Posted on 07/27/2009 10:15:22 AM PDT by Artemis Webb
COOPERSTOWN - Thanks to the behind-the-scenes lobbying from some of the most influential Hall of Famers, commissioner Bud Selig is said to be seriously considering lifting Pete Rose's lifetime suspension from baseball.
The tip-off that Selig may now be inclined to pardon baseball's all-time hit king was Hank Aaron's seemingly impromptu interview session with a small group of reporters in the lobby of the Otesaga Hotel on Saturday. In declaring for the first time that he would want an asterisk put on the achievements of any steroid cheats elected to the Hall of Fame, Aaron brought up Rose, who, in August of 1989, was given a lifetime ban for gambling on baseball, saying: "I would like to see Pete in. He belongs there."
It is no secret that Selig considers Aaron one of his closest friends and values his opinions over perhaps all others. It was also learned by the Daily News that in a meeting of the Hall of Fame's board of directors at the Otesaga later on Saturday, two of Rose's former teammates on the board, vice chairman Joe Morgan and Frank Robinson, also expressed their hope that Selig would see fit to reinstate Rose.
Said another Hall of Famer familiar with the situation: "I think a lot of the guys feel that it's been 20 years now for Pete, and would lean toward leniency and time served. If he had admitted it in the first place and apologized way back then, he'd probably be in the Hall by now."
According to another source, the behind-the-scenes lobbying process began five years ago, but stalled because Selig was still not satisfied that Rose was "reconfiguring" his life, as the late commissioner Bart Giamatti had instructed for him to do when he initially placed him on baseball's permanent ineligible list.
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
If you would like to be on the ping list let me know.
This will be a medium volume ping list during the baseball season and a low volume ping list when all life stops in late October.
Shrug. Why enforce any rules in any sport now?
They should let him in the Hall-of-Fame, as long as he agrees to take his shoes off.
Well the simple, and probably simplistic answer is; Pete and Joe and reinstated and inducted into the hall. All records in the steroid era are placed into their own column.
We forgive, move on and play ball in the sunshine.
It’s absurd that the all time leader in hits is not in the Hall of Fame.
If they want to mention his gambling, fine, but don’t ignore one of the greatest records in sport.
Put Joe Jackson in the Hall of Fame. He got a lifetime ban, which he finished serving when he died.
The difference between Pete and Joe is that while Pete gambled (and apparently bet on baseball games — including betting on his own team to win), Shoeless Joe was implicated in a plot to throw games for bookies. The Black Sox scandal was far more scandalous than Rose’s betting on his own team to win.
Rose is no longer baseball's top embarrassment.
What kind of odds is he giving on that happening?
They can still enforce the rules even while still allowing Rose to be reinstated for eligibility to the Hall of Fame. I would favor a reinstatement that allows him to be admitted to the HOF but not to “work” in the MLB system or any of its minor league affiliates.
Pete Rose killed Bart Giamatti (sic) too.
This is the key fact to today’s problems. Everytime I see Sammy Sosa or any of these guys who popped umpteen homeruns from the early 90s to 2004...I feel it was a joke. If the worst you can say about Pete is that he bet on his own team to win....then he’s walking on water compared to these guys. I’d personally like to see every record examined and adjusted by 40 percent down.
Citing differences is meaningless.
A sin is a sin, no matter the difference in degrees....
Pardoning of one sets a precedence, period.
Pardon one, pardan them all.
If Pete Rose did drugs, he would have been reinstated years ago (remember Steve Howe?)
Citing differences is meaningless.
A sin is a sin, no matter the difference in degrees....
Pardoning of one sets a precedence, period.
Pardon one, pardon them all.
Even if he was reinstated, he’s not making the Hall of Fame. Of course, he has the numbers. But a lot of baseball writers will be proudly voting against him.
Rose must have a terminal illness for Selig to even think about this. I hope that is not the case. Charlie Hustle belongs in the Hall of Fame. JMHO.
All the while keeping their own demons in the closet....
Personally speaking....like the All-Star game...the HOF...has been tainted for years now.
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