Hall passes for two class acts

Let us all pause tomorrow and honor two class acts of the sports world, Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr.

Their induction Sunday into the National Baseball Hall of Fame will clear our heads, for at least a moment, of all the sorry allegations over steroid use, gambling and other disreputable behavior that have dominated our sports pages too long.

These two gentlemen of the game brought us a joy that was forged from their love of competition, incredible work ethic and hard-wrought skills.

Hindsight can cast a harsh light on past inductees to the Cooperstown, N.Y., shrine, and present-day scrutiny can cloud the prospects of future Hall of Fame contenders.

But there was hardly a question that Gwynn and Ripken would be voted into the Hall on their first try, and the nation's baseball writers wrote as much about the players' character as they did about their batting averages and numbers of games played.

Ripken and Gwynn carried themselves with dignity, on and off the field. They are well-spoken ambassadors of baseball. Gwynn returned to his alma mater, San Diego State University, to coach its baseball team. Ripken has been involved in charitable work and minor-league baseball operations.

Their statistics are a baseball fan's dream. Ripken, the "Iron Man" for the Baltimore Orioles, played in 2,632 consecutive games; had 3,184 career hits; and was a Major League All-Star 19 times. Gwynn, the San Diego Padre, had a lifetime batting average of .338 and came close to being the first major-leaguer to bat over .400 since Ted Williams in 1941. Gwynn ended the 1994 season with a .394 average.

Both Gwynn and Ripken played their entire, two-decades-long careers with a single team, a virtually unheard of accomplishment in this greedy age of player-swapping owners and team-swapping players. Both garnered around 98 percent of the baseball writers' votes in winning election to the Hall in their freshman year of eligibility.

As impressive as Ripken's and Gwynn's stats are, we marvel at the content of their character and their respect for the game.

As San Jose Mercury News writer Daniel Brown recounted, Gwynn once was asked by a young player who the "old guy" behind the batting cage was. "That's 586 home runs. That's the only MVP for both leagues. That's a Hall of Famer. That's Frank Robinson. That's who," said Gwynn.

Do your homework and, before you come out on the field, know who paved the way for you, Gwynn instructed the young man.

Gwynn and Ripken have not only paved the way, they have paved a very good way.