Why Isn't Roger Maris in the Hall of Fame?

This question has perplexed me ever since I found out that Roger Maris wasn't in the Baseball Hall of Fame.  I had always just assumed that Maris, rightfully so, was a Hall of Famer.  An assumption I believe is fair and shared by many sports enthusiasts, such as myself.

The obvious reason why Maris belongs in the Hall of Fame, is the fact that in 1961 he broke Babe Ruth's single season home run record by hitting his 61st home run of the year on the final day of the season, besting Ruth by one long ball.  A feat so enormous that Billy Crystal made a movie about it titled 61*. (One of my favorite movies, and I hate the Yankees.)  Maris' record would stand for 37 years, until a chemically enhanced monster known as Mark McGwire, would shatter the record by belting 70 homers in a single season.  Later, an even more drugged up Barry Bonds would hit 73 home runs, and eventually it would come out that all these guys who were hitting 500 foot home runs on the regular, were on steroids, HGH, and estrogen (a female hormone supplement).  McGwire would hit 65 bombs following his 70 homer season, before walking away from the game only a few years before Jose Canseco blew the whistle on steroids and starting naming names, including his long time teammate McGwire.  Bonds, who still holds the single season record with 73, would never hit more than 49 in a season again, even with the assistance of lots and lots steroids, HGH, and whatever else he could get his hands on.

I still consider Roger Maris the single season home run leader.  No player outside of the steroid era has matched or broke 61 home runs in a single season.  Since, Major League Baseball instituted a drug testing policy in 2006, the most home runs hit in a season were 58, hit by Ryan Howard in the same year and only 3 other men, David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez, and Jose Bautista ever broke 50!

Today's athletes are bigger, stronger, and faster.  They have more access to trainers and state of the art workout regimens and equipment.  Still, Maris' mark, set in 1961, hasn't been touched (by someone not overflowing with drugs) and probably won't be anytime soon.

If the home run record isn't enough to get Roger Maris in the Hall of Fame, then maybe the fact that he won back-to-back MVP awards in 1960 and 1961 while with the New York Yankees.  Only four players have won the award in consecutive years since Maris did.  Of the 5 that accomplished this milestone prior to Maris, all of them are in the Hall of Fame.  He played in 7 World Series, winning the Championship 3 times - twice with the Yankees and once with the St. Louis Cardinals.

It is well documented that Roger Maris and the media didn't get along.  The media, particularly the Baseball Writer's of America, are the ones who vote for the Hall of Fame.  Am I saying Roger didn't get in because of personal differences?  Yes.

He may not have had the lovable personality of Micky Mantle or a modern day Shaq.  He may not have 15 years of remarkable stats and awards.  But what Roger Maris does have is arguably the greatest season ever played in 1961.  A season that consisted of 61 home runs, an MVP, and his first World Series ring.  In my mind that's enough to be called a Hall of Famer.

Maris' name no longer appears on the Hall of Fame ballot.  The only way he can get in now, is if MLB grants him an entry.  If you know anything about MLB, you know it would take hell freezing over, pigs flying, and Alex Rodriguez admitting to using steroids.  Not likely.

Roger Maris: Hall of Famer*