David Haynes
Mrs. Szabo
ENG – 102
5 December, 2012
Hall of Famer? Major League Baseball (MLB) has always been one of the worst offenders of players engaging in questionable behavior. With the MLB featuring as a key example in the steroid debate, how can the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) electors decide which players are eligible to be inducted into the Hall of Fame? Located in Cooperstown, New York, the National Baseball Hall of Fame is in anticipation for new members. An election is held each year, no later than January 15th, for players to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The electors from BBWAA consist of retired baseball players, which have been active writers for the BBWAA for at least ten years. These
Jack Etkin of The Rocky Mountain News believes it is true that a player’s numbers never change, but unclosed information which may be disclosed later might answer questions or bring clarity to the steroid use of McGwire. Which is why McGwire cannot be inducted into the Hall of Fame, because there are too many questions to be answered before reaching the highest honor in baseball, and honor which cannot be withdrawn (Curry 0).
Another notable steroid scandal pertaining to the Hall of Fame ballot includes Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez. A-Rod’s name was on a MLB list of 104 players who tested positive in 2003 for steroids. These results were supposed to be confidential because steroid use was not officially banned in the MLB until 2004. Not undermining that A-Rod did in fact use steroids. The results eventually leaked to Sports Illustrated, reporting that Rodriguez used testosterone and the anabolic steroid Primobola. A-Rod admitted to using the illegal substances while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003. He said when he took the drugs he was “young” and “stupid.” A-Rod (pictured left) apologized stating, “I’m sorry… I hope that kids [would] not make the same mistake that I made” (qtd. in Strike out?). A-Rod took acceptance for his actions; however, it doesn’t change past decisions which have to be accountable for when deciding who gets into the Hall. Craig Muder writes, “Our rules instruct out voters to