Ken Burns on Bonds, Clemens: 'Those Motherf–ers Should Suffer'

Ken Burns, the Emmy-award winning documentarian, on Tuesday said steroid users like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, and Mike Piazza should not be elected to Hall of Fame and those “motherfu–ers should suffer for awhile.”

Clemens and Bonds were not elected to the Hall of Fame in 2013. Baseball writers did not elect anyone to the 2013 Hall of Fame class. 

Burns’ 1994 documentary “Baseball,” a 10-part opus that chronicled the history of America’s pastime, won an Emmy Award and is considered one of the best films made about the sport and its role in American society. 

Here is the exchange between The Hollywood Reporter and Burns: 

The Hollywood Reporter: Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Mike Piazza are all on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. Would you vote for them?

Ken Burns: No.

THR: Ever?

Ken Burns: I want them to suffer for a while.

[…]

THR: Are you going to do “The 11th Inning” now?

Ken Burns: We need a few things to happen. Like the Cubs win the World Series; that would automatically do it. A few things like that. But you know, there are a few things that never change. We know some pitchers extended their playing careers, we know some people hit the ball farther, but nobody hit .406, nobody had a 56-game hitting streak, no pitcher won 30 games, no pitcher won 35 games, no pitcher won 25 games. Maybe that helps you make it less onerous, but at the same time, those motherf—ers should suffer for a while.