Baseball's Hall Of Fame example essay topic

The use of steroids and gambling in baseball has hurt the success of many great baseball players. Steroid use in baseball has been known to be harmful to a person and their career. Gambling is another addictive habit that can lead to destroying baseball careers. Steroid use and gambling can keep the superstars out of the Hall of Fame.

The use of steroids and gambling can shorten a players career or even his life. Steroid use can help you get stronger, faster, and hit the ball harder, but it can harm you severely. "The dream begins to take shape when a player is barely old enough to fit into a bobble head doll. The shape forms into a certain uniform, a hallowed record or just a simple walk onto the field, in front of a roaring crowd, for one shot at glory" (Abdalla 1)". 'Everyone takes supplements now,' Faucet te says. 'When a recruit comes in, the first question is,' What kind of supplements can I take?' " (Wert heim 72).

Barry Bonds was skinny and hit 40 home runs a year and three years ago he bulked up and hit 73 home runs. According to Yes alis ' The harder you hit it, the better chance of it going through,' he said. ' It just helps to hit the ball harder' " (Abdalla 3). "Scientific and medical authorities that have objectively reviewed the overall medical literature and have concluded that most steroid side effects in athletes are mild and reversible, especially as compared to the risks of death or disability associated with cigarette smoking, cocaine use, or chronic alcohol abuse" (Collins 2). Not always true, steroids cause cancer which some times leads to death.

Some ingredients in sports supplements are: Ephedra, Synephrine, Androstenedione, Androstenediol, Creatine, Human Growth Hormone Booster, and Caffeine. The Yellow Jacket, a yellow-and-black capsule, is a way to get a quick surge of energy at any time. In February the drugs with ephedrine were taken off the market forever. The U.S. spent $17.7 billion on steroids and $1.7 billion on sports nutrition supplements. Drugs and steroids are becoming more and more accessible year by year. All types of drugs should have been banned long before now, so that our athletes are protected from getting harmed by drugs.

If a player is accused of using drugs he can't play until he proves he is not using drugs. The dream of all young baseball players is being crushed by the usage of steroids to enhance players abilities. The younger players get harmed and are not able to play baseball for many years after high school and don't even get a chance to make it to the Majors. It's not worth gambling on Major League Baseball because even gambling can hurt career goals. "One of the first accounts of gambling dates back to Sept. 10, 1858 when the Brooklyn Eck fords played the New York Mutual's.

Two opposing fans placed a $100 bet on whether John Holden would hit a home run. One of the bettors had also promised Holden $25 if he were to hit a home run" (History 1). The 1919 "Black Sox" scandal ruined the career of one of the best players of that time. Shoeless Joe Jackson was part of the Chicago White Sox at the time and when he found out about the scandal he was in trouble because he didn't report it. He was the best player of that World Series.

Baseball is made up of all different types of talent of every different player. The players, not gambling on games, have been very trusted by the people. If they find out a player has gambled serious action is taken against that player. "Gambling itself was financially profitable for both players involved and the gamblers" (History 2). "In an effort to deter gambling, many teams posted signs inside their ballpark which read: 'NO BETTING ALLOWED IN PARK' " (History 1).

One incident was with one of the most famous players, Ty Cobb. He was questioned and his banishment was waved. He is now in Baseball's Hall of Fame. Pete Rose broke the major league hitting record in 1985 by breaking Ty Cobb's record set at 4,191, but he was not inducted into the Hall of Fame because the gambling issue.

In commissioner Landis' reign suspended 19 different players and owners. "Since 1943, four men have been expelled from baseball for gambling related offenses. They are Mickey Mantel, Willie Mays, Pete Rose, and George Steinbrenner. The only one not to be reinstated is Pete Rose" (History 2). "Forgetting the past, endangers the future. After Shoeless Joe Jackson has been admitted to the Baseball Hall of Fame will be time enough to talk about Pete Rose.

But neither of them should be admitted, now or ever" (Sowell 2). Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor a baseball player can achieve. The results of every election in the Hall of Fame are looked over carefully to find out if there was any cheating in the election of the inductees or by the player. Seventy-five percent of all voters must agree on a candidate that will be inducted into the Hall of Fame". In the early 1950's anybody still active on the field anywhere as a coach or manager was ineligible" (Smith 63). There are many stipulations to get into the Hall of Fame, such as having at least 10 years experience in the majors.

Some great baseball players that have been elected to the Hall of Fame are Ozzie Smith, Bob Gibson, Cy Young, Ted Williams and Ty Cobb. One of the most recent scandals that left a great hitter out of the Hall of Fame was the gambling incident of Pete Rose. Some famous reporters also included in the Hall of Fame are Harry Carey and Jack Buck. Today, there are 264 inductees in the Hall of Fame. "Nobody in baseball, from the commissioner, executives and Cooperstown people to the men on the field and the press box and the multitude of fans would stand for any carelessness in electing people to the Hall of Fame" (Smith 62).

More than 20 election rules have been changed to allow people to be elected to the Hall of Fame. There are still errors in voting, it requires a voter with intelligence to single out the great baseball players. Steroid use by professional players isn't as high now as it was before it was banned, but it still is being used and consequences being paid. Also, gambling has slowed down in the past 10 years by the players. The great players deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is the greatest honor that a player can achieve, this goal can not be accomplished if a person used steroids or gambles.

It's not worth the risk to lose something you work so hard for or even your life..