For the first time since 1996, and only the 8th time in history, there will be no Baseball Hall of Fame inductees this year. And the reason can be summed up in one word: STEROIDS.

This was the first year of eligibility for BARRY BONDS, ROGER CLEMENS and SAMMY SOSA . . . and none of them came CLOSE. And we all know it's because of their alleged steroid use.

To get into the Hall, a player needs to get a vote from 75% of the members of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Clemens got 37.6% . . . Bonds got 36.2% . . . and Sosa got 12.5%.

Still, some people who probably DO deserve to get in were denied as well. Like longtime Houston Astro CRAIG BIGGIO, who has 3,060 career hits. He came the closest with 68%. JEFF BAGWELL got 59.6%, MIKE PIAZZA got 57.8% and CURT SCHILLING got 38.8%.

There will still be an induction ceremony at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in July. Three people chosen by the Veterans Committee will be enshrined: An umpire and a Yankees owner from the early 20th Century, and a catcher from the 19th Century.

The Player's Union is not happy about this. They issued a statement blasting the Writers Association. They said, quote, "To ignore the historic accomplishments of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens . . . is hard to justify.

"Moreover, to penalize players exonerated in legal proceedings . . . and others never even implicated . . . is simply unfair . . . Hopefully this will be rectified by future voting."