Could the McGwire admission to steroid use bolster the Hall Of Fame chances for Roger Maris?

People like Antonen ensure that Maris never drops below the radar.

But the Hall? He's kidding himself, or at least just making stuff up to fill a column (a time-honored tradition, that). Maris' ENTIRE candidacy rests on one number, those 61 HR he hit in 1961. Replace that with, oh, 58 homers, and give him eight doubles to make up for it, and Maris would have essentially the same career, but with the public awareness of Norm Cash.

He had a couple of great seasons and a bunch of average-to-good ones. That doesn't amount to a Hall class player. Neither does 61 homers in one season, and Hall election returns have been indicating this since he first stood as a candidate.

2007 VC -- Maris ranked tied for ninth, with 18.3%.

2005 VC -- 23.8%.

2003 VC -- 22.2%.

BBWAA voting -- stood the full 15 years, peaking at 43.1% (on his final ballot, and soon after he had passed away).

C'mon. I'm all for giving candidates thorough reviews and continuing chances, but history has filed its established judgment upon Roger Maris' career, and it has nothing to do with Mark McGwire.

I believe what it proves is just how remarkable Maris was during the 1961 season. Dealing with a bias media favoring the memory of Babe Ruth. Ruth's widow rooting against him and the talk of a 162 game schedule verses a 154 game schedule. Public statements like, "If he doesn't hit 61 homer within 154 games, it won't be a record at all". And let's not forget the mammoth outfield of the old Yankee Stadium. If Maris had hit in the revamped Yankee Stadium we could be looking at another 5 to 10 home runs. (Just a thought).

It's interesting however that no one considered the fact the Maris hit 61 home runs with less "at bats" than Ruth during his 60 home run season in 1927.

Is Maris a HOFer? Probably not, although if people were elected solely based on integrity, he certainly would be a first ballot entry.

In my book there was nothing to match the M&M boys and the summer of 1961.

I think that the time has come to retire the Veteran's Committee. A player has fifteen years of standard eligibility. If he doesn't make it in by then.....

The VC was set up to allow for certain injustices like the Ne gro league player to be recognized, but that has been, or at least should have been done by now. Kill the VC and the Maris question is moot.

Edit: Like it or not, Chipmaker got it right.

Of course he should be. The guy held what was once considered the one and only unbreakable record in baseball! And to this day, no one has broken it without having been on steroids or HGH to do it. Marris was a good player, and set an absolutely phenomenal record. Sure his stats aren't really HoF worthy, but his record is.

Yes. Sure, he had a shortish career and by today's standards it doesn't look so good. But he didn't play today. He played 50 years ago. And he didn't hold just any ole record, he held THE record. For 4 years he was terrific. Put him in the Hall. He might have had a Miller once in a while, that's all.

I have always considered Roger Maris the single season home run king and Hank Aaron and the career home run king. The steroid users can have their own book of records.

If someone like Bill Mazeroski can be in the Hall Of Fame just b/c he had that one amazing moment in his career(His winning Home Run Vs the Yankees in the 1960 World Series) Then by all means Maris should be in. I for one really hope that one day he will get in the Hall but i think it will never happen. But i hope I'm wrong about that.

Personally I don't believe he should be inducted. While his feat of 61 homers is very impressive, his lifetime BA was .260, OBP was .345, and his Slugging was .481. Mediocre numbers by today's standards.

However, I do believe his record should be acknowledged in some way in Cooperstown.

EDIT: Chipmaker bagged it completly. He is absolutly correct.

He broke a record held by the Great Bambino without using steroids. I hope he makes it to the hall of fame, and I hope this will boost his chances.

Nope.