’t for a Phillies-Cubs game on Aug. 31, 1920, the eight Chicago White Sox - Shoeless Joe Jackson being the most prominent - may not have been indicted for fixing the 1919 World Series.

The Cubs won the previous night, 7-2.

The following morning, Cubs President William Veeck Sr. received a tip that gamblers had bet as much as $50,000 on the Phillies to win the afternoon game that day.

The Phillies did, 3-0, apparently aided by reliable Cubs’ second baseman Buck Herzog, who allowed a ready-made, double-play ball roll between his legs, scoring two runs, and was the game’s lone error.

A league investigation didn’t “secure any evidence,” but a Cook County judge convened a grand jury to look into the matter, and it prompted further investigation into the 1919 scandal.

Billy Maharg, a Philly boxer with gambling ties, stated that Games One, Two, and Eight were fixed to further solidify the case.

Those Green Pills ... In February 1981, charges were dismissed against Dr. Patrick Mazza, the Reading Phillies’ team physician, who prescribed amphetamines for Phillies’ Steve Carlton, Larry Christenson, Randy Lerch, Pete Rose, Greg Luzinski, Larry Bowa and Tim McCarver.

The doctor stated that he prescribed “pep pills” or “greenies” for the players at their request.

Lerch stated that he paid for the pills, but he never asked for a subscription. Luzinski and Rose reportedly wanted to “keep their weight down,” and Bowa, Carlton, and McCarver stated that they needed “something to pick them up.”

This was the precursor to the cocaine outbreak in the game, and the Pittsburgh drug trials in 1985 that included ex-Phillie, and then Cardinal, Lonnie Smith.

Football Follies ... The NFL has had its share of brushes with gambling.

Two of the more notable ones were the one-year suspensions of ex-Packer Paul Hornung and ex-Lion Alex Karras for betting on games during the 1962 season. They were both reinstated for the 1964 season.

The other was ex-Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter, who was the Colts’ first-round pick in 1982. Schlichter was suspended for the 1983 season for gambling ties, and he only played in 13 games until he left the game after 1985.

Schlichter later spent 11 years in prison for Ponzi schemes and recently had an 11-month sentence for cocaine possession.

Former Eagles’ owner Leonard Tose was forced to sell the team to Norman Braman for a reported $65 million to help with his gambling debts, mostly at the Atlantic City casinos.

Tose testified in a 1999 Congressional hearing that he lost between $40 and 50 million, and he earlier was evicted from his Villanova mansion in 1996.

He died at the age of 88 in 2003.

On the Dials ... In 1979, Kenny Rogers reached No. 1 on the country charts and No. 2 nationwide with “The Gambler.”

Also in the same year, Robert Urich starred as private eye Dan Tanna in the debut of the TV show, “Vegas,” which ran for three seasons.

WWF/WWE Wrestling Wrap ... Each week, I recount a former grappler who crossed our path.

Do you remember Lex Luger? He spent some time in the WWF, as well as the NWA and was a two-time WCW champion.

Luger encountered legal problems with a domestic dispute with the renowned and love interest manager Miss Elizabeth. When Miss Elizabeth died in a townhouse they shared, Luger was charged with 13 felony counts of drug possession. But Miss Elizabeth’s death was ruled a suicide, and Luger was placed on probation.

After a violation of the probation, Luger spent four months in a Georgia jail. Luger, whose real name is Lawrence Pfohl, played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the USFL, and retired in 2006.

Team Tales ... Each week, I’ll recount a now-defunct team from our past.

Anyone recall the Houston Gamblers from the original USFL in 1984?

They were led by head coach and legendary linebacker Jack Pardee, and Jim Kelly was their quarterback. Ex-Cowboy Toni Fritsch was the kicker.

The Gamblers won the USFL Western Division in 1984 with a 13-5 record and slumped to 10-8 the following season, but made the playoffs both seasons.

They couldn’t compete with the Oilers in attendance and merged with the New Jersey Generals for the 1986 season.

Busts, Byes, and Booms ... In 1989, McDonald’s introduced “McPizza,” hoping to join the growing number of fast-food pizzas. There were the typical varieties of any pizza.

Unfortunately, it was one of the franchise’s few failed products.

The same year saw the departures of TV shows “Moonlighting,” “Dynasty,” and “Miami Vice” to name a few.

There was a show that debuted July 5, then named “The Seinfeld Chronicles.”

Memory Lane ... Each week, I’ll look back at a former player, manager, coach or media personality from our yesterday.

In keeping with the theme, does anyone remember goaltender Bruce Gamble or outfielder Oscar Gamble?

Bruce Gamble was acquired by the Flyers from Toronto in a three-way deal with Boston on Jan. 31, 1971. He spent the 1970-71 and most of the 1971-72 season with the Flyers until his career abruptly ended when he suffered a heart attack and finished the game against Vancouver on Feb. 8, 1972.

Gamble spent 10 years in the NHL beginning in the 1958-59 season with the Rangers (one year), Boston (two), and Toronto (six). He died in 1982 at 44 when he suffered another heart attack during practice for an Old-Timer’s game.

Oscar Gamble, known for his high afro, played with the Phillies for three years (1970-72) and hit .241. After he broke in with the Cubs in 1969, Gamble was traded with Dick Selma to the Phillies for Johnny Callison. He also played for the Yankees, Indians, White Sox, Rangers, Padres, and ended his career with the White Sox in 1985.

Gamble passed away at the age of 68 in 2018, the same date Bruce Gamble was traded to the Flyers in 1971.

Feedback ... Your thoughts are always welcomed at tnsports@tnonline.com.