Maury Allen: Are we now going to start rewarding steroid cheats?

Hey…you rewarded Maury Wills with being the 58th Best Player In Baseball History (gurgle).

Mark McGwire was a fraud when he broke the Maris record of 61 with his 70 homers and Barry Bonds was a bigger fraud when he passed McGwire with 73 and Hank Aaron’s career mark with his 762 total.

The new home run record breakers were helped by steroids or performance-enhancing drugs, convicted or admitted or not.

I was a kid reporter at Sports Illustrated in 1961 and accepted the romance of the game. I am a grizzled observer now, still suspicious of exceptional baseball feats.

The Yankees won their 27th World Series last week with two admitted drug abusers, Alex Rodriguez and Andy Pettitte, in their winning lineup. Hideki Matsui was the hero of the final game with a home run and a record-tying six RBIs in the final contest.

There has never been a hint of cheating about him.

I will not vote for ARod for Hall of Fame honors when his name comes up five years after he quits. He cheated his way to fame. Despite an enviable record, especially in the post-season, Pettitte cannot be considered a serious Hall of Fame candidate.

McGwire’s case is back up front again. He will not get my vote, either.