Mike Campbell and Chuck Jackson were University of Hawaii baseball stars who had played against each other in high school in Seattle. Both debuted in the major leagues in 1987, Campbell with the Mariners and Jackson with the Astros.

The future appeared bright for both. Campbell was 15-2 at Calgary and was the Pacific Coast League MVP. Jackson was a .306 hitter at Tucson in ’86, and his combination of speed and gap power seemed perfect for the Astrodome.

For various reasons, neither enjoyed a long career at baseball’s highest level. It could be argued that entering the majors at around the beginning of the steroid era hurt them.

But neither is bitter. And both are adamant that Barry Bonds and other superstars of the era belong in the Hall of Fame, whether they used performance enhancing drugs or not.

“Oh, God, unbelievably yes,” Campbell said. “(Roger) Clemens, too.”

Ten years ago this week Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s all-time career home run record. Bonds retired with 762 homers at the end of the 2007 season; Aaron had 755. Many observers — including enough Hall of Fame voters to keep Bonds out — feel the record is tarnished because of steroids.

Jackson said making it to the majors was “a dream come true.” But he wonders if he might have been there longer if not for steroids.

Ken Caminiti and Jackson were the same age and competing for the same position. Neither produced impressive numbers in their first two years sharing time at third base for the Astros in 1987 and ’88.

Caminiti’s admission to steroid use went only as far back as ’96, but Jackson said he had reason to think it might have been earlier.

“In ’89 when we showed up for spring training, he was 20 pounds heavier,” said Jackson, who was sent down that spring and never played for the Astros again. “And he was faster than me for the first time ever. I’d busted my butt all winter. What was I missing here?”

Caminiti developed into a three-time All-Star and was the National League MVP with the Padres in 1996. He died shortly after his 15-year career, in 2004, of a cocaine and heroin overdose.

“Caminiti was one of the best teammates I ever had,” Jackson said. “It wasn’t worth it for him to be gone as soon as he was.”

Jackson said he was never tempted to use steroids. He made it back to the big leagues briefly in 1994.

“I was with Texas for 10 days. (Jose) Canseco was there. He said, ‘Chuck, I could’ve helped you.’ ”

Expectations were high for Campbell, as he was drafted out of UH by his hometown team with the No. 7 overall pick of the 1985 draft, right after Bonds went to the Pirates.

Campbell had the work ethic to go with talent to be a major league starting pitcher, and he was in and out of the Mariners rotation from 1987 to 1989.

But shoulder injuries led to two surgeries and decreased velocity. Pitching at a time when hitters were blasting home runs at record rates didn’t make it easier. It got to the point where Campbell decided to try steroids himself.

“I think it was before the 1993 season. I tried it once, but it didn’t do anything for me,” Campbell said. “I always took pride in being a hard-working guy. But I was playing in an era when everyone knew a lot of other guys were doing stuff, and felt painted into a corner. It was an agonizing decision. My wife and I thought maybe it’s time to try this and see if it can level the playing field.”

A fellow player took him to Mexico, where they bought a steroid called Anavar.

“But half the time you don’t know what you’re getting. Then you have to cross the border with it. It was the scariest thing I ever did. Then you’re scared because you don’t know how to inject it,” said Campbell. “Mine ended up not being good stuff. At first you’re excited about what it might do for you. When it didn’t do anything, I actually felt kind of relieved about it, because I really did not want to cheat the game.”

After the Mariners, Campbell pitched for the Rangers, Padres and Cubs before a final season in Japan in 1997.

“ ‘Soup’ and myself, we played in an era when things completely changed,” Jackson said. “We made it because of how hard we worked at UH in the weight room. When I signed (with Houston) I was stronger than anyone who was there. But there’s been a transformation.”

Campbell also said his experiences at UH got him to the big leagues.

“(Pitching coach) Carl Furutani taught me a lot about work ethic. He ran our butts off.”

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.