Andre Dawson was never one to kill a rally when all eyes were on
him, but the Hawk sure sobered up the mood Sunday in Cooperstown,
N.Y., when his Hall of Fame induction speech turned to the topic of
performance-enhancing drugs. Though Dawson did not utter the
word
”
steroid,
”
he carefully put in his two cents on the most controversial
issue in MLB history. He did so out of necessity.
Andre Dawson was never one to kill a rally when all eyes were on him, but the Hawk sure sobered up the mood Sunday in Cooperstown, N.Y., when his Hall of Fame induction speech turned to the topic of performance-enhancing drugs.
Though Dawson did not utter the word “steroid,” he carefully put in his two cents on the most controversial issue in MLB history. He did so out of necessity.
Because athletes are products of their generation, their careers tend to be scrutinized by time and place. Nowhere is this more true than professional baseball, particularly during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Had Dawson played in a different time, he wouldn’t have had to address the eye-blackening Steroids Era that peaked after his retirement in 1996.
“Baseball will from time to time, like anything else in life, fall victim to the mistakes that people make,” Dawson said. “It’s not pleasant, and it’s not right. Those mistakes have hurt the game and taken a toll on all of us. Individuals have chosen the wrong road and have chosen that as their legacy. Others still have a chance to choose theirs. Do not be moved to the dark side. It’s a stain on the game, a stain gradually being removed.”
Gradually, yes, but not nearly in time to save us from a long line of performance-enhancement clouded Hall of Fame inductions that has only begun to rear its enlarged head. Next year, an influx of big names from the Steroid Era will become eligible to grace baseball’s hallowed ground, and the questions will fly. The most difficult task lies with the voters, who must pencil their votes based on inflated statistics and speculation.
This is where Major League Baseball can step in. Rather than let suspicion overshadow the most crowning achievement for a player, the league can put all the cards on the table by releasing the names of the 89 former and current MLB players listed in the Mitchell Report. Those athletes mentioned could then take steps toward reconciliation, if they haven’t already, and clear the air for voters to make conscious decisions. Players can also bring some legitimacy to their legacies and set a good example for future generations — the one good example that can be set from the Steroid Era.
Getting busted for juicing doesn’t help your reputation, but admitting fault does. Those who came clean or admitted fault have earned sympathy. Andy Pettitte still receives a warm reception when he takes the hill at Yankee Stadium, and Alex Rodriguez’s chase for home run No. 600 has merited its own daily segment on SportsCenter.
America has a soft spot for them; they apologized. Players like Mark McGwire, meanwhile, are taking their lumps, at least in the ballot box. McGwire’s Hall support was meager in 2010 and saw little change this year, according to an informal MLB.com survey. He’ll be on the ballot again next year along with several other leaked names from the Mitchell Report, including Rafael Palmeiro.
Big Mac’s low-vote turnout makes you wonder where statistics from the Steroid Era rank with voters. Though Dawson’s career marks spell cleanliness: 2,774 hits, 438 home runs, 314 stolen bases, 1,591 RBIs, and a National League MVP award that capped an impressive — and plausible — 1987 campaign for a true class act. “Impressive” took on new meaning a decade later, as power hitters discovered hidden shortcuts to stardom.
“The writers have their work cut out for them to see which direction they’re going to go with this. It’s definitely damaging to the history of the game,” Dawson told the New York Daily News a day before he was enshrined with former manager Whitey Herzog, umpire Doug Harvey, sports writer Bill Madden and broadcaster Jon Miller, the play-by-play man for the San Francisco Giants. “Whether those players are Hall-of-Fame worthy, that remains to be seen. But, if my mind doesn’t escape me, integrity is still a big part of the game.”
Major League Baseball has the opportunity to hold some of its best players to that. Whether or not the league releases its list of players in the Mitchell Report, names are going to surface, and Steroid-Era players will have their day on the ballot.
You can expect some interesting induction speeches.
