Pete Rose Posthumously Removed from MLB’s Ineligible List, Hall of Fame Door Opens
In a stunning reversal of fortune that ends one of baseball’s most enduring controversies, Pete Rose, the record-setting hitter whose gambling transgressions resulted in a lifetime ban, has been posthumously removed from Major League Baseball’s permanently ineligible list. Commissioner Rob Manfred’s decision marks a significant shift in the league’s long-standing stance and could finally pave the way for Rose’s enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Manfred’s sweeping ruling, issued May 13, stipulates that permanent ineligibility concludes upon the death of the disciplined individual, effectively restoring the eligibility of Rose and 16 other players who were previously barred from the game for life. “A person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game,” Manfred wrote in a letter to Rose’s attorney, Jeffrey M. Lenkov. “Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve.”
Rose, who died on September 30 at the age of 83, passed away with his dream of Hall of Fame induction unfulfilled. Despite amassing an unparalleled 4,256 career hits, a record that remains unbroken, and making 17 All-Star appearances, Rose’s chances of entering Cooperstown were shattered in 1989 when Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti imposed a lifetime ban as part of an agreement with Rose.
The ban stemmed from allegations that Rose had gambled on baseball games, including those involving the Cincinnati Reds, the team he managed at the time. While Rose initially denied the allegations, he later admitted in a 2004 memoir to betting on baseball, although he maintained that he never bet against his own team as a manager. A notebook that surfaced in 2015, however, cast doubt on Rose’s claim that he didn’t bet on baseball as a player.
The situation escalated after special counsel John Dowd’s report provided substantial evidence that Rose had, in fact, wagered on games involving the Reds while serving as their manager. Despite numerous appeals for reinstatement from Rose and his legal team to subsequent commissioners – Fay Vincent, Bud Selig, and Manfred – the ban remained firmly in place.
Manfred’s action reinstates players like "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, known for his alleged role in the 1919 "Black Sox" scandal, which served as the catalyst for MLB’s strict prohibition against betting on baseball.
President Donald Trump had also weighed in on the matter, advocating for Rose’s reinstatement and Hall of Fame eligibility on social media. Two months before Manfred’s decision, Trump publicly expressed his support for a full pardon for Rose. Furthermore, Manfred met with Rose’s representatives in January and Trump at the White House in April, where they “discuss issues pertaining to baseball.”
The Hall of Fame has historically deferred eligibility decisions to MLB, leaving Rose in a state of limbo despite significant public support for his induction. Now, with Rose removed from the permanently ineligible list, the Hall of Fame appears prepared to consider his candidacy.
“The National Baseball Hall of Fame has always maintained that anyone removed from Baseball’s permanently ineligible list will become eligible for Hall of Fame consideration,” the museum stated shortly after MLB’s announcement. “Major League Baseball’s decision to remove deceased individuals from the permanently ineligible list will allow for the Hall of Fame candidacy of such individuals to now be considered. The Historical Overview Committee will develop the ballot of eight names for the Classic Baseball Era Committee – which evaluates candidates who made their greatest impact on the game prior to 1980 – to vote on when it meets next in December 2027.”
The shift in MLB’s stance on Rose’s eligibility comes amidst a broader evolution in the league’s relationship with sports gambling. The legalization of sports betting by the Supreme Court in 2018 has forced MLB to embrace the gambling industry, leading to partnerships and revenue streams that were previously unthinkable.
The decision to reinstate Rose has been met with mixed reactions. Supporters argue that his on-field achievements warrant Hall of Fame consideration, regardless of his off-field transgressions. Others maintain that his violation of baseball’s cardinal rule against gambling should forever disqualify him from enshrinement.
Many feel that the inconsistencies in applying morality clauses in the past has been egregious. Dozens of honorees have been found to be imperfect exemplars of character. This fact only served to add fuel to Rose’s supporters argument.
Manfred’s action ends nearly four decades of limbo for one of the game’s most complex and controversial figures. It marks a remarkable deviation from the league’s longstanding adherence to Rule 1, the gambling ban, which Manfred himself had previously deemed almost sacred. The decision undoubtedly opens a new chapter in the ongoing debate about Pete Rose’s legacy and his rightful place in baseball history. Rose will become eligible for Hall of Fame consideration and fans must wait to see if his case will be heard and potentially lead to his induction.
