PALM CITY — Reggie Jackson has changed his stance when it comes to players accused or suspected of using performance enhancing drugs being in the MLB Hall of Fame.
Jackson, who was inducted in 1993, believes there is a “double standard” with some players, and said Monday he would vote for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez if he had a ballot.
“I was a guy against guys that used, or even been suspected, but now I see players that are suspected or on lists of using and they’re in the Hall of Fame, first ballot,” Jackson told The Palm Beach Post at his Mr. October Foundation golf outing at the Floridian National Golf Club. “And so now to me the accused PED (users), those players are Hall of Famers. They should be in.
“I have flipped because there is a double standard.”
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But not all of the celebrities here on Monday who helped Jackson raise about $650,000 for his foundation that helps disadvantaged children achieve a good education agree. Dave Stewart, who played 16 years in the majors, declined to comment directly about Bonds and Clemens but made it clear he is not a fan.
“I point to a guy who went through aches and pains and just found a way to play the game in a right way, Ken Griffey Jr.,” Stewart said Monday. “He went through the same thing that Barry went through, same thing that Roger went through, and found a way to just play the game.
“He didn’t need any help, any enhancement. He did it the way it was supposed to be done. Those are the guys I look to.”
Griffey received a record 99.7 percent of the vote in 2016, only topped by Mariano Rivera (100 percent) in 2018 and Derek Jeter (99.7 percent) in 2019.
Poster boys for baseball steroids era came up short again
Bonds and Clemens are among the poster boys for MLB’s steroid era. Both players recently fell short of the 75 percent threshold in their 10th and final year of eligibility. Bonds received 66 percent of the vote on the 401 ballots, Clemens received 65.2 percent from the eligible voters who are members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Clemens participated in Jackson’s event Monday and declined to comment on the voting, referring to his statement he released after the Jan. 25 announcement was made.
“It said it perfectly and said it all,” he said Monday.
Clemens’ social media post stated he put the Hall of Fame “in the rear view mirror ten years ago.” He thanked the fans who gave him their support and concluded by saying …
“I would like to thank those who took the time to look at the facts and vote for me. Hopefully, everyone can now close this book and keep their eyes forward focusing on what is really important in life. All love!”
Jackson played 21 seasons and was 14-time All-Star, five-time World Series champion while hitting 563 career home runs. He was dubbed Mr. October for his ability to raise his level of play in the postseason. He was a two-time World Series MVP.
Reggie Jackson lost Hall votes due to his personality
Jackson received 93.6 percent of the votes in his first year on the Hall of Fame ballot. He believes some voters kept him off the ballot because of his personality and that still could be playing a role in some players coming up short.
“Just because you don’t like Bonds, or you don’t like Clemens, or you don’t like Gary Sheffield, that is not a reason to keep them out of the Hall of Fame,” he said.
“Bonds and Clemens were Hall of Famers before they were accused.”
Rodriguez, whose credentials alone would make him a lock to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, admitted to using PEDs for three years beginning in 2001. He received 34.3 percent of the vote revealed last month, his first year on the ballot.
“Alex is a little different case but at the same time I think there’s players accused of what he’s done and are in the Hall of Fame,” said Jackson, who was named special advisor to Houston Astros owner Jim Crane in 2020. “If you take that for its face value and you want to say Alex Rodriguez used and so did this person or that other person and they’re in the the Hall of Fame …
“Alex Rodriguez was an unbelievable player. Love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: MLB Hall of Fame should admit PED users, retired star Reggie Jackson says