That is why those players that are known users of performance-enhancing drugs should not be allowed into those sacred halls in Cooperstown. Baseball has become much more than just a game in this country. It is embedded into the depths of our history, and those players who used PEDs in their careers do not deserve to stand next to the legends whose natural abilities constructed the game.
That's not to say that these known users don't deserve credit for their contributions to the game. Players such as Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro have made significant impacts on the game of baseball, and will be remembered for that. No one will ever forget McGwire's 62nd home run or Bonds breaking the home run record, but those numbers will always have that pesky asterisk next to them — and it's deserved.
Many Hall of Fame voters are already taking a stand against the PED users, refusing their votes toward any known users. It's their form of punishment for tainting the game that they love and respect, and it will hopefully serve as a fair warning for the rising stars of the game.
It may seem unfair that some PED users have gone un-punished in the game, simply because their usage was never discovered, but does that really mean we shouldn't punish those who have cheated?
There exists an argument that because there were so many players juicing in that era, those who still posted Hall of Fame-worthy numbers deserve their rite of passage, because everyone was pumped up back then.
However, just because many others did it doesn't make it right, and known users shouldn't be rewarded with a trip to Cooperstown just because they played better than other PED users. The fact is, they went against league rules when they used PEDs, and that goes against what the Hall stands for.
The motto for the Baseball Hall of Fame is "Preserving History, Honoring Excellence, Connecting Generations," and associating steroid users with any one of those adages doesn't make sense when you believe in what Cooperstown represents.
Do you think known PED users should be allowed in the Hall of Fame? Share your thoughts below.
