The Missouri legislature voted yesterday to rename a stretch of I-70 currently being called Mark McGwire Highway.  It had been given that moniker one year after McGwire broke the single season home run record, but a movement has been afoot to change the name for years and gained steam this spring when McGwire admitted that he had done steroids.

The new name of the Highway?  Mark Twain Highway- as it should be.  First, though I loved Mark McGwire at the time, I am still not sure I would have believed he was more worthy for getting a public use asset named for him than Mark Twain even in 1999.  Twain might possibly the first great American writer- and a truly American writer at that.

Why Missouri would give the honor to anyone else is beyond me.  But that is the power of sport.  McGwire brought a lot of positive attention to St. Louis in 1998 and beyond.  He made many of us stand up and cheer for him, and for the Cardinals, and that has a lot of power. Have you ever stood up and cheered for Mark Twain?  I didn’t think so.  But who would your rather you have your kids ask you about?  McGwire or Twain?  Who should your kids know about?  McGwire or Twain?  There you go.
House Member Cynthia Davis (R, O’Fallon) who voted for the name change said it best:

“I am one of those who believes you shouldn’t name anything after people till after they’re deceased…people need to have heroes, but this is just yet still one reason why it is better to wait till they’re really dead instead of trying to fabricate this while they’re alive,” Davis said.

Add to that, while they are still alive and can still make mistakes.