Jan. 27, 1999
Contact: Mary Bridget Reilly
513-556-1824
mary-bridget.reilly@uc.edu
Cincinnati -- Baseball is kicking its habit, cutting back on tobacco advertising and use after 130 years of close ties, according to a recent survey by University of Cincinnati students.
Just in time for the mid-February start of spring training, 35 students in a recently completed "Social History of Baseball" course surveyed 320 residents in Cincinnati, the city where major league baseball started. Their questions focused on tobacco and its place in the American pastime. Results from the informal survey indicate that tobacco use and advertising are past their prime time, according to instructor Kevin Grace, assistant head of UC's archives and nationally recognized sports researcher.
Below are summary tables of results. For quotes and context, click here.
Respondents profile
| Caucasian | 209 | 65.31 percent |
| African American | 84 | 26.25 percent |
| Other | 27 | 8.43 percent |
| Male | 166 | 51.87 percent |
| Female | 154 | 48.13 percent |
| Aged 19 or under | 46 | 14.37 percent |
| Aged 20-35 | 106 | 33.12 percent |
| Aged 36-50 | 87 | 27.19 percent |
| Aged 51 and over | 81 | 25.31 percent |
Selected survey questions
Why do baseball players chew tobacco or use snuff?
| Relaxes players | 43 percent of all respondents |
| To achieve a "buzz" or high | 26 percent of all respondents |
| Help occupy time | 21 percent of all respondents |
What other sports events do you associate with tobacco advertising?
| NASCAR | 81 percent of all respondents |
| None | 10 percent of all respondents |
| Tennis | 6 percent of all respondents |
| Football | 3 percent of all respondents |
Should all tobacco ads be banned in ballparks and scorecards?
| Yes | 51 percent of all respondents |
| No | 48 percent of all respondents |
| No opinion | 1 percent of all respondents |
Are children influenced by baseball players' use of tobacco?
| Yes | 96 percent of all respondents |
| No | 2 percent of all respondents |
| No opinion | 2 percent of all respondents |
Does the tobacco industry target children/teens with advertising at ballparks and other venues?
| Yes | 84 percent of all respondents |
| No | 9 percent of all respondents |
| No opinion | 7 percent of all respondents |
Should all tobacco use be banned at the high school and college level for athletes?
| Yes | 20 percent of all respondents |
| No | 76 percent of all respondents |
| No opinion | 4 percent of all respondents |
Should there be designated smoking areas within the seating areas of ballparks?
| Yes | 67 percent of all respondents |
| No | 12 percent of all respondents |
| No opinion | 21 percent of all respondents |
Why do tobacco companies advertise their products in sports publications?
| To appeal to male readers and users | 97 percent of all respondents |