Pete Rose

[Jedi Master Carr]

Its hard to believe but he might be reinstated soon.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/1209/1474384.html

I hope he is, he is defintely one of the greatest players ever and I don't think he has done anything worse than Ty Cobb (Cobb is probably the worst person in the hall of fame). Still if they let him they need to let in Shoeless Joe Jackson who didn't do much more than Rose (I still don't think he threw the World Series, I think he just accepted the money and went out and played.) Also he is dead what would it hurt to put him in now.

[CMJ]

Great news...just great. :D

[JMK]

Reinstated on what level? Will he be inducted to the Hall, or allowed a broadcasting job, or allowed to GM or manage a team? I hope all of the above, but I want him to admit to everything he's done wrong.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think he will have to, I don't think they would let him come back if he didn't. Personally I don't care, if they are going to keep people who have no morals out of the Hall than Cobb should be kicked out, he was almost killed somebody, he beat up his wife, was a racist, and beat up a crippled, he was a great role model.

[Marcus Telcontar]

Ummm.... so what was wrong with betting on Baseball?Was he also throwing games as well?

[Jedi Master Carr]

Not that anybody knows off, Baseball just has a problem with it, a lot of it goes back to the Black Sox Scandal, the 1919 Chicago White Sox threw the World Series, the whole thing is complicated though at least two of the players, IMO had nothing to do with (Buck Weaver knew about it, but never accepted a dime, he just didn't want to rat in his friends. Jackson well he is the most argued one of them all, he played great in the series, so most feel he wasn't trying to throw it, but he probably knew what was going on like Weaver). So regarding Rose, I think Baseball just doesn't want anybody betting on baseball, know if that is the case, they should do some history I bet there are players in the Hall who beat on the game.

[Marcus Telcontar]

Well, if he wasnt throwing games, then I dont see why he got hte ban.

[Ishan Shade]

I dunno, I kinda want to see him reinstated because of how great of a player he was. Betting on baseball doesn't deserve banishment.

[Darth23]

Charlie Hustle needs to be in the Hall of Fame.

[JMK]

Gambling is more of a problem that it would seem. If players/managers etc are going to gamble with big bucks, eventually the game will become scripted and be no better than the WWE. Do I think he should have been banned from the game altogether? No way, but I do think he should have been banned as a manager. He certainly does belong in the Hall if scumbags like Cobb are in there.

[Mu Satach]

Originally posted by Marcus Q'Dunn
Well, if he wasnt throwing games, then I dont see why he got hte ban.

From my understanding they view it like insider trading on Wall street. Since he worked within the sport of baseball he *could*( in theory) be privy to information that would give him an advantage.

It was a big flippin deal when he initially was banned.

[Taylor Millard]

*sigh*

I'm so torn about this issue. Does Rose, for his accomplishments, deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? Yes, he does. He was one of the greats out there.

But breaking the law, especially if he actually did bet on baseball is not right- specifically if it was against or for his own team. If he did it only on football or NASCAR then I wouldn't care.

Let me ask you guys this question. What player (from any sport) do you think deserves to be in the Hall of Fame but isn't because of difficulties with the law.

My choices: 'Bullet' Bob Hayes and Pete Rose (IF he actually didn't bet)

[Jedi Master Carr]

True but there are convicted fellons in the Hall of fame Baseball and football (and several who weren't convicted ;)) so I think Rose is no worse than them, I think him and Jackson should go in together that would be a neat thing.

[JonathanLB]

I know this is totally unrelated, but it made me think of how funny it is to see O.J. Simpson in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

That's a great film, a classic parody, and seeing O.J. there, after the "trial of the century," as they called it, was rather hilarious.

I think Rose should be allowed back...

[Figrin D'an]

Rose should be allowed on the ballot for the Hall of Fame, simply because there is a double standard if he is not. Whether or not he bet on baseball games is irrelevent... Ty Cobb was a racist and a dirty player, Mickey Mantle was a drunkard, countless others cheated on their wives while on the road... if the morality of a player has never been an issue for entry before, it should not be an issue now.

Rose continues to get standing ovations and cheers from fans wherever he makes an apperance. The fans want him in Cooperstown. To not have him there is to deny a piece of the history of the league.

[BUFFJEDI]

I'm No baseball fan nor Pete Rose fan, But I think he got shafted. Look as many of you have said there are countless other players in the hall of fame who are wife beaters, drug users, racist(agianst white and black). how do you throw a man out of Baseball when he is only Suspected of beting, and not agianst his own team. Sound like the comish at the time had a hard on for Pete.

[Jedieb]

I loved watching Pete Rose play when I was a kid. He was one of my Dad's favorite players and a member of one of the best teams ever, the 75 Reds. He should be in the HOF, but he has no one to blame for his banishment but himself. There's NO doubt as to whether or not Rose bet on baseball. There's literally hundreds of pages of evidence that proves he bet. The "agreement" that Rose signed that banned him from baseball that Rose likes to tout as proof of his not betting is an empty one. The evidence is there.

There are plenty of immoral shells in both the NFL and MLB hall of fames. But their behavior OUTSIDE the lines shouldn't have any bearing on whether or not they are eligible to be inducted in their sport's HOF. Gambling however is different. It directly impacts the legitimacy of what happens on the field. Gambling puts players AND managers in the precarious position where their gambling can impact the outcome of games. I have little doubt that Pete Rose ever bet against his team or did anything to throw a game. That's irrelevant though, the point is he bet on baseball when he knew he shouldn't have. Every MLB clubhouse has a sign that says "No betting." It's drilled into players from day 1. Rose knew he wasn't suppose to bet on the game, but addictions can overcome even the greatest of men.

I really hope that Rose and Selig work something out. Nothing will get done however without Rose admitting and apologizing for what he did. He's going to have to cop to it. I think the best solution for both sides would be an apology with a blanket statement that he bet on baseball and that's that. going into the details is unnecessary. We don't need to know dates and games. Let it rest. Then Rose can be reinstated and in a couple of years some desperate loser will probably give him a chance to make a living in the Major Leagues again. Rose has a better than even chance of getting elected on the first ballot to the Hall. But there are many voters who will not vote for him because of his gambling and his subsequent lying. He'll get in, but it'll never be close to unanimous.

[Jedieb]

It looks like Rose's gambling problems may have been even worse than I thought:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/1212/1475769.html

I don't know about the accuracy of Dowd's current statements about the Reds, Bob Boone, and Rose, but his 1989 report pretty much nailed Rose. From what I've heard, the report has everything from betting slips to tesptimony showing Rose gambling on baseball. Again, he's going to have to admit to SOMETHING before they reinstate him.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I saw that still, I think Rose wasn't as bad as Ty Cobb, the man was probably the worst player who ever played any sport, he beat up a helpless cripple, that was just plain horrible, players on his own team hated him, the man was the worst human being who ever played the game, and I wouldn't be shocked if he beat on baseball. Babe Ruth, is another example there has been accusations through the years that he associated with members of organized crime (Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, etc), of course most of that was probably by drinking at their local establishments. Still, I am sure there are other players who are in the Hall of Fame who did no worse than what Rose did, though I guess there is no way to prove it now. Still, I bet that Rose will go on the air probably after Christmas and cry and say how sorry he is and they will reinstate him. Not saying he will be sincere, but he knows what he has to do to get back in. The next question is, if Rose gets in, will Baseball, reinstate Jackson? People are going to say it, heck a poll on ESPN, 80% said if Rose got in Jackson should as well. Personally I think he should, but that is becuase I don't think Jackson was really involved in the scandal that much I think he knew about it but did the same thing that Buck Weaver did, did nothing, which I understand, it would be hard to rat on your team mates, but him doing nothing shouldn't keep him out of the hall of fame.

[Jedieb]

I think Shoeless Joe should be reinstated as well. From what I recall, he had a monster series and hit over .400. I think his loyalty to his teammates ended up costing him dearly. Cobb really was a dirtbag. The Tommy Lee Jones movie was great. I think they had a scene of Cobb placing bets before an at bat against a pitcher played by Roger Clemens. So there are rumors to suggest that Cobb gambled on the side.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I forgot about that, but it wouldn't surprise me. Actually from what I read that Cobb movie protrayed him sympatically, he was worse in real life. I heard one story where he killed a black man on the street, he said the guy was trying to mug him (I think this happened in GA, so of course they believed him) there are still people that wonder about that because we know he was a vivid racist. Oh well, hopefull Rose will be smart and get on TV and cry a little and they will reinstate him and he will get into the hall next year. As far as Jackson, I think the argument would get better if Rose gets put into the Hall. I personally don't think he threw it, he was just too loyal, him and Weaver.