Paul Ladewski:  

Per Wikipedia . . . Paul Matthew Ladewski is an American contributing editor for Granite Media and formerly a sports columnist at the San Francisco Examiner and editor, sportswriter and columnist at The Daily Southtown in Chicago and its adjoining suburbs. He is a longtime member of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) and Baseball Hall of Fame voter. He is a recipient of the Peter Lisagor and Illinois Sports Columnist of the Year awards, and his work was cited in A Century of Chicago's Best Sportswriting (University of Chicago Press), which was published in August, 2013. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, he was the only media member to cover the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (72-10) and 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors (73-9), who produced the two highest regular-season win totals in NBA history. Ladewski is among the more outspoken critics of the steroids era. He touched off a national debate in January, 2007, when he became the first known Baseball Writers' Association of America member to turn in a blank Hall of Fame ballot in wake of the steroids controversy. The disclosure was made by a Baltimore Sun sportswriter who had polled BBWAA members in an attempt to determine whether former Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. would be a unanimous selection. San Diego Padres outfielder Tony Gwynn also was on the ballot.[1] Including his blank ballot, eight writers did not vote for Ripken, and 13 did not vote for Gwynn.[2] "Unlike so many others, I consider myself fortunate to be in a position to remain an independent thinker," Ladewski said. "Because I am not employed by a company that has a lucrative contract with a professional sports league, I have no restrictions. I have no hidden agendas. My only regret is that some believe I made my vote known to attract attention. That simply isn't the case. In fact, when the Baltimore Sun writer informed me that I was the only person who hadn't voted for Ripken among those he had polled at that point, I was beyond surprised. Surely, others wouldn't be inclined to take a premature leap of faith, I thought. Nobody can say for certain who cheated other than the cheaters themselves. That's the fundamental problem that confronts Hall of Fame voters." "To say the least, I'm disappointed how quickly some of my peers have forgotten the widespread effects of the greatest scandal in modern baseball history. We need to demand more answers about the subject and pay less attention to the Boston Red Sox third-string catcher. Until then, there remains too many questions and too little accountability in an era that tarnished the game forever."[3] After his vote became public, Ladewski and the Daily Southtown received more than 1,200 emails and phone messages in the next week, many from upset Gywnn and Ripken fans. "It's interesting to note that, years later, an increased number of Hall of Fame voters have excluded the more obvious suspects in the steroids era," Ladewski said. "If I did anything to raise awareness on the issue, then I consider what I did to be worth it. Despite the criticism, I would do it over again."[citation needed] During a Jan. 9, 2007 interview on ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning, Ladewski also said that he is not inclined to vote for any player on his first year of eligibility. He stat...Expand for more