Posted on 05/13/2025 1:16:13 PM PDT by God luvs America
In a historic, sweeping decision, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday removed Pete Rose, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and other deceased players from Major League Baseball's permanently ineligible list.
The all-time hit king and Jackson -- both longtime baseball pariahs stained by gambling, seen by MLB as the game's mortal sin -- are now presumably eligible for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
Manfred ruled that MLB's punishment of banned individuals ends upon their deaths.
"Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game," Manfred wrote in a letter to attorney Jeffrey M. Lenkov, who petitioned for Rose's removal from the list Jan. 8. "Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve.
"Therefore, I have concluded that permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual, and Mr. Rose will be removed from the permanently ineligible list."
Manfred's decision ends the ban that Rose accepted from then-Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti in August 1989, following an MLB investigation that determined the 17-time All-Star had bet on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
Say it ain’t so, Joe.
One threw the world series and took a dive. Pete Rose bet FOR his own team to win. He would have LOST money by throwing the game. His bet would make him fight harder.
Not the same.
Pretty safe bet for the commissioner to reinstate them since they’re dead.
Shoeless Joe Jackson was an unsophisticated country boy who got suckered in. I drove past his memorial in Greenville SC
Rose and Jackson in the HOF? Should be interesting
The 1919 World Series. During the World Series in question, Jackson had led both teams in several statistical categories and set a World Series record with 12 base hits.
obviously, he wasn’t a gambler against his own team...
Well, if you can kill your ex-wife and still be in the Hall Of Fame, why not?
Is it too late to get them in this year’s HOF?
There will still be some jerks who will refuse to vote for them.
Doesn’t matter. Bob Feller used to say that baseball had a lot of rules but only a handful are posted in every ballclub and gambling is one of them.
I agreed with the ban on Rose, but Shoeless Joe got painted with the same brush everyone else did. He really got a raw deal. He should be consensus HOF on the next vote.
What difference does it make? Rose is old and Jackson is dead.
When I watch bits of MLB I see ads for Casinos in many, if not all MLB ballparks. In addition lots of states allow and even encourage betting on sports (I’m sure they get a cut).Maybe this is a recognition that attitudes towards sports gambling have changed over the years. Not saying it’s a good thing, but it is a thing.
FINALY! MY BASEBALL HERO WILL BE IN THE HALL OF FAME!!
It was bound to happen. Rose has too many records, can’t keep him out of the Hall forever. The ban was correct, he broke the big rule. But, lifetime is lifetime, he ain’t alive anymore.
It was a lifetime ban. His life is over. So is the ban.
Sounds fair.
I feel better about Jackson, who was a victim of being “near” the scandal and not being very bright.
He SAID he bet for his team. After he said he didn’t bet on games he was involved in. After he said he didn’t bet on baseball. After he said he didn’t bet. When a guy admits to three lies, don’t believe the 4th thing he said.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.