The post Hall of Fame election belly button examinations are mystifying:
For sheer high moral dudgeon, it is likely no one topped Gwen Knapp of The San Francisco Chronicle. "People who voted for McGwire have a moral code, too," she observed, "one that reveres what happens on the field regardless of how it happened, and one that equates not receiving the ultimate professional honor with not being allowed to roam free in the world. They stretch the principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ to ‘no felony conviction, no foul.’"There is no question that the test for getting in the Hall of Fame is not limited to what happens on the field. As reviewed last November:On the other hand, it’s hard for those of us raised on "High Noon" and other one-man-against-the-mob fare not to feel at least a grudging admiration for the integrity (if that is the word) of those who adamantly adhere to their own (if this is the word) standards. "The Hall of Fame was built to honor players who achieved greatness between the white lines — not because they were selfless servants of humanity," said Steve Cameron of The Merced Sun-Star in California.
Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.A person's "integrity" and "character" are separated from "record" and "ability" and "sportsmanship" and mean distinct things. The latter three words relate to on the field, the first two do not. And a person's integrity and character are not judged on whether only on the degree to which they break the law or the rule or the relative nature of their transgressions compared to others. Taking performance enhancing drugs are simply not something someone does in 2007, 1997 or 1957 if they are persons of "integrity" or "character".
If any known juiced players gets in the Hall of Fame, fans who are members of the Hall of Fame should consider seeking a court injunction to stop the Board of Directors of Cooperstown from breaking its own rules.
