A Life After Death (Pete Rose's Acceptance To The Hall Of Fame Should Be Posthumous)

NY Times ^ | October 27, 2003 | JEFF NEUMAN

[presidio9]

Now that the World Series is over, baseball can turn to its perennial off-season obsession: whither Pete Rose and the Hall of Fame?

Rose, of course, accepted in 1989 a lifetime ban from baseball for gambling. In recent years, though, Bud Selig, the baseball commissioner, has opened the door to the possibility that he might cut a deal with Rose. Rose would presumably apologize — and in return he would be eligible to take his place in Cooperstown.

But what's the point of making such a trade? After all, what good is a public admission of guilt after 14 years of adamant denial? An 11th-hour apology would only underscore the unreliability of Rose's utterances. At the same time, how much longer should baseball punish its all-time hit leader? (And aren't we ready for another November-to-February discussion topic?)

There is a solution — one that just might finally put the matter to rest. Bud Selig should inform Pete Rose that his accomplishments as a player are indeed worthy of recognition in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Working with the Baseball Writers Association of America, whose members govern election to the game's holiest of holies, the commissioner should inform Rose that he will be reinstated to the game, and will become eligible for election into the Hall.

Posthumously.

With one stroke, Selig would deliver the message that it is folly to ignore 4,256 hits, Rose's regular-season and World Series most valuable player awards, three batting titles, and participation in more winning games than any player in baseball history. Rose's likeness will adorn the Hall of Fame Gallery, alongside men of dubious character like Ty Cobb (vicious), Cap Anson (racist), Babe Ruth (gluttonous), Orlando Cepeda (convicted marijuana importer), and many others whose deeds were covered up by the boys-will-be-boys reporters of their day. But Rose will not have the opportunity to stand before the baseball world in full glory, or hobnob with his fellow immortals, in the face of so much evidence that he broke the one unbreakable rule in sports: the prohibition against gambling on one's own games.

If this would cast Rose as Moses, standing on Mount Nebo with a view of the Promised Land he will not enter, so be it. The life of Pete Rose should not be crowned with an undeservedly redemptive ending, whatever public admissions he might choose to make at this too-late date.

[Huck]

What a dumb article. Pete Rose should die knowing he's never getting in. Period.

[ClearCase_guy]

Such crap. The writer points out the startling news that Babe Ruth was gluttonous. Who knew? And yet, despite this tremendous flaw in Babe's character, which brought untold shame on the sport of baseball, he was still inducted into the Hall of Fame. Ergo, Pete Rose, a gambler who (may have) gambled against his own team, should also be inducted.

Of such leaps is the field of moral equivalence littered.

I say induct Shoeless Joe Jackson into the Hall. Afterall, what he did was much less than what Rose did. After Jackson is inducted, let's wait 80 years and then revisit the Rose issue.

[mewzilla]

Posthumously? Only if someone can convince me his gambling was done posthumously.

[TontoKowalski]

At the same time, how much longer should baseball punish its all-time hit leader?

The writer assumes that there is some "right" for very good baseball players to be inducted into HoF.

[Agnes Heep]

Regardless of whether he makes it into the Hall of Fame, history is going to recognize Rose as a great baseball player. Personally I think that in this society we're too willing to indulge bad behavior among the celebrated classes.

[discostu]

I think his records belong in the Hall of Fame, I'd let him in with the following conditions:
1 - the complete story (as known at the time) of his gambling and banning from baseball is included in his display
2 - none of the celebration, no acceptance speech, doesn't get to come to the dinner, simply announce his induction and put up the display

I think that would put a nice big fat asterisk on his HoF entry, it would also preserve his story for future generations, and would end this annoying semi-annual debate.

[Xenalyte]

I've never understood why ban him from an honor that allegedly celebrates his ballplaying abilities based on an activity that has absolutely nothing to do with his ballplaying abilities.

But then, I'm just a girl.

[ServesURight]

Pete Rose is an ass.

He does this every year, poor little old me mean-old baseball keeps banning me from the Hall. So I'll sit right out in front of the Hall and sign autographs for the fans and plead my case.

Baseball should ignore him, as well as sports and memorabilia collectors.

[Jumper]

The Hall of Fame is for champions. Pete Rose was a champion. No one will ever break some Pete's Records. At one time or another, Pete held 73 Major Leauge Baseball Records. He had an addiction and those in Baseball who keep him out are only hurting the history of the game. Heck, even the Blacksox have their place in the history of the game and Pete's transgressions never had one thing to do with "throwing" a game.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

The Hall of Fame is where baseball beats the other professional sports leagues hands-down.

Baseball's Hall of Fame is very prestigious and not for the likes of malcontents such as Rose despite his career.

[Sgt_Schultze]

Wait until McGwire, Bonds and Sosa are eligible for HOF consideration. With the "supplements" story hanging around in athletics today and specifically involving Bond's source, how will MLB handle that corruption of the Hall's legacy?

[Sgt_Schultze]

Wait until McGwire, Bonds and Sosa are eligible for HOF consideration. With the "supplements" story hanging around in athletics today and specifically involving Bond's source, how will MLB handle that corruption of the Hall's legacy?

[Sgt_Schultze]

Whoops.

[Maria S]

I agree with your comments. Babe Ruth is held up as THE greatest ever...He ate like a pig, was probably an alcoholic because of his drinking habits, smoked cigars the size of sausages, and chased women like...er...one of our recent presidents. Cut Pete Rose some slack, for goodness sakes!

I live in Texas...football is king here; I don't really care about baseball. Don't put too much stock in my baseball comments!

[KellyAdmirer]

I tend to agree, all I can figure is that baseball is hyper-sensitive about gambling for historical reasons. They should cut some kind of deal and put this issue to rest. The man may have been addicted to gambling, but that can be explained in his exhibit, and he certainly earned recognition in some fashion, more so than about 98% of the players in the Hall.

[SaveTheChief]

If Rose is to be admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, so should "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.

[NYCVirago]

. Rose's likeness will adorn the Hall of Fame Gallery, alongside men of dubious character like Ty Cobb (vicious), Cap Anson (racist), Babe Ruth (gluttonous), Orlando Cepeda (convicted marijuana importer), and many others whose deeds were covered up by the boys-will-be-boys reporters of their day.

Geez, those reporters did a great job of covering up Babe Ruth's gluttony, didn't they? Who knew?

Anyhow, this is a silly argument. There is only one thing that will get you permanently banned from the game, and that's because it affects the integrity of the game -- gambling on baseball. None of these other sins mentioned affect the integrity of the game.

[Redwood71]

"He had an addiction"

---

No he didn't. He flatly, and defiantly, said so. If he had admitted to an addiction, he might have had a gentler case against him by baseball. Look at the drug users using recreational drugs that were rehabed and brought back into the game. (Some more thjan once) If you read the Dowd Report, it will say he disavowed gambling on baseball, and has stayed with that statement all along. But the report displays numerous places where he did. The ball was in his court, and he decided to wait out the system.

[sargon]

I will NEVER visit the Baseball Hall of Fame until Pete Rose is inducted.

And I know that there are many thousands of others out there who are also boycotting the Hall for only that reason.

Baseball needs to get its head out of its ass, and induct one of the greatest players ever to play the game.

The only thing which could change my mind was if they proved he bet AGAINST his own team. Betting ON one's own team might bring managerial judgment into question, but it does not taint the game in any way.

They're just trying to keep Pete down. He should be judged by what he did ON THE FIELD.