4 minute read
Cheaters Should Not Be in the Hall of Fame
By Maxwell Copans
People who cheat should not be in the Baseball Hall of Fame or hold records for several reasons. The first reason is when a young person sees a baseball player do certain things, it might make them want to emulate them. When baseball players are using steroids, it might make kids want to use steroids. Kids may think that steroids will help them play baseball, but do not think about the consequences. The negatives are not just how it's unfair, but also how it can hurt their body. This also brings up the question, what does the Hall of Fame stand for? Does it stand for who is the best player by records or does it stand for who's a great player both on and off the field?
Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, two very well known baseball players from the 1990s and 2000s, played well during their home run chase in 1998, and it was so fun for people to watch. It helped rejuvenate the sport after the strike in 19941995. Baseball was losing popularity because of the strike and the home run chase caused more people to watch baseball. People particularly watched the Cubs, Cardinals and Mariners more because of the home run chase with Ken Griffey Jr . But Ken Griffey Jr. was not as big of a threat to the record because he did not use steroids. Although Sammy and Mark did great things for baseball, they should still not be in the Hall of Fame because both of them were found to use steroids. In the case of Sosa, he still to this day does not admit to using them, even though the House of Representatives found it to be true. Do we want kids learning that when you cheat there are no consequences for their actions?
A second reason a cheater should not hold a record is because it causes players later, like Aaron Judge, to not be able to break records. Aaron Judge, who has never tested positive for steroid use, does not get the recognition he deserves for his amazing home runs this season because he was overshadowed by an era of cheaters. I feel that Aaron Judge should be the single season home run record holder because he did it the right way and that's who you want kids looking up to. But to break the official record, he will need to hit even more home runs — which probably will never happen because the record was unfairly set too high.
A third reason is that some players broke the rules and records before they were caught cheating. Although Barry Bonds was a Hall of Fame level player before using steroids, he still should not be in the Hall of Fame because it's still a question of whether cheaters should be allowed. The Hall of Fame should be a place not just for great baseball players, but the best baseball players who are also good people who follow the rules and are good role models. For Aaron Judge and Ken Griffey Jr. just being close to their records is an achievement because they are some of the best home run hitters and they did things the right way which means they should be the rightful single season home run leaders. Also, Barry Bonds took a record from Hank Aaron, the home run leader who played without steroids. It’s awesome that these players were able to come close to these records during such a difficult era. In the end, it's a question of whether or not you would like kids to look up to one of the best outfielders of all time who is hitting well and super consistent, or would you like kids to look up to power hitters who cheated.
