Bob Gibson: 'Guys Have Always Been Cheating, Period.'

During Tuesday night's All-Star broadcast, I'd be willing to bet almost anything that at some point Tim McCarver will bring up his old battery-mate Bob Gibson as an example of the good ol' days in baseball, when players didn't take steroids and there were no pitch counts.

Gibson has certainly been making the rounds with the All-Star Game in St. Louis this year. Tuesday morning he did a spot with ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike, and the inevitable subject of steroids in baseball came up. In an incredibly honest answer, Gibson told the hosts that baseball players have been cheating for years and if it were up to him, he wouldn't keep known steroid users out of the Hall of Fame. A longer version of his quote is after the jump .

Guys have always been cheating. Period. It just takes a little different form today. I'm just glad they didn't have steroids when I was playing. I don't know what I would have done. It's very difficult to go out and perform when you know the guy next to you is taking steroids or some kind of drug to make you perform better and not do it yourself, to let this guy get an edge on you.

[...]

I don't know that I really criticize the guys. Whoever the first guy is that started it, that's the guy I criticize. The rest of the guys just followed suit. I don't think its OK. I'm not sanctioning it, but I understand why it happens."

When asked if players known to take performance-enhancing drugs should be in the Hall of Fame, Gibson responded, "Oh yeah, I think so."

We hear the opinions of the media and fans all the time, but I think it's rare that a player, especially one of Gibson's stature, opens up like this on such a touchy subject. I suspect that a lot of players would probably agree with Gibson, even if they might not do so on the record.

Whatever the case, it's striking to hear the man revered by many baseball fans as one of the toughest, meanest, hardest-throwing pitchers in history admit that he doesn't know what he would've done if steroids were available in his era.

Hat-tip to Sharapova's Thigh.

MLB All-Star Game Photos

National League starting pitcher Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch in the first inning against the American League during Major League Baseball's All-Star game in St. Louis, July 14, 2009. REUTERS/Morry Gash/Pool (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL)

Reuters

ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: National League All-Star Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals dives to make a play on a ball during the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Albert Pujols

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees rounds third on his way to scoring during the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Derek Jeter

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Stars Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners and Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees look on before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ichiro Suzuki;Derek Jeter

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees looks on before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mariano Rivera

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star manager Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Maddon

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ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star manager Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays greets National League All-Star manager Charlie Manuel of the Philadelphia Phillies before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Charlie Manuel;Joe Maddon

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American League starting pitcher Roy Halladay of the Toronto Blue Jays throws a pitch in the first inning against the National League during Major League Baseball's All-Star game in St. Louis, July 14, 2009. REUTERS/Morry Gash/Pool (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL)

Reuters

American League's Michael Young of the Texas Rangers singles during the fourth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game in St. Louis, Tuesday, July 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

American League's Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners swings on a pitch during the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game in St. Louis, Tuesday, July 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

7-14-2009 @ 10:21PM

HURLS said...

Anyone heard this one?

"If you're not cheating' you're not tryin'"?

Sad-but-true.

McYo.

7-14-2009 @ 10:44PM

sayer said...

"Whoever the first guy is that started it, that's the guy I criticize. The rest of the guys just followed suit."

whatever.....sounds like warped sports logic to me.

If the first guy jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?

7-15-2009 @ 6:37AM

vegasintn007 said...

ALL HE WAS SAYING WHAT IS MORAL TO ONE PERSON MAY NOT BE MORAL TO ANOTHER....THERE ARE MANY LEGAL ENHANCERS THAT GIVE YOU AN ATHLETIC EDGE SO SHOULD WE SLING THOSE OFF THE SHELF>?

7-14-2009 @ 10:50PM

Oh yeah..why did I get punished for cheating on my spelling test when Mary Ellen did it first? She was sitting next to me in class and cheating gave her an edge on me so, I cheated too. She should be the one getting into trouble, not me.
I suppose that makes sense to you Bob Gibson.

7-14-2009 @ 11:39PM

klovetim said...

Oh, I get it. If you cheat well and get away with it, what the heck count all the records. So the guys who played by the rules are left in the dust. I think somebody must have hit a liner off Gibson's head during his career. He isn't making any sense.

7-15-2009 @ 12:36PM

Lewis said...

Bob Gibson on steroids, what a scary thought. He would have been incredible!

7-15-2009 @ 12:12AM

L1Looker said...

Listen to Gibson. The only people profitting from the steroid use is the media. Atheletes have sheated for years and years. Spitballs, sharpened spikes, emort boards, etc. The sports manage to police themselves when left alone.

Another angle is thiS: it was not illegle. The media is making stories about people who used sibstances that were not banned at the time of use.

If you lived in an apartment building that haad parking meters in front of the building except for one space that was not metered. Due to your work hours, that space was available to you most times, and you never were ticketed for parking there. One day, while you were parked there, the city came through and put in a meter while you were asleep. A policeman came by an hour later, and the meter was red, so he gave you a ticket. Now you wake up, and are being penalized for something that was no illegal when you did it. Should you have to pay the ticket? Of course not, as a judge ruled in the above case. It's the same with the steroid issue - now it's illegal, and penalized, those that used when it wasn't illegal should not be penalized.

Sports writers and television commentators are the ones driving the steroid issue, acting as if they are the ones that count and should have the final say. If you as a fan don't like what happened, stay away from baseball. As evidenced by the millions of fans every year, we obviously are not as interested in the steroid issue as the media, and I for one would love to see the subject torpedoed!

7-15-2009 @ 12:32AM

mordess said...

The biggest "cheat" of all, of course, was the exclusion of black players from the majors. That, more than steroids, doubtlessly jacked up the performance of all those who were allowed to play.

7-15-2009 @ 11:31AM

mm3rdeye said...

That's why ALL RECORDS before blacks were allowed to play should have a (*) by it. And make no mistake about it, steroids were created to give white players in all sports a chance to compete with black players.

7-15-2009 @ 2:20AM

john L. said...

IMAGINE YOUR AIRLINE PILOT OR BUS DRIVER ON STEROIDS TO ENHANCE THEIR GAME? PERHAPS YOUR SURGEON,EYE DOCTOR OR NURSE ON STEROIDS TO ENHACE THEIR GAME? WHAT A BUNCH OF BULLCRAP....BASEBALL IS NO DIFFERENT! ITS NATURAL PERFORMANCE AND IF ANYONE CHEATS BY WAY OF STEROIDS OR ANY OTHER MEANS THEY SHOULD BE BANNED FROM ALL RECORDS AND THE GAME ITSELF....THEY GET PAID VERY WELL.....PLAY BY THE RULES OR GO DRIVE A FREAKING TRUCK FOR A LIVING!

7-15-2009 @ 4:23AM

centricemarie said...

I hate to burst your bubble. But many years ago several surgeons I worked with in a local hospital did somethings I will not mention here. Sometimes after we had the patient prepped, a particular surgeon needed to take a smoke out on the loading dock. Somehow we always noticed the smell of "grass" when h e returned. I could tell you about the drunk doctors or better yet the ghost surgeons. Also, for bus drivers,we had a school bus driver arrested her for drug use. I'll make a take on a saying, It is not what you know but who you know is doing it. Next time you, a family member or friend needs surgery, trust me find out from the people who work in surgery who they would let do the surgery

7-16-2009 @ 3:26PM

Ace said...

Also sorry to break it to you...I'm a nurse...and many of your doctors are working and performing surgery while on drugs, stimulants, and drunk and high. Also your nurse, anethesiologist, the runner. Doctors are more difficult to report...The AMA tends to protect each other even when they know they have a problem doctor. The others are protected through unions..they are supposed to get help, and tests...but some move on and no one check their records.

7-15-2009 @ 2:49AM

keith said...

i agree with gibson ---- better athletes through science . one thing steroids can't do is help you hit the ball or the strike zone . you need raw baseball talent for that and that'll never change . we and superchargers and turbochargers to our car's engines to increase performance . if an athlete is willing to pay the price in his later years he should be allowed to develop his body however it seems fit to him . after all , it's no longer sport ; that dog quit hunting when tv took over . now , all sports are just entertainment for the masses thru the idiot box .

7-15-2009 @ 6:47AM

LYLE ALZADO EVEN ADMITTED HE USED STEROIDS IN 1972 WITH THE BRONCOS!SO PEOPLE THAT DONT AGREE WITH GIBSON ARE VERYYYY UNINFORMED!

7-15-2009 @ 7:27AM

shibby said...

Finally someone tells the truth. Players will cheat and it is no big deal. It was alway part of the game and sports in general. The media sits on its high horse on this one and should not even be the one choosing hall of famers. Players and coaches who were in the game and know the game should choose. Not a bunch of wannabe athletes "journalists".

7-15-2009 @ 7:45AM

Koch said...

gibson only said this because most of the people getting caught on steroids are colored. Why would he feel this way about steroid use but not once mention Pete Rose. Steroid use should nullify all records and the users should be inducted into the Hall Of SHAME.

7-15-2009 @ 4:37PM

Me64250 said...

Hey krotch, we are not colored, you dinosaur. On the contrary, most of the players who've been busted for cheating are white! Your kind use steroids to compete with Black players because without them, they would be a krotch(koch).

7-16-2009 @ 1:49PM

omniguardeas said...

Koch;

Wow, you really pulled THAT one out of our @ss, huh? I would think more highly of you if you just used the "N" word, rather than "colored". But, beyond that, please tell me what color these guys are: Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza, Rafael Palmeiro, Mike McGwire, Ken Caminiti, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Jim Leyritz (imagine if Jim were black, holy sh!t), John Rocker, Paul Byrd, Jason Grimsley,,,,,,I'd go on, but I'd need a sledgehammer to drive it into YOUR numb skull, and my hands are tired. Now, go back into your trailer and pop another Schlitz.

7-15-2009 @ 7:48AM

gibson only feels this way because it is mostly coloreds who are getting caught with steroids, so why punish them. In all of his ranting not once did he mention Pete Rose who should have been in the hall of fame years ago. As far as I am concerned all records set while using steroids should be abolished and the only hall these players should be in is the Hall Of SHAME.

7-15-2009 @ 7:58AM

creston1 said...

Like the man says...theres been cheating in sports since time began.
Different generations different stimulents.
Remember, These guys are making millions of dollars and treat it like it is. A JOB! Dont we all do whatever we can to perfom better at our jobs. Even if we have to cheat a little!
Move on . Expand your minds.