{"id":192822,"date":"2025-05-14T06:46:39","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T11:46:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=192822"},"modified":"2025-05-14T06:46:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T11:46:42","slug":"unpopular-opinion-no-hof-for-rose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2025\/05\/14\/unpopular-opinion-no-hof-for-rose\/","title":{"rendered":"Unpopular opinion: no HOF for Rose"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SCOTT TRUXELL\/<\/strong>independent sports<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a decision that wasn\u2019t entirely unexpected. Some are applauding it, others are indifferent at best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday, Major League League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced he was lifting lifetime bans of 16 now-deceased players, including Pete Rose and many of the infamous Chicago Black Sox players. There had been speculation he was strongly considering it, but a decision wasn\u2019t expected until later this year. Removing Rose from the ineligible list makes him and the others eligible for consideration for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I understand this is an unpopular opinion and it appears as though I\u2019m in the minority, but here it is anyway \u2013 Rose doesn\u2019t deserve a spot in Cooperstown. I don\u2019t want to speak ill of the dead, but it\u2019s true and there are facts to back it up. Now, I understand if you go solely by his on the field numbers, then yes, he should be in. I get that. But this is more than just those numbers. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Pete Rose was at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in 2018. VW independent file photo<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Gambling on MLB<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pete Rose gambled on baseball. Not once, not twice, but many times. Baseball\u2019s cardinal rule basically states \u201cthou shall not bet on games.\u201d He knowingly and willingly broke that rule countless times. What part of the rule didn\u2019t he understand? No logical person can make an argument that he didn\u2019t realize what he was doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He lied<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For years, Rose lied about betting on baseball. 15 years to be precise. In 1989, Major League Baseball opened an investigation into Rose and by August of that year, he agreed to a lifetime ban. Why agree to a penalty like that if you\u2019re innocent? He didn\u2019t come clean until 2004, 15 years later. 15 years of lies. Even after that, he never really seemed to show remorse for his actions. Had he done so, it might have changed things a little sooner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Handshake deal?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was there a handshake deal between Rose and then-Commissioner Bart Giamatti, the man who levied the lifetime ban? Maybe, but we\u2019ll never know since Giamatti passed away not long after the ban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a line of thought that Giamatti would have lifted the ban after a year or two. If that\u2019s truly the case, it makes a little more sense as to why Rose agreed to it. Obviously, there was nothing in writing, so we\u2019ll never really know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Betting on the Reds<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Rose stated he only bet on the Reds to win and only when he was managing the team. I have trouble believing that. Why? Because he repeatedly lied about betting on games. It\u2019s difficult to trust what someone says when you catch them in a lie. Is it possible Rose only bet on the Reds while managing? Yes, I suppose it is possible but personally, I doubt his claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personal life<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many claims about what Rose did off the field. He was never going to win \u201cHusband of the Year\u201d or \u201cFather of the Year\u201d awards. There\u2019s very strong information about a relationship he apparently had with an underage girl many decades ago. As bad as all of that is, and not to make light of some of the allegations, but it has nothing to do with his play on the field. This is strictly about gambling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gambling now<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a common argument in Rose\u2019s defense \u2013 \u201cLook at all the legalized gambling going on now. Anyone can bet on baseball. You can even bet while you\u2019re at the game if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, it\u2019s true, gambling, sports gambling in particular, is legal in a number of states and yes, thanks to modern technology, you can bet on games at the stadium. If I\u2019m not mistaken, some pro sports venues even have kiosks on-site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn\u2019t matter. It\u2019s not a valid argument. It doesn\u2019t apply. Why? Because through it all, MLB players can\u2019t bet on baseball. The rule hasn\u2019t changed, nor should it. It\u2019s still the cardinal rule. It\u2019s posted in every MLB clubhouse. It\u2019s not difficult to understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No guarantee<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lifting of the lifetime ban doesn\u2019t mean Rose is a lock for induction into the Hall of Fame. It means he\u2019s eligible for consideration. The Hall of Fame is a separate entity from Major League Baseball. Basically, the voters can do what they want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a rule enacted in 1991 that prohibits players on MLB\u2019s ineligible list from consideration from the Hall of Fame. It might as well be called the Rose Rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The voters don\u2019t have to let him in. As it stands now, he won\u2019t be eligible for consideration until 2027, for the Class of 2028. He\u2019ll need 12 of 16 votes from the Classic Baseball Committee for election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019ll be interesting to see what happens. He may get in on the first ballot or some of the voters may drag their feet, meaning it could take years. Nothing like this has happened before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-inflicted<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve seen many claims that the ban should have been lifted and Rose should have been inducted while he was alive, so he could enjoy it. Here\u2019s the thing \u2013 he did this to himself. He knowingly and willingly broke the rule and forever tarnished his legacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I grew up in the 1970s. I wanted to be like Pete Rose, collecting hit after hit, sliding\/diving and being called safe? Who didn’t want to be like that? Even though I grew up as a Cleveland Indians fan, I and many other children emulated Pete Rose when playing baseball. Had he not bet on baseball, they wouldn’t have been able to induct him fast enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will he get in?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s the question and here\u2019s the answer, at least in my mind \u2013 yes, he\u2019ll get in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t know if it\u2019ll happen in his first year of eligibility but it\u2019ll most likely happen at some point. Does he deserve it? As MLB\u2019s all time hits leader, yes. But it\u2019s hard to look past gambling on games. Do I think he should have some sort of display in the Hall of Fame? Yes. Full on induction? Personally, I say no, but I\u2019m not a Hall of Fame voter. Either way, I won\u2019t lose any sleep over it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black Sox<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many members of the Chicago Black Sox are now eliglble as well. Shoeless Joe Jackson and George \u201cBuck\u201d Weaver are the two most likely to get in at some point. Records show both had knowledge of the 1919 World Series fix vs. the Cincinnati Reds, but didn\u2019t promptly report it and historical evidence shows they didn\u2019t take part in the fix. Some of the others though \u2013 Eddie Cicotte, Claude \u201cLefty\u201d Williams, Charles \u201cChick\u201d Gandil \u2013 took an active role in the fix. I doubt they\u2019ll be inducted posthumously anytime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steroid guys?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about the steroid guys? Shouldn\u2019t they get in too? Look, that\u2019s a whole separate issue, a whole separate argument. It\u2019s a discussion for a different time although it\u2019s an interesting one. Perhaps we\u2019ll revisit it someday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As always, if you have thoughts or comments, feel free to email me at sports@thevwindependent.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCOTT TRUXELL\/independent sports It was a decision that wasn\u2019t entirely unexpected. Some are applauding it, others are indifferent at best. On Tuesday, Major League League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced he was lifting lifetime bans of 16 now-deceased players, including Pete Rose and many of the infamous Chicago Black Sox players. There had been speculation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-192822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-04 01:09:05","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=192822"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192822\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":192825,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192822\/revisions\/192825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=192822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=192822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=192822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}