The Beckett Blog

What will it take for Roger Maris to get inducted into the Hall of Fame?

This is a topic I have been wondering about ever since I started watching baseball back in the mid-’90s.  The question really got me thinking back in 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were racing to beat Maris’ single season homerun record.

While watching that great season of baseball, I couldn’t believe that Roger Maris was not in the Hall of Fame.  Not only did Maris hold the single season homerun record for over three decades, but he was also a 4x All-Star, 3x World Series Champion, 2x AL MVP, and Gold Glove winner.

Roger Maris and Dale Murphy are the only two-time MVP’s that are not in the Hall of Fame.  It just doesn’t make sense that he doesn’t get much attention from the Hall of Fame.

In today’s world, players such as McGwire and Bonds are even being considered for the Hall of Fame and they have all the controversy behind them about steroids and illegal substances.

Roger Maris made his name in history and doesn’t get the attention he deserves.  A quick search on eBay will show you that collectors sure haven’t forgotten about him.  There are many memorabilia and cut signatures of Maris that have a ton of bids on them.  His 1958 Topps rookie card is among one of the most popular vintage cards of all time.

The single season homerun record is one of the most coveted records in baseball, and I think it is outrageous that he is brushed aside.  It’s about time that the Hall of Fame committee and sports writers put aside all the issues that are in baseball today, and take a trip back in time to say “Hello” to the real homerun king.

Andrew Chrisman runs Sports Card Info, http://sportscardinfo.wordpress.com/
A blog that provides hobby news, stories, thoughts, and fake card information.

Any opinions expressed by guest bloggers are their own, and do not neccessarily reflect those of Beckett Media.