Innocent Until Proven Guilty

There will be no new inductees for MLB's Hall of Fame this year. The news hardly shocks me. The reason for zero inductees however, does raise a question. Super stars such as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens would have been shoo-ins for the Hall a few years ago. Not at this time say the Baseball Writers of America. Apparently the reason for the snub is that both  athletes are suspected of using steroids.The key word is suspected. To my knowledge, neither gentleman has admitted using steroids, nor  have they been found guilty of using steroids in a court of law. It looks however, that they have been found guilty by those defenders of morality in sports, the sainted baseball writers.

The records set by Bonds and Clemens have not been voided. It is suspected that steroids played a role in setting those records but it has not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Suspicion is not enough to crucify anyone.

 In the course of Baseball's Steroid Inquisition, a number of innocent players will be hurt and denied entrance into the hallowed Hall of Fame. I would rather see a few guilty steroid users inducted into the Hall of Fame than to deny entrance to someone worthy but guilty of playing in the "steroid era". As has been suggested by others no harm would be done - the steroid users would feel at home with the drunks, wife beaters, racists and spit ball throwers who currently reside in the Hall.

ed note: For the record, I am not a fan of Bonds and Clemens.