The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, third edition, of which I have four copies and don’t know why, offers three derivations of the words “fans.” I’ll take the first one, fanatics.

I can attest to the fanaticism of fans of individual players, in particular Mike Piazza and Craig Biggio. I have learned of their fans’ passion by having the audacity to mention them in connection with the use of performance-enhancing substances.

Piazza fans did not react as indignantly this time as they have in the past. Perhaps they have come to expect it. Only 17 percent of readers who responded defended Piazza. Forty-eight percent, on the other hand, expressed outrage, or at least questioned the inclusion of Biggio on the list of former players on the Hall of Fame ballot for whom I would not vote because of their known or suspected use of steroids.

Many of the Biggio backers said he had never been cited as a steroids suspect, but they were wrong.

Three years ago …

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If this were a college course, it would have to be a combination of Labor 101 and Journalism 101. The core curriculum would be divided into two parts:

1. The study of ingrates who go to unconscionable lengths to plant a knife in the back of a man who made them wealthy beyond their wildest imagination.

2. The study of a column that undermines a good story and turns it into one that makes the reporter look like a villain who invites wrath and ridicule upon his head.

The actions of the ingrates are far more unforgiving than the reporter’s poor job of writing. The ingrates are former major league baseball players, who were members of a committee designated to vote earlier this month on a 12-man “expansion era” ballot for the Hall of Fame.

Some of the players voted against Marvin Miller, their former labor leader and patron saint, sending him to his sixth rejection in six appearances on various Hall of Fame ballots in 10 years. Players and others will have to wait for three years before they can …

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The Hall of Fame ballot sits on my desk, just to the left of my computer. Of the 36 names on it, three have the boxes next to their names marked with an X: Jack Morris, of course; Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine. A fourth box, the one next to Frank Thomas, may also get an X upon further review.

The boxes next to these 10 names will not get an X: Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Eric Gagne, Paul Lo Duca, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa.

These non-exes won’t get my vote because they were proved to have cheated, admitted they cheated or are strongly suspected of having cheated. I have not voted for any player in those categories and am not prepared to start doing so now.

Fans of these players and even non-fan observers will ask how I can consider someone a cheat if he has never tested positive. I have two answers:

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