The New York Daily News, quoting "clubhouse insiders", say that players drinking beer in clubhouses, and even dugouts, during games is "nothing new" in major-league baseball and quotes one of them as saying the "only reason" it's becoming such a big deal in Boston "is because the Sox didn't make the playoffs".
One source said Jason Giambi and Roger Clemens would "routinely" drink beer in the dugout during games while they played for the Yankees. Another said Mets players "would go into the clubhouse, pour beer in Gatorade cups and return to the dugout."
"Beer has always been a big part of the clubhouse. That's been going on forever," one of the baseball insiders said.