The Hall of Fame usually brings to mind athletes who have accomplished feats of skill far beyond those of the average player. It's assumed that all an athlete has to do is achieve superior results, and they're automatically in. What most people don't know, however, is that each player must pass a scrutiny of tests to prove that they are made of the "right stuff". What I will try to find out through researching this topic is whether off the field activities should influence a player entering the Hall, even if it's obvious that their on field performance makes them more than deserving. Since my topic is so broad I have decided to concentrate my discussion just on Major League Baseball.

To ensure that all players have an equally fair chance to be eligible for entrance to the Hall of Fame, Major League Baseball (MLB) has put forth a set of guidelines . 1) A player must have been active at some time during a period beginning 20 years before and ending 5 years prior to election. 2) A player shall have ceased to be an active player at least five years prior to election, but may still be connected with baseball. 3) Any player on Baseball's ineligible list shal

Ty Cobb, former all time hits leader, played for the Detroit Tigers and was despised by both teammates and opponents. Opposing teams hated playing him, as he loved to intimidate the players. When base running he would intentionally hit men guarding base, and was infamous for using his spikes as a weapon when sliding. Teammates hated him because he could care less about their feelings; all he wanted was for them to play as hard as he was.

Team owner Charles Comiskey told him that he had to sign some documents before he could testify on his own behalf, but didn't tell him what he was signing. What Jackson had actually signed, however, was a full confession to throwing the series and taking bribes. When the court asked if anyone told Jackson what the document has said, Comiskey's staff admitted they didn't. A signed confession in that matter would not stand up in any court in America today. The first Commissioner of Baseball, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, was brought in after this incident, and was determined to clean the tarnished image of the sport. His first duty was banning all eight players involved in the Black Sox scandal, which had included Jackson. Even though Jackson had proven himself to be not guilty twice in court, Landis ignored him instead relying on the sworn confession Comiskey had Jackson sign . He stated that he had broken Major League rule #21 which states: Any player who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible. Since Jackson was deemed permanently ineligible, the B.W.A.A. couldn't even consider him for entrance to the Hall. History has shown that Landis's actions were too far sweeping and simply unfair. Jackson was proven innocent and should in the Hall of Fame, because he has proven to fit every category the B.W.A.A. look for.

February of 1989. That's when allegations surfaced that Rose had a gambling problem, and that he had bet on baseball.

l not be eligible. If a player hopes to become a candidate, he must fit these requirements.

The people who decide the fate of eligible players are members of Baseball's Writer's Association of America (BWAA). These sports writers must be active members for at least 10 years in order to vote in this process. To ensure they all vote on the same basis, MLB has given them a list of criteria in which to analyze the players . 1) Player's record 2) Playing ability 3) Integrity 4) Sportsmanship 5) Character 6) Contributions to the team(s

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1693
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)