Skipper tested positive for cocaine

Associated Press

SURPRISE, Ariz.

Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington admitted he made a “huge mistake” when he used cocaine and failed a Major League Baseball drug test last season.

In his first public acknowledgment, Washington apologized Wednesday for his behavior, eight months after he told Rangers president Nolan Ryan, who turned down the manager’s offer to resign.

“I made a huge mistake and it almost caused me to lose everything I have worked for all of my life,” Washington said at a news conference Wednesday. “I am not here to make excuses. There are none.”

Washington said he used cocaine only once and called it “stupid” and “shameful.”

The failed test first was reported by SI.com.

Washington said he told the commissioner’s office and Rangers officials about using cocaine before he had a routine drug test.

“He came forward and said he would resign,” Ryan said.

“He understood the consequences. We had a lot of discussions and a lot of soul-searching on it.”

“He stood up to it. We felt like he was sincere and forthright,” he said. “We are very disappointed by this. We are upset we were put in this position.”

Washington met with his players earlier in the day and told them about testing positive in July.

“He was very emotional, you could tell that he’s a broken man from this one bad choice he made,” Texas star Josh Hamilton said.