Sports Betting Articles
Steroids in Baseball: Has the Game Been Tarnished?
By Troy Chuinard
It seems that as Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa continue to climb the all-time home run ladder, there is more and more speculation as to whether or not these players are alleged steroids users. While certain prime time athletes, such as Jason Giambi, are beginning to confess their use of illegal performance-enhancing substances, some still choose to remain in the shadows and hide their guilt. Now that it has come to the point where respected records are diminishing, the concern for the issue is only growing.
That leaves us with several questions regarding certain superstars. Take Mark McGwire as an example. During the time when he and Sammy were chasing Maris for the single-season home run record, everybody seemed to turn the other cheek when bringing up the issue of steroids. Now, after McGwire has been retired for 5 years (eligible to be on the upcoming hall of fame ballot), many speculate the credibility of this player. McGwire hit 583 career home runs, and every player who has hit at least 500 longballs and has appeared on a ballot has been selected. In a recent survey by ESPN of Hall of Fame voters, more than 70% stated that they would NOT select McGwire. Though McGwire has never confessed to using steroids, he has admitted to using various steroid precursors. Sadly, Maris' record has already been broken, and the MLB did not put forth much effort in acknowledging the possibility that its players were using illegal performance-enhancing substances. Whether commissioner Bud Selig felt that inspecting the situation would demoralize the game's reputation is unknown. After all, the home run chase did generate lots of revenue and bring forth much publicity, and at the time it may have seemed a bad idea to interfere with the attention that the game was receiving. Either way, there is no doubt that McGwire's name will go down in history as one of the most disputed athletes.
In Part 2 of this article, I will discuss other alleged users, including Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi, and Jose Canseco, and how they have impacted the game. Come back later this week for Part 2!
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