MLB Reinstates Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson Posthumously, Opening Door to Hall of Fame Consideration
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has sparked a firestorm of debate by removing Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and other deceased players from the league’s list of those permanently ineligible. This groundbreaking decision, announced Tuesday, immediately makes Rose, MLB’s all-time hits leader, and Jackson, along with others previously banished, eligible for potential election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The legacies of Rose and Jackson are indelibly marked by controversy. Rose’s career was derailed by his gambling activities, while Jackson’s is forever intertwined with the infamous "Black Sox" scandal. Despite their undeniable talent on the field, their alleged transgressions led to their ostracization from the sport.
MLB’s investigation into Rose revealed that he gambled on Cincinnati Reds games during his time as both a player and manager. Rose vehemently denied betting against his own team, but the findings were damning enough to warrant a lifetime ban. He maintained his denial until 2004, when he finally admitted to betting on baseball in order to promote a book. Rose repeatedly sought reinstatement to the league but remained unwelcome until his death in September 2024. Just ten days before his passing, Rose expressed his belief that he wouldn’t be inducted into the Hall of Fame until after he died, if ever.
The news of Rose’s reinstatement has sent shockwaves through the baseball community, igniting a fervent campaign among fans advocating for his induction into the Hall of Fame.
The debate surrounding Rose’s eligibility for the Hall of Fame has been a recurring theme among baseball fans for years. Former MLB pitcher John Rocker expressed his strong support, stating, "PETE ROSE DESERVED TO SEE HIS NAME IN THE HALL OF FAME."
However, not everyone shares this sentiment. Veteran sports host Chris Rose offered a contrasting perspective in a reaction video posted on social media. "Pete Rose didn’t give Pete Rose a shot to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame," Chris Rose argued. "We’re always looking to point the finger at somebody else as to why we can’t do this or we weren’t given that shot. My guess is that Pete Rose would’ve had ample opportunity to do this if he would’ve looked himself in the mirror and said, ‘You have to clean up your act,’ which he never did."
Chris Rose further emphasized that for 15 years after Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti banned him, Pete Rose never admitted to betting on baseball, only confessing when it could generate profit through a book deal.
Commissioner Manfred addressed his decision in a letter to attorney Jeffrey M. Lenkov, explaining the rationale behind the reinstatement. "Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game," Manfred wrote in the letter obtained by ESPN. "Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve. Therefore, I have concluded that permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual, and Mr. Rose will be removed from the permanently ineligible list."
Former President Donald Trump, who met with Manfred last month, revealed that he would pardon Rose in March. Rose had previously served five months in prison in 1990 on tax evasion charges. In 2017, Rose faced accusations of statutory rape related to an alleged encounter decades prior.
Trump expressed his disappointment with Major League Baseball’s handling of Rose’s Hall of Fame prospects in a social media post. "Major League Baseball didn’t have the courage or decency to put the late, great, Pete Rose, also known as ‘Charlie Hustle,’ into the Baseball Hall of fame. Now he is dead, will never experience the thrill of being selected, even though he was a FAR BETTER PLAYER than most of those who made it, and can only be named posthumously. WHAT A SHAME!"
While Rose’s chances of induction into the Hall of Fame appear promising, Jackson’s path remains significantly more challenging. He is widely believed to have participated in the 1919 Black Sox scandal, which resulted in the banning of seven other players for conspiring to fix the World Series that year. The taint of that scandal continues to cast a long shadow over Jackson’s legacy.
As a consequence of Manfred’s decision, a total of 17 deceased players have been removed from MLB’s permanently ineligible list. This move marks a significant shift in the league’s approach to handling past transgressions and opens a new chapter in the ongoing debate about the Hall of Fame eligibility of players whose careers were marred by controversy. The upcoming Hall of Fame elections promise to be among the most closely watched and hotly contested in recent memory, as baseball fans grapple with the complex ethical and historical considerations surrounding these iconic figures.
