A century of *

Baseball the last 20 years has been tainted and tarnished by the accusation, acknowledgements, and positive test results of steroids. Players have been singled out and been made enemies of the general public. Jose Canseco and Barry Bonds are just two names that will forever be tied to steroid accusations. Alex Rodriquez will be tormented for the rest of his career because of the alleged steroid use scandals.

Now by no means would i condone the use of steroids. It is not fair to use a performance enhancing supplement to improve your presentation you leave on the field. I do however bring up an issue that his yet to be discussed. Why do players from the 40's-80's never get the steroid treatment??

Anabolic steroids were first identified and used in laboratory studies in the 1930s. 1930 is also when the government told us that steroids were first being used. Knowing this, steroids could of been around for at least 10-15 years before hand, before they were publicly used and accepted. It is rumored that Hitler used steroids to train his army. Steroids were highly prevalent in the early 20th century.

Now i have publicly accused Babe Ruth of using steroids. I have thought to retort this statement but i would have to blind to the truth to turn my head and not think that it was a possibility, i know feel it is unlikely but never say never. The more likely scenarios fall upon players such as Hammerin' Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, or Frank Robinson.

Now i lack the ability to tell you how much weight Frank Robinson gained his senior year of high school or the measurement of Mays' biceps from year to year. But the possibility remains. These guys were knocking out over 500 homeruns over a career. Careers which did not have the velocity of the game today. Pitchers were slower. Players did not strenghth train then how they do now. Ballparks were larger. Players drank all offseason and after games. Baseball was a leisure sport, not a job. "I am not an athelete, I'm a baseball player" =John Kruk

Yet after all of this homeruns were flying out the park in record numbers. The possibilty looms. This is why i believe in no asteritc for players in the 1980's and 1990's when it could be for a entire century. What are you going to do shun an entire century of baseball players, let the history books remember your lifetime as a joke in baseball? I think not, rules are now in place. Play Ball and forget about previous steroid use and make sure that this was not all for nothing.

Your Friend,
G-Blade