Actor Charlie Sheen recounted how he used steroids to improve his fastball throw by 10 mph in just six weeks
During a recent appearance on the podcast All the Smoke, actor Charlie Sheen opened up about how he used steroids to throw like a professional when filming Major League. The details adding yet another outrageous story to the long and legendary Charlie Sheen saga.
When Major League hit theaters in 1989, it instantly became one of the most beloved sports comedies of all time. The film nailed everything fans love about baseball movies – the underdog story, the locker room chaos, and the colorful cast of misfit players that somehow come together to win. But behind the jokes and the cinematic magic, one detail always stood out: Charlie Sheen actually looked like a real pitcher.
Now, decades later, Sheen has revealed the wild secret behind those movie-quality heaters – and in true Charlie Sheen fashion, it involves steroids.
Charlie Sheen’s Baseball Background Was the Real Deal
Before Hollywood fame, Charlie Sheen wasn’t just a movie star wannabe. He actually had chops on the baseball diamond. In high school, Sheen pitched for his team and reportedly had decent velocity. By his own admission, he could reach the mid-80s with his fastball – impressive enough for a young athlete with no pro training.
That legitimate baseball experience gave him an edge when auditioning for the role of Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn, the bad boy pitcher with a cannon arm and questionable control. Director David S. Ward wanted someone who could look believable on the mound, and Sheen’s background sealed the deal.
But when it came time to film, Sheen realized his stuff wasn’t as hot as it used to be. His fastball clocked in just over 75 MPH, a noticeable dip from his high school days. For a film that centered around his pitching, that simply wasn’t good enough.
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“My Trainer Had a Steroid Connection”
So what did Sheen do? According to the actor, he turned to chemical help.
In his interview, Sheen explained that his trainer at the time had access to anabolic steroids and offered to help him get his velocity back up.
“So I did a bunch of steroids, right? Yeah. I was only throwing, like, 76 at the time. And I had this trainer that was a running back at BYU, and he had a he knew a guy that could get the steroid and so were at Gold’s Gym and pump it up.”
After taking “a bunch of steroids,” as Sheen bluntly put it, his fastball jumped roughly 10 MPH. He said that within weeks, he was consistently throwing around 85 MPH – good enough to make the movie’s baseball scenes look authentic.
“Yeah man. And put literally put ten miles per hour on… Six weeks. Yeah. I mean, that’s how I mean, I was a little naughty during the that thing, you know.”
Sheen estimated he stayed on steroids for about six weeks during the production of Major League. That six-week cycle not only gave him a stronger fastball but apparently gave him the edge and intensity that defined his character. Ricky Vaughn wasn’t just a role – it was Sheen fully leaning into the wild energy that would later become his public persona.
Why Major League Still Holds Up
Major League remains one of the most rewatchable sports films ever made. Directed by David S. Ward, the movie follows the fictional Cleveland Indians – a ragtag team assembled to fail so the team’s new owner can move them to Miami. Instead, the squad bonds, rallies, and shocks the world by becoming contenders.
The cast delivered across the board. Wesley Snipes brought flash and charisma as Willie Mays Hayes. Tom Berenger played the grizzled veteran Jake Taylor with heart and humor. And Charlie Sheen’s Ricky Vaughn became an instant pop culture icon, complete with leather jacket, skull-rimmed glasses, and “Wild Thing” blasting through the stadium speakers.
What set the movie apart was how real the baseball looked. Unlike many sports films where the action feels staged, Major League captured the rhythm and pace of an actual game. That realism is largely thanks to Sheen and his steroid-fueled dedication to throwing actual heat on camera.
The Legacy of Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn
Over thirty years later, Major League continues to be a benchmark for sports comedies. Fans still quote its lines, wear Vaughn’s No. 99 jersey, and blast “Wild Thing” as a tribute to one of the coolest movie athletes ever created.
Sheen’s confession about using steroids doesn’t tarnish that legacy – if anything, it adds to it. It’s another outrageous footnote in the legend of Charlie Sheen, a man who has never done anything halfway.
He didn’t just act like a major leaguer. He literally enhanced his body to pitch like one.
For a generation of fans who grew up idolizing Major League, that revelation just cements what everyone already knew: Charlie Sheen was born to play Ricky Vaughn. The role was wild, unpredictable, and larger than life – just like the man himself.
*Image courtesy of Instagram @allthesmoke
