Mark McGwire and the Hall of Fame, does he belong?

Another year has come and gone, another Hall of Fame ballot voted on.  The Class of 2012 has been selected.  Once again Mark McGwire was passed over, receiving only 19.5% of the vote.  McGwire was once sure lock for Cooperstown.  Instead, he has now become one of the many faces of the steroid era.  He is one of the main faces from the juiced up era of baseball.  Is this right? Does Big Mac deserve to take his place in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown among the greatest of the greats that played the game?

The homerun race of 1998 gripped not only St. Louis and Chicago, it had lock on the whole nation.   Television programs were interrupted when McGwire would step to the plate.  The atmosphere in St. Louis was electric.  It had a feeling that was truly unlike anything else I have ever experienced in Cardinal baseball.  It had a different vibe than World Series runs.  The World Series has a feel of its own.  But, the summer of 1998 was different.  Since then McGwire has experienced accolades that only few chosen ball players would ever experience.  He has been described, with Sammy Sosa, as saving the game of baseball.  He had a stretch of highway named after him.  He met the Pope.  He was loved by all.  He retired.  He was named in the steroid scandal.  He refused to talk about the past in a congressional hearing.  He faded into oblivion.  He saw the stretch of highway go through another name change.  He was offered a coaching job.  He accepted and was immediately blasted by the media.  He admitted his use of steroids.  He put up with the media circus.  He received a standing ovation once again from the Cardinal fans and he has fit quite well into his post as the hitting coach.  His smile has returned.

McGwire’s career numbers and accomplishments justify him making it into the Hall.  But the cloud and stigma of being one of “those” guys that used steroids has prevented him receiving this highest honor.  Everyone has their own opinion on if he deserves to be there or not.  He has been ridiculed by many of the former greats of the game.  He has been called a cheater.  He has also rallied support from some the greats as well.  Cardinal legend Bob Gibson is one of the main people who have stepped forward and gave the nod for McGwire.  Gibson has never been one to conform to someone else’s opinion if he didn’t agree with it just because it was popular.

Gibson has been quoted on several occasions that he feels McGwire should be allowed into the Hall of Fame.  He even went further to say he is glad steroids weren’t around when he played because he would have probably tried them to see if it would have given him even a greater edge.  (Imagine a Gibson with roid rage on the mound! )  Gibson also said, people have always cheated in baseball.  He makes a very valid point.  How many people in Hall have used a corked bat?  Gaylord Perry and Phil Niekro are both enshrined and both performed more surgery on the baseball than Beverly Hills plastic surgeon does on housewives.  Cheating is cheating right?  It is all done to gain the advantage over the next guy.  What about the open use of amphetamines in the club house to raise the awareness of the ball player?  What about Ty Cobb?  The stories of the things that Cobb did to gain advantages or take the other guys out are almost as numerous the records he holds.

I am not justifying what any of them have done.  I am not saying they should be black balled either.  What I am saying is Gibson is correct.  It has always been that way in baseball and it always will be.  It is part of the game.  However, McGwire has become the poster boy for “the guys that should be voted in but because they used steroids, no way”.  I think that is unjust.

What will be interesting, is next year when Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa become eligible and will be on the ballot.  The one that I am really anxious to see is when Alex Rodriguez becomes eligible.  Will they keep the current Yankee out?  I say no way.  He will go and he should.  Yet, here is a guy that tested positive and admitted to using them during his third consecutive AL homerun title and his MVP season.  The bottom line is that McGwire’s career justifies his induction into the Hall of Fame.  He should be there and hopefully someday he will take his place among the greatest of the greats.

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