Bonds, Clemens shut out in Hall induction

COOPERSTOWN, New York (AFP) –

Barry Bonds, pictured here on October 26, 2002, and Roger Clemens, who starred during the so-called “steroid era”, were both shutout Wednesday in their attempt to get voted into Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, who starred during the so-called “steroid era”, were both shutout Wednesday in their attempt to get voted into Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

This is the first time since 1996 that the Baseball Writers’ Association of America will not be electing anyone to the Hall of Fame, including Bonds or Clemens who both had their careers tarnished by their alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.

All-time home run king Bonds and seven-time Cy Young Award winner as the top pitcher Clemens were on the ballot for the first time.

“The standards for earning election to the Hall of Fame have been very high ever since the rules were created in 1936,” said Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson. “We realize the challenges voters are faced with in this era.”

Eligible candidates needed to be named on 75 percent of the 569 ballots submitted by members of the BBWAA.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, who is pictured here on October 14, 2000, were both shutout Wednesday in their attempt to get voted into Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Houston Astros second baseman Craig Biggio came closest by nabbing 68 percent of the vote, finishing just 39 votes short of election.

This is the eighth election by the BBWAA that did not produce a Hall of Famer.

Other players that were shutout this year include outfielder Sammy Sosa and catcher Mike Piazza. Sosa is believed to have failed at least one drug test while Piazza was also a power hitter in the steroid era.

Bonds set the all-time mark in home runs with 762 over 22 seasons and established a single-season record for homers with 73 in 2001.

He was named on 206 ballots (36.2 percent), while Clemens, who played 24 seasons, was also named on about 200 ballots.

Bonds has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. He was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice for giving an evasive answer in 2003 to a grand jury probing banned drug use in baseball.

Clemens was acquitted of perjury charges stemming from congressional testimony during which he denied using drugs.