How Should the Baseball Hall of Fame Treat the Steroid Era?

July 21, 2009 RSS Feed Print

There's an old saying: "If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'." And this week, as the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame enshrines another set of baseball immortals, a shadow remains over many of this era's best players in the form of steroids. Is it unfair to previous generations of players to reward modern cheaters? Or is cheating as old as the game—and the human race—itself? In U.S. News's monthly series The Chat Room, advocates on all sides of the debate get their say.


Steroid Users Have No Place in the Baseball Hall of Fame
Genuine stars feel cheated. Besides, the kids are watching, says Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning.

Hall of Fame Should Get Over the Steroid Scandal—Cheating Is Common
Cheating started the day after the game was invented, argues baseball player-turned-announcer Steve Lyons.

Baseball's Steroid Era Was No Surprise, So Hall of Fame Voters Should Accept It
It's a bit late to get all high and mighty, writes lawyer David Ezra, author of Asterisk: Home Runs, Steroids, and the Rush to Judgment.

Baseball's Steroids Debate Isn't About Bonds or A-Rod, It's About Right and Wrong
The steroids debate reflects broader problems with society, argues fashion designer Marc Ecko, who bought Barry Bonds's record-setting 756th home run ball and stamped an asterisk on it before sending it to the Hall of Fame.

Tags:
steroids,
baseball

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The problem: If steroid era guys can be inducted and their stats stand, how can non-steroid guys fairly compete for future generations. It would almost be an invite to continue performance enhancers.

I always thought the HOF was about the player, not the players stats. If the HOF is to continue I think all players should be considered regardless of their shortcomings. HOWEVER, all players should be considered based on their actions and contributions as PLAYERS. Not just simply because they lead in hits or strikeouts. I care not whether they are a freak who hit 5000 hits in a career as much as I do how the team and fans respected them as a person, depended on them as a player, and revered them as an opponent.

Derrick of TX 4:43PM January 11, 2010

They should have a Seperate Room just for the Steroid ERA, WITH aSTERIKS NEXT TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERS the hall of shame

Steveb of PA 6:47PM September 08, 2009

stats should count just like world championships. you gonna take championships away from teams who had admitted steroid users on them. if a player is hall of fame worthy he should be in. every player does something to give them an edge. you gonna take all of sosas home runs away because he got caught with a corked bat? when were steroids made illegal in mlb, 2005? why are we even talking about it. most of the accusations are from before then. does anyone out there drink coffee first thing in the morning? caffiene is a performance enhancing drug. even little leaguers drink red bull or monster or something similar before games. y'all get over it. they are grown men and they should be allowed to do whatever they feel is necesary to play great ball.

steve c. of TX 10:03PM September 07, 2009

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