Granted this may be getting to be an old debate since Pete Rose took a lifetime ban from the MLB way back in 1989. However it seems a few Hall of Famers, most notably Hank Aaron, may have gotten into Commissioner Bud Selig’s ear over the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and lobbied Rose’s case.
There is no doubt that Rose has the numbers to be Hall worthy. We are after all talking about the MLB career hits leader. In fact that hit Rose had 4,256 career hits, a number far about the 3,000 hits to get a guaranteed induction into Cooperstown and a number 1,523 more that his closest active MLB slugger one Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey is a sure fire lock for hall of fame induction, but in Pete’s case the argument isn’t about numbers.
We all know Pete bet on baseball games, and we all probably assume that Pete bet on baseball games that he either played in or managed. For these reasons Pete should never be allowed to manage or take the field in a MLB contest ever again. However does that mean Pete should never be in the Hall?
It doesn’t seem these two arguments are the same. Pete hurt the credibility of the game by betting on it, for that he has served a suspension from the game that should remain in tact. However Cooperstown is not the Hall of Nice men, it is not the Hall of great guys, or the Hall of good decisions. In fact it is the Hall of Fame and its credibility is continually hurt by Pete’s absence.
For Pete to get elected the suspension would have to be lifted, and the Veterans Committee would then have to select Rose for enshrinement. After more that n20 years away from the game, it seems that Selig should give Rose at least that much. In fact getting Pete into the Hall could go a long way to healing the wounds of a particularly painful piece of MLB history.
