Steroid use no different than throwing games or gambling
Integrity. In the early part of the last century, Shoeless Joe Jackson and several of his teammates conspired for a sum of money to throw the 1919 World Series. For their part, these Chicago White Sox players were banned for life from baseball. Pleas for mercy, especially from Shoeless Joe, a potential Hall of Famer, fell on deaf ears.
Now fast forward with me to the later part of the last century and the life of another sure Hall of Famer – Pete Rose. Because “Charlie Hustle” bet on baseball games (including his own team), even his 4,000 plus hits couldn’t earn him a bronze plaque at Cooperstown.
They are two sad endings which many sports fans believe are unjust. Many feel sports writers are using character, rather than accomplishment, as criteria for Hall of Fame admission.
Finally, we are living in the era of steroids. Two facts of interest concerning steroids are 1) they have been around for awhile, and 2) we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg in this problem.
I find it very revealing when one compares the stature of players today with those 20 years ago. The differences are quite telling. I’m not referring to strength alone, but also bulk. That baseball has a problem is becoming more obvious.
Unlike the two examples just cited, a player can toy with steroids up to five times before being banned for life. This policy, if continued, will eventually undermine the game as we know it.
To see this point, we need to recognize the parallel between throwing games, gambling and the use of steroids. Why keep track of game scores, statistics and individual accomplishments to a game flawed by cheating and deception?
Baseball should always be larger than any single person’s accomplishments.
Bob Centracchio
Pine Avenue
Morrison