NFT: Pete Rose has passed away.

[uconnjack8]

He should have been in the Hall during his lifetime. It's my understanding that he bet ON HIS TEAM TO WIN. His job as Manager is to do all he can to win, so where was the harm. Considering the proliferation of sports betting today he should have been put in the Hall once sports betting became prevalent.

He certainly claimed his bets were on his team to win, but how would we ever really know? 

The potential harm is fans thinking the sport is fixed and loss of a huge amounts of revenue.  Whether there was impropriety or not, does not really matter with these issues.  Its the potential implications for the entire sport.  If you owned a multi-billion dollar business would you risk the entire thing on one person doing what they knew they were not allowed to do? 

[uconnjack8]

Sure but I only wage alcoholic beverages.   

It's a bet.  Next time I'm in Boston someone can payout at Bukowskis.

[kartanoman]

He certainly claimed his bets were on his team to win, but how would we ever really know? 

The potential harm is fans thinking the sport is fixed and loss of a huge amounts of revenue.  Whether there was impropriety or not, does not really matter with these issues.  Its the potential implications for the entire sport.  If you owned a multi-billion dollar business would you risk the entire thing on one person doing what they knew they were not allowed to do? 

I believe you have stated very clearly why sports betting and being directly affiliated with a sports team on the betting ticket is an explicit hard NO-GO.

Pete Rose, in addition to crossing that line, also had a gambling addiction, a type of mental illness, that he struggled with. Addiction illnesses, such as gambling, pornography or, even worse, substance abuse, are often misunderstood in that someone, who perhaps never experienced such an overwhelming grasp of one's self control, cannot understand what is going on inside of the person with the addition. In this case, it is a chronic behavioral condition which is treated as a mental illness.

But the funny thing is that the MLB chose to make an example out of Pete Rose instead of make an effort to help him. So, why hasn't the attention been focused on that angle as well?

Perhaps this article I found might attempt to try and answer that question:

Gambling Is an Addiction. So Why Was Pete Rose an Outcast.

BTW, I absolutely loved Pete Rose's game and the intensity he brought to every play he was involved in. As a kid, I especially loved the Mel Allen "This Week in Baseball" highlights where the closing credits had Pete head-first diving into home plate to score a run. That made such an impression on me that I replicated it when I played for my Catholic Grammar School League in Elizabeth, NJ back in the day. Not sure it was anywhere as graceful as Pete's, but I did score a run and tore my forearms up in the process!

RIP Pete! Another piece of my childhood now takes his rightful place on the other side where we'll all be headed eventually. We have each other to console and remember those good old "Salad Days" (NOTE: I love using that term and think of DomT every time I use it).

Peace!

[DaveBrown74]

It's a matter of opinion of course, but I feel very strongly that Rose should be in.

Rose bet on his team. Should he have done it? No. Should he have received a punishment? Yes. Should it have been a potentially strong punishment? Perhaps.. not for me to decide.

Lifetime ban for gambling on your own team though? That is way too harsh.

Is what Rose did worse than cheating? I personally don't think so myself. I think cheating is way worse than betting on your own team.

If you agree that cheating is worse than betting on your own team, but you don't want Rose in, then you must be against Belichick and really even Brady being in the NFL Hall of Fame.

Will either of those two be denied? Of course not.

I understand the points about how gambling compromise the integrity of the sport and puts the whole product in jeopardy so they have to be very hard on it, etc. I get all that, and that's fair enough. But Rose's transgressions were from decades ago. The sport has lived on. His punishment has been plenty severe. He went to his grave never being given the honor. Is that really not enough?

I think people looking at him holistically need to get over his mistakes and look at his contributions to the game. The guy was a truly remarkable player and embodied so much of what is now missing in pro sports.

Get over it. Put him in.

[Giantleap56]

I grew up a Phillies fan as I was a big Mike Schmidt fan. I went to my first Baseball game I remember Mets vs Phillies at the old Shae Stadium. I remember watching Pete Rose play first base and his at bats. How he ran hard never took a break he was all hustle.

He provided a lot of childhood memories. He should be in the Hall of Fame. There is no doubt in my mind. One thing people should remember is to forgive and forget. We should remember Pete Rose for his performance on the diamond. There weren't to many who put forth the effort and dedication to his craft. If Pete Rose bet, I know he bet on himself to win.

[kartanoman]

I grew up a Phillies fan as I was a big Mike Schmidt fan. I went to my first Baseball game I remember Mets vs Phillies at the old Shae Stadium. I remember watching Pete Rose play first base and his at bats. How he ran hard never took a break he was all hustle.

He provided a lot of childhood memories. He should be in the Hall of Fame. There is no doubt in my mind. One thing people should remember is to forgive and forget. We should remember Pete Rose for his performance on the diamond. There weren't to many who put forth the effort and dedication to his craft. If Pete Rose bet, I know he bet on himself to win.

This is a fantastic input and thank you for sharing it!

I wanted to add, to put in proper context, that I loved watching the man play, but I was a one-eyed Yankee fan growing up during the "Bronx is Burning" era in their three consecutive World Series appearances. That Big Red machine was on full display with Rose, George Foster and the great Johnny Bench, who took the MVP of the series in 76. Just an amazing dynasty which Pete contributed to in his time with the Reds.

The memories!

Peace!

[babywhales]

Rose is never getting into the HOF and his death will not change that. Book it.

I agree

Shoeless Joe still isn't in
Rose isn't getting in 

[AZGiantFan]

One last thought.  He's dead so shouldn't the lifetime ban expire when he did?

[TDToomer]

One last thought.  He's dead so shouldn't the lifetime ban expire when he did?

No it doesn't work that way.

[uconnjack8]

It's fine if people want to remember Rose however they want,  it's their prerogative.  Fond childhood memories of baseball and it's on the field heroes were a part of life for many of us.

The idea that Rose is owed some kind of forgiveness or that MLB should have done more for his rehabilitation is poppycock.  MLB offered reinstatement and he wouldn't agree to their terms. 

I was always taught to play as hard as Pete Rose in little league.  I was also taught that when I made a mistake I had to truly try to mend my ways.  He never did that and my sympathy for the man is minimal.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/41539984/mlb-pete-rose-dies-83-legacy-hall-fame-life-ban