Sports and Forgiveness: Is the Baseball Hall of Fame Next?
How will we feel next summer in Cooperstown if Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Carlos Beltrán hold Hall of Fame plaques?
Questions Around Hall of Fame Integrity
There are concerns about whether the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will act if Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups is convicted for his alleged involvement in a gambling and money laundering scheme.
Precedents in Hall of Fame Expulsions
- O.J. Simpson was never removed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite controversies.
- Alan Eagleson is the only individual expelled from any of the four major North American sports Halls of Fame.
- In 1998, Bobby Orr’s corrupt agent resigned from the Hockey Hall of Fame just before the board planned to expel him.
Baseball’s Current Climate of Forgiveness
At present, baseball appears lenient. For example, Alex Cora, one of the most successful managers in Red Sox history, has largely escaped criticism for his involvement in the 2017 Astros cheating scandal.
MLB suspended Cora, then a bench coach with the Astros, and Houston manager A.J. Hinch for a year, but both have returned to lead playoff teams without much public scrutiny.
Baseball’s approach contrasts with other sports that have historically taken stronger action against Hall of Fame members involved in misconduct.
Author’s summary: The varying standards of forgiveness across major sports halls of fame raise complex questions about integrity, with baseball currently showing a notably lenient stance toward past scandals.