If nothing else, the election of Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn to the Hall of Fame proved that the late baseball manager Leo Durocher was all wet when he famously said that nice guys finish last. Not only did the two stellar players get voted into Cooperstown on their first year on the ballot but they each received near-unanimous endorsement by the baseball writers.

Neither Ripken nor Gwynn behaved like a prima donna, even though their achievements and iconic status made them super-athletes. Ripken set a standard for performance on the diamond that may never be equaled: He played in 2,632 consecutive games. Gwynn was a 15-time All-Star who collected 3,141 hits in a 20-year career and picked up five Gold Glove awards.

At a time when baseball is still mired in controversy over steroids and the repute of professional sports in general is tarnished by extravagant salaries and unsportsmanlike conduct, this sends a message that it pays to play it straight. Gwynn and Ripken are role models for young athletes.

The same cannot be said for another famous player who failed to make it into the Hall of Fame this year. Mark McGwire, who broke the single-season record for home runs in 1998, is one reason the period also is known as the "steroid era."