A Major League Mess

摘要

There's supposed to be no crying in baseball. But there was Mark McGwire in Washington last week, fighting back tears, his voice choked with emotion, telling a congressional committee investigating steroid use in baseball how he, well, couldn't really tell them much. "My lawyers have advised me that I cannot answer these questions without jeopardizing my friends, my family or myself?' said the retired superstar, whose 70 home runs in 1998 shattered one of baseball's most hallowed records. Through a long, uncomfortable afternoon before the House Government Reform Committee, McGwire was never forced to literally invoke his rights under the Fifth Amendment But he did refuse to answer any ques- tions about illegal or even legal drugs and, in die end, about almost anything at all. His sullen, resentful and at times combative style won him few friends—inside or outside the hearing room—as he repeatedly insisted, "I'm not here to talk about the past." The only other player to indicate he might not answer some questions was baseball's No. 1 pariah, Jose Canseco. McGwire's stance became even more conspicuous when three other sluggers, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Frank Thomas, all denied—unequivocally and under oath—having used steroids. "I have neyer used steroids, period!" said Palmeiro.