McGwire and Sosa in Cooperstown

I know, I know McGwire may or may not have used performance enhancing drugs, and Sosa had the whole deal with the corked bat, but seriously I think what they did for the game of baseball should out weigh their mistakes.

The popularity of baseball was at an all-time low after the strike-shortened 1994 season. The NFL was growing more popular everyday, as was the NBA, but baseball was no longer "America's favorite pastime." Then in 1998 two men, McGwire and Sosa made history and together they resurrected the game of baseball in the eyes of America.

At the time I was just old enough to really understand the magnitude of those two men chasing Roger Maris's record of 61 home runs in a single season. However, now I can appreciate the magnitude of how the event changed the face of baseball.

If it weren't for McGwire and Sosa in 1998, I believe that baseball would not be included in "The big three" major sports. Once the game is able to emerge from "The steroid era" baseball will once again take its rightful place in America as its favorite pastime. I don't know about anybody else, but I know that the number two reason that I hate Barry Bonds so much is because his race at the record came too soon. I wasn't ready for the luster of the '98 home run race to wear off.

Although these two men "allegedly" cheated for whatever reason, the result of their accomplishments in that one season should not be forgotten by those who vote for the Hall of Fame.