Pete Rose died on Monday at 83, leaving behind a difficult legacy. It’s simple: the all-time great of baseball should be honored with a Cooperstown induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Rose passed away at his Las Vegas residence, according to TMZ, which also mentioned that Rose’s agent, Ryan Fiterman, stated, “The family is asking for privacy at this time.”
Pete Rose, the 1973 NL MVP, holds the record for the most hits in baseball history with 4,256 and finished his career with a .303 batting average over 24 seasons and 3,562 games—also a record in MLB.
He played until he was 45, serving as a player-manager during his final two full seasons before becoming the Reds’ full-time manager.
https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1840890606580572665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1840890606580572665%7Ctwgr%5Eb9533800fb8e6bdb4b2df89e11984c9f10326dd1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yardbarker.com%2Fmlb%2Farticles%2Fmlb_should_reconsider_pete_rose_stance_following_his_death%2Fs1_13132_40980731
On August 23, 1989, Rose was banned from MLB after an investigation revealed he had bet on baseball games, including those of the Reds. He admitted to the betting in his 2004 autobiography, “My Prison Without Bars.”
Given the rise of sports betting and MLB’s partnership with FanDuel, the league’s ongoing stance against Rose seems increasingly hypocritical.
After the steroid era, the act of betting—without fixing games—seems even less harmful.
Rose won three World Series and was a 17-time All-Star in addition to holding the hits record. However, the betting scandal has cast a long shadow over his career, leaving a significant gap in Cooperstown.
Baseball’s history cannot be fully understood without acknowledging Rose’s complicated legacy, which has been relevant long before his passing.
It’s time for MLB to reconsider Rose’s ban and allow him to reclaim his place in the annals of baseball history.
Be the first to comment