Hall closed to McGwire as Ripken and Gwynn gain entry

[AZ_Steeler]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ap_XRQ31PoROAxUKqEZkGG85nYcB?slug=ap-halloffame&prov=ap&type=lgns)

By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer
January 10, 2007

Former Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken speaks to reporters during a news conference after being voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007 in Baltimore. Seated at Ripken's left is his wife Kelly.
AP - Jan 9, 6:11 pm EST
More Photos

NEW YORK (AP) -- Mark McGwire's evasions were met with a denial.

While the door to Cooperstown swung open for Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn on Tuesday, McGwire was denied baseball's highest honor, picked by less than a quarter of voters.

After hitting 583 home runs to rank seventh on the career list, McGwire appeared on 128 of a record 545 ballots in voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The result that raises doubts about whether Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa or other sluggers from baseball's Steroids Era will ever gain entry.

"I hope that as time goes on, that number will increase," Gwynn said. "I hope that one day he will get into the Hall of Fame, because I really believe he deserves it."

The 23.5 percent vote McGwire received represented the first referendum on how history will judge an age when bulked-up stars came under suspicion of using performance-enhancing drugs. Baseball didn't ban steroids until after the 2002 season.

Congrats to Gwynn and Ripken :clap: both of these guys were class acts and great guys to watch play the game of baseball.

Now though, for McGwire what do all think... should be inducted into the HOF or she be on the outside, with Rose, looking in?

[Blitzburgh55]

You dont know there could of been alot of pitchers that Mark faced that also used steroids and Rose should be in

[House of Steel]

Congratulations to Ripken and Gwynn. Isn't Kirby Puckett in the HOF, if not, he should be a lock for it. I don't understand the deal behind Pete Rose, he should be reprimended and swore into the HOF. It isn't like he cheating on baseball like McGwire, Bonds, and Sosa. Those three characters put a major dent into the game as well as Palmerio who is a cancer to the sport too.

[Black@Gold Forever32]

Well Pete Rose belongs in the Hall of Fame. I know he betted on baseball. But come'on having the alltime hits leader out of the Hall of Fame is a crime. I guess we should throw Ty Cobb out since he was a piece of shit as a person.

As for the roid issue. Sorry I think Big Mac, Bonds and Sosa belong in the Hall of Fame. These guys were great players before they roided up.

[SteelersfaninPhilly]

I think is a crock of shit. Players were taking roids long before it became an issue. Hell there are still players taking roids today.

[Prosdo]

Okay, I haven't followed baseball like I use to in a long time so maybe I'm wrong. But isn't the drug test in baseball supposedly not up to par or not as strick as it should be?

[AZ_Steeler]

It wasn't at first because if a player was caught using they were suspended like 10 games or something which is nothing when you look at the NFL and a player misses 4 games out of 16. Baseball has upped the suspensions and tightened the policy so it is a little better now.