Frank Robinson: "It's Like (Steroid Cheaters) Didn't Play"

Palmeiro Is Twisting Slowly in the Wind

In an interview on July 8 for "Costas Now" on HBO, Bob Costas asked Washington Manager Frank Robinson, who hit 586 home runs, how he feels about being passed on the career list.

Sammy Sosa passed Robinson last Wednesday. The only active player close to Robinson is Palmeiro, who is 17 home runs from tying him.

If they eclipsed him by cheating with steroids, Costas asked, should they be kept out of the Hall of Fame. "Wipe it out," Robinson said. "That's the way I feel about it. No numbers. It's like they didn't play."

Cheating is cheating. Throw 'em and their records out, like Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson. How can it be a record if you got it by cheating?

N.b., I originally entitled this post "Frank Robinson on Steroids" but changed it when the libelous aspect of that statement occurred to me! Frank Robinson, MVP in both leagues, is a class act.