It's my understanding that he never admitted that he bet on games. Bart Giamotti gave him several chances to do so, and he never did.
Rose has, in fact, admitted it many times over. He has a book dedicated to it.
I've often wondered if we'd know Shoeless Joe's name after all these years if he'd not been banned. Rose and Shoeless are in a League of their Own, and with a good PR guy, Rose could have played that angle to "bad guy" fame and fortune.
I'm sure he's had no end of PR gurus telling him that.
That he hasn't gone that route says something to me about what he considers to be a better legacy. It also says something about his love of baseball. As a youngster in Cincinnati when Rose broke in as a rookie, I never doubted his love of the game.
Searching for some clincher argument that proves Rose should be readmitted to baseball has always drawn a blank for me. Nothing proves Rose deserves anything.
It really boils down to baseball deciding what is best for baseball. Maybe leniency and forgiveness is best. Maybe it isn't. I'm not all that forgiving about the steroid home run record. I'd asterisk it and those who juiced.
I think that's best for baseball. So, if there are asterisked stars, then Rose would be just one more of them.
Pete has admitted to gambling on baseball, and even the Reds, but he never bet on the Reds to lose.
And Bart died a long time ago. what;s his name has been Commish ever since.