For the record:
Pete gambled on baseball games after he had retired as an active player. He was managing at the time...Rose never bet against his own team...
Pete Rose defined an era of baseball. Without him in the HoF, the Hall has a void from that era.
Pete has paid the price for gambling on baseball. It is time to include one of the greatest players of all time in the HoF.
Does that mean that, without Shoeless Joe Jackson, the Hall has a void from that era and Jackson should be put in the Hall of Fame?
Cooperstown contains baseball history and baseball milestones, as well as honoring certain persons who (a) meet the Hall's eligibility standards and (b) are voted in the by BBWA or the Veterans' Committee.
Rose's baseball history and milestones are already in the Hall of Fame. There is no void from that era.
And . . . he hasn't paid the price for gambling. Gambling had a price tag on it, and Rose saw that price tag multiple times almost every day when he was a player or manager. Rule 21d stated the price for gambling on baseball was lifetime suspension.
When someone knows what the price is ahead of time, agrees to the price in writing, and repeatedly lies about the entire transaction, I have little sympathy about enforcing the agreed-upon price.