Two Ohio lawmakers, Reps. Bill Seitz and Tom Young, are pushing for Pete Rose to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rose, MLB’s all-time hit king, has been banned from the league for gambling on baseball during his playing and managerial career, a ban that the Hall of Fame has honored. The lawmakers are co-sponsoring a resolution that asks MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to lift the ban on Rose, which would make him eligible for Hall of Fame consideration. Although resolutions have no legal force, the lawmakers believe Rose deserves to see his potential plaque in Cooperstown while he is still alive.
Despite being 83 years old, the popular belief is that the Hall of Fame will lift the ban on Rose after he dies. In November 2022, Rose wrote a letter to Manfred asking for forgiveness and expressing his dream of being considered for the Hall of Fame. Rose had previously applied for reinstatement four times but was denied. Manfred has stated that Rose violated baseball’s rules and the consequences are clear, referring to Rose’s placement on the permanently ineligible list by Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti in 1989. Rose admitted to betting on baseball and Reds games in 2004 after years of denying the claims.
Rose’s hope for reinstatement has been hindered by his continued gambling on baseball, confessing that he still places bets on games. Despite his ban, Rose has made several appearances at MLB stadiums over the years, including ceremonies for the All-Century Team in 1999, the 25th anniversary of becoming the Hit King in 2010, and festivities for the 2015 All Star Game in Cincinnati. In August 2022, he celebrated the 1980 Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, where he went to honor the team’s World Series win. Rose is a 17-time All Star with a .303 career batting average and three World Series championships. His 4,256 career hits remain an all-time record.
While advocating for Rose’s induction into the Hall of Fame, Representative Seitz emphasized Rose’s unparalleled talent in the game. He believes that it is hypocritical for MLB to continue to leave Rose banned from the game while having ties to gambling sites. The lawmakers are calling for a reconsideration of Rose’s ban, with the hope that he will be able to see his Hall of Fame plaque in Cooperstown while he is still alive. Despite the challenges Rose faces with his gambling history and ban from baseball, there is a growing push for his reinstatement and recognition for his contributions to the sport.
