I'm a little late on this but hey, that's nothing new. I just read this Bill Simmons' article about putting Mark McGwire in the Hall of Fame and i couldn't help but agree with it (never mind that my garage is filled with recently worthless signed McGwire memorabilia...).
I think it's pretty appalling that he won't get in and i liked Simmons' point about the same sports writers that wrote books about his amazing home run streak and made a boatload of money on it are now the same people who aren't voting for him.
What McGwire and Sosa did that year saved baseball and created a lot of lifelong fans. I can attest to the fact that i actively disliked baseball until the home run chase of 98 and now there isn't a night between March and November that i won't be checking my fantasy league or watching the games. This year i plan on following it closer than ever. I still remember when McGwire's 62nd home run went over the fence. I'll probably never forget it. And i'm still pissed that Barry Bonds broke that record a few years later.
It wasn't banned by baseball when he did it and nobody has any hard evidence that he did anything wrong. If this was a criminal trial it would have been thrown out at the pre-trial hearings, but instead the talking heads and the self-righteous court of public opinion can tear down the man/men that saved the game we call America's past time. It's appalling and hypocritical.
Anyway, read Simmons' article and let me know if you feel any different.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
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