Mark McGwire is 10th all-time in homers, but he’s sitting in Hall of Fame limbo. | ICCSports/flickr.com
Barry Larkin was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday, Jan. 9 with 86 percent of the vote.
Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro and Jeff Bagwell are just a few names not voted in this year. These three guys have an analogous tie to each other and the game- they launched bombs during the steroid era.
McGwire sits 10th on the all-time home run list with 583. Palmeiro is one of four players in MLB history to have been in the 500 home run and 3,000 hit club. The other three? Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray. Bagwell is one of 12 players to have over 400 home runs and a career on-base percentage of over .400.
While McGwire admits steroid use, Palmeiro denies it, although being caught. The lone man out: Mr. Bagwell. He has never been connected to doping, but is guilty by association to voters. He slammed baseballs out of ballparks during the steroid era, so many baseball people feel he juiced along with the others. I believe he could have, but there is no hard evidence. He should not be held responsible.
Next year’s ballot will be the most attention grabbing. It includes Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Mike Piazza, Craig Biggio and Curt Schilling. Can we continue to keep the elite players of all-time over the last decade out of the history books?
Barry Bonds is the all-time leader in home runs with 762. Roger Clemens has won 354 games while obtaining seven Cy Young awards. Sammy Sosa clubbed 609 home runs. Can these top performers be erased from baseball records?
I believe the voting style needs to change.
Cheating and dishonesty has occurred in this game for years. Guys have been elected into the Hall of Fame who have had character issues or have admitted to cheating in some way or another.
Ty Cobb was considered by many to be a racist who was notorious for fighting. Gaylord Perry and Phil Niekro have admitted to doctoring balls throughout their career. Yet they all had no trouble getting over 75 percent of the vote. Why are steroid users any different?
It needs to be understood that steroids were an unfortunate phase of the game, similar to amphetamines and doctoring baseballs was. The baseball writers who vote need to become more uniform in their decision-making and break their steroid resilience. To go along with my theory, I also believe Pete Rose needs to be elected into the Hall of Fame. He stands as the all time hits leader in Major League Baseball.
The Hall of Fame serves as a place for individuals of all ages to visit and comprehend the history of the game. These undeniable, stand out players should be acknowledged regardless if they cheated. Additionally, I am a believer of including a note on their plaque indicating they used steroids; therefore, fans are made aware of the best players and the lowly decisions they made. Fans would be able to form their own opinions based on the performance enhancing drug use.
Baseball history is not something that can be eliminated by sportsmanship and character. The all-time home run leader in the history of baseball needs to have a plaque in the Hall of Fame. Likewise, the all time hits leader deserves a spot on the wall for his accomplishment.
The steroid era has contributed to the tainting of Americas pastime. However, baseball has proved to be an imperfect game. Baseball writers cannot hide what took place in the game they write about. The future needs to be aware of what took place and all the best players over the course of history.
Tim Shanahan can be reached at tshanahan@spartans.ut.edu.
Women who chase male super athletes, parents who push their kids to excel rather than enjoy the game, athletes who lose vast fortunes due to incompetent business sense…Refreshingly, Tim Shanahan doesn’t shy away from the controversial issues. And although he has written about football and basketball, it’s obvious that baseball is his first love. While I appreciate the fearlessness it takes to bite off on an illegal and pervasive practice (steroids), on this one Shanahan throws well outside the strike zone. He argues, albeit unconvincingly, that athletes with superior records (i.e., McGuire, Palmeiro, Bagwell) deserve admittance in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Seemingly, their accomplishments, while executed under the influence of steroid use, are as laudable as those whose baseball legacies are without reproach (for example, Willie Mays, Joe Dimaggio, Lou Gehrig) or are at least as worthy as those athletes who somehow slipped into the Hall of Fame before drugs, gambling, and other unsportsmanlike practices were revealed publicly. Tim would have us accept that steroid use is part of a historical legacy of player indiscretions. The problem with this (il)logic is that Mr. Shanahan has confused the writing of baseball history with the purpose of being inducted into a hall of fame. Baseball historians should include a chapter or two about the era of steroids. That is, after all what happened in the sport. But induction in a Hall of Fame? You get to cheat your way into glory? It didn’t work for Rosie Ruiz, Nina Kraft, Ben Johnson, Danny Almonte, Marion Jones, Kostas Kenteris, and so why should it work for Mark McGuire? If Cooperstown wants Mark McGuire so badly then how about a wing dedicated to those individuals who have sullied the sport? And while you’re building it, it better be more than a (foot)note or (wall) plaque that visitors get to read. It should be a flashing sign that proclaims, “These guys took drugs, broke the law, bet against their teams, and lied about their conduct. They hit more on steroids than a regular athlete. What a surprise! Go figure!” (Footnote/Wall Plaque: While they were at it, they made millions of dollars. None of it was returned to the teams.Can we get our money back?) Shame on the players who tried to ruin our favorite past time. Shame on those same players who think they deserve a place in the Hall of Fame. Shame on any voting sportswriter who vote them in.