Let Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame already

cnn opinion ^ | aug 21st 2014 | Mike Downey

[OL Hickory]

By this point, you have made up your own mind, as so many of us have. You are from one of two camps. One is the "hasn't Pete suffered enough? The other is the "Pete got exactly what he deserved"

I occupy the former.

[jocon307]

I just always loved him. All he could do was play baseball but he gave it his all.

[PAR35]

And you know that how?

[usconservative]

He’s no more crooked than the rest. Let him in.

I disagree. By today's standard of corruption, Pete Rose is a saint!

Let him in already!

[Scoutmaster]

Yes, as is Ty Cobb.

What rule of MLB did George Herman Ruth break repeatedly, then lie about to the Commissioner of Baseball and the public?

When caught in his lies, did Ruth continue to lie to the public?

Did he continue to lie about breaking that rule for 25 years?

[Scoutmaster]

How many of those players AGREED to a lifetime ban in return for Major League Baseball not publicly releasing the evidence it had against them?

If you want Peter Edward Rose to be eligible for the Baseball Hal of Fame, at the very least, don't you want Major League Baseball to first publicly release every scrap of evidence it has against him?

[Scoutmaster]

Without [Rose] in the HoF, the Hall has a void from that era.

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.

[Delta Dawn]

From Wikipedia(This was all published at the time that this happened):

In 2004, after years of public denial, Rose admitted to betting on baseball and on, but not against, the Reds.

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Rose admitted in 2004 that he did bet on baseball. He thought that this would give him a chance to get back into baseball, but baseball only drove the knife deeper...If there was proof that Rose actually managed in an attempt to throw games in order to win bets, I would support his banishment...To date, I am unaware of any such proof...

[terycarl]

Exactly.Pete Rose is a miserable excuse for a human being.He just happened to be able to play baseball

your asinine statement is pathetic....speaking of miserable excuses...

[terycarl]

Here,we have Ty Cobb...and next to him is Hank Aaron....and next to *him* is Lou Gherig.And now we're making room for Pete Rose's exhibit right next to that of the Yankee Clipper. *That* would be a joke.

why...he was at least as good a player as they were and the hall of fame exists to pay tribute to those who excelled at playing baseball

[Delta Dawn]

There was never any proof that Shoeless Joe ever did anything to attempt to throw that series. In fact, in an ironic twist, he had HoF numbers for the series...

[Farmer Dean]

Oh,just bite it.

[terycarl]

Not being in the Hall of Fame doesn't fit my definition of suffering

it does if you are among the very best to have EVER played the game.....as an aside, do you think he'd be boycotted if he were...........black??

[xzins]

No. Make him eligible, but let the voters for the Hall decide.

Those voters are making sure that the big dopers aren’t getting in: Sosa, Bonds, Clements, etc.

They might decide the same with Rose. Then he’ll wish he were still in that select group with only Shoeless Joe Jackson. I hear more about Shoeless than I ever do about 99% of those in the HOF.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Wouldn't you say that Rose, even if eligible, strikes out completely in the integrity and character department?

You really want to go back and apply that standard to the men already in the HoF? Are we sure every HoFer set a standard for integrity and character? Should the alcoholics, adulterers, etc. in there be removed?

There are other ways to honor men who live blameless lives. Excellence in baseball doesn't mean excellence of character. Rose is not baseball's all-time leader in hits because of his gambling. By excluding men like Rose and Joe Jackson, the HoF only undermines it's own credibility.

[terycarl]

He is lying that he bet on his team “every night.” If the bookmakers got wind, and they would, that he was, they would not take his action. Why, because if the Reds were an above average team, the bookmakers would lose, and they are not in the business of losing

nonsense...odds change and the bookies bet accordingly' I believe that he bet on his team to win every time, and the oddsmakers know exactly how to handle that.

[terycarl]

Oh,just bite it.

another high class comment from you.....impressive!!

[Gay State Conservative]

the hall of fame exists to pay tribute to those who excelled at playing baseball and who,while involved in the game,didn't bring shame or disrepute to the game.

[Farmer Dean]

I find it interesting that you seem to identify with losers/liars.
Oh well,if you like your loser you can keep your loser.
I will not respond to any further posts from you.

[Scoutmaster]

I agree with you for the most point. The most damning evidence against him, his purported grand jury testimony published in 1920, does not appear in the stenographic record of the grand jury.

[Scoutmaster]

The lack of integrity and character of others in the Hall of Fame is not a lack of integrity and character related to a violation of Rule 21d. Rose knew the penalty for a violation of that Rule.

Rose's achievements are honored in the Hall of Fame.