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By Wedieu Cole
The use of steroids by big league ballplayers, some say, has damaged the
image of baseball.
Critics charge that the effects of performance-enhancing
drugs have damaged the credibility of contemporary players’ records,
stats that are precious to fans all over.
The steroid era is linked to many who arguably have Hall
of Fame numbers. Over the last decade or so, we have witnessed the mid-life
career explosion of Barry Bonds with home run numbers that challenge Babe
Ruth and Hank Aaron, and has seen Rafael Palmeiro make his now-infamous
statement during the congressional hearings, "I have never used steroids.
Period." (Palmeiro was subsequently suspended 10 days for testing
positive for steroid use.) Mark McGuire, an American hero, effectively
pleaded the Fifth with Congress when it came to his testimony, and there
are indications that minor league prospects have tried to gain a steriods
edge over their peers to get to the big leagues.
"It doesn't do the sport any good nor does it set
the right tone for our youth", said RVCC's tutor Arthur Schlesinger,
a Bronx native who grew up admiring the play of Yankee greats Joe DiMaggio,
Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson.
Major League Baseball has since implemented a no-nonsense
policy that calls for players to get a 50-game suspension for a first
positive test, miss 100 games for a second violation, and be banned for
life for a third infraction.
"Anybody in baseball that is using the drug should
be banned from the sport. Baseball’s a game of character and respect
for those who played before you," Schlesinger passionately stated.
When asking RVCC's baseball fans about Barry Bonds, the
opinion varies, "Personally, I really don't like Barry Bonds because
of the type of person he is. But I do believe the only reason why he's
being investigated is because he's on the verge of passing Babe Ruth's
[old] record and baseball is afraid that the league would be scared if
someone who took illegal substances is second or first on the all-time
list," RVCC first-basemen Lou Falciani said.
Schlesinger in response stated, "As far as that
Bonds guy, he's a joke, it’s a shame that he’s going to break
a record that been held for years by Babe Ruth and he didn’t use
steroids."
But there are those who just don't care, “It really
doesn’t bother me because at the end of the day most fans want to
see home runs. When fans check the box score at the end of games, they
check to see who took one out of the park and how many runs were driven
in rather than who hit a single into left centerfield,” said RVCC
third baseman Bill Bush, who happens to be a San Francisco Giants fan.
“Yes, it’s a bad example for children but if hitting home-runs
is going to increase your value as an athlete you’re going to take
that opportunity.”
This issue has become not only a problem within the majors
but with aspiring baseball players at the high school and college level.
"I participated at a scouting combine not too long ago, and there
were rock-solid high school athletes bigger than me. There is no doubt
in my mind that a good number of them were juicing," said the 6-foot-5,
200-pound Falciani.
The pressure of these athletes to produce has weighed
heavily on them, to the point were they feel the need to use enhancing
substances. Freddy Capers, an RVCC student, stated: “Yes, these
athletes have pressure, but to be a true athlete it should be all natural.
You have to be all natural and put hours in the gym and just 'work,' because
when you’re dealing with those drugs it’s a matter of life
and death."
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