It's so easy for us to rate Ruth, Cobb, and Mantle amongst the greatest baseball players of all time. You can add Aaron, DiMaggio, and Williams there as well and it would be hard to raise a valid argument. But throw names like Barry Bonds and Pete Rose in there and people will ask for asterisks to accompany the names.

The reasons are there, all over the media. Drugs, gambling, lying, perjury. But where do we draw a line in the sand? Or on the field? Wasn't Ruth accused of being a drunk, with violent tendencies directed towards his wife? Cobb was a racist (he was not alone) during his playing days? So these players that wrote the record books are granted immunity from the asterisk.

I am one that agrees that Bonds has had some synthetic help climbing his way towards the the top of the home run ladder. We know Rose bet on the game. Where so we rate racism and domestic violence on the chart?

It's too easy to absolve the past stars because we were not witness to their immorality. Those that are still living are easier targets to point the figure.
There is cheating in the game and there is cheating in life. Bonds is still not proven guilty and Rose was not playing when he bet.

Until all the facts are known we should rate the greatest players for what they do within the white lines of the diamond, because everything is always 'clear'.

Learn more about this author, Jason Devine.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Greatest baseball players of all time?
We want to hear your view. Write now!