In a last ditch effort
to save his floundering run as commissioner, a run marred by a controversial
strike, a near strike and an all-star game fiasco, Bud Selig is
meeting with Pete Rose to determine if Rose can be re-instated into
baseball, thereby making him eligible for the Hall of Fame.
Rose has been on the ineligible list since 1989, after his gambling
problem first appeared in the national spotlight. In 1989, then
commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti had a report created that investigated
the allegations that Rose bet on baseball while he was a manager
for the Cincinnati Reds. Rose, a notorious gambler who would probably
bet on the brand of the next car driving down the street, personally
signed a document that declared him ineligible from baseball for
the rest of his life. In return the findings of the gambling investigation
would not be released to the public.
The investigation itself was over 200 pages long, detailing numerous
accounts of betting. These accounts are said to have included that
Rose bet on the Cincinnati Reds numerous times while he was still
their manager.
Ask any ballplayer about the signs that are above the locker room
doors in every stadium in America. They read “Absolutely no
gambling.”
Rose selfishly put his addiction above the game, and by doing so,
he put himself above the game.
Baseball purists argue that the Hall of Fame should be based on
individual statistics alone, and I agree with that assessment. However,
Hall of Fame rule 3e states “Any player on baseball’s
ineligible list shall not be eligible for the Hall of Fame.”
This is what makes Rose’s situation so tricky. In order for
him to be in the Hall, Selig would have to reinstate his eligibility,
therefore allowing Rose to be eligible for managerial positions
in baseball again as well. The last thing Selig needs is to taint
the game even further. If we welcome Rose back in, what does that
say to everyone?
It says that it doesn’t matter if someone breaks the gambling
rule as long as he is Hall of Fame worthy. Just because Pete Rose
is well liked and a great player doesn’t mean that baseball
and baseball fans should automatically welcome him with open arms.
Rose knew exactly what he was doing when he made himself ineligible.
He did it because he knew that the 1989 investigation would have
shown his gambling problem. He wouldn’t have signed the document
if he was innocent and had nothing to lose. He signed it in hopes
that baseball would forget about his grievances years later.
Now that baseball is in a rut, Selig is trying to jump at this opportunity
and attempt to boost his waning popularity. Baseball cannot allow
one man to break the rules and get away with it because of exemplary
performance and popularity. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, a
wonderful player who was accused of throwing the World Series so
that he would win a bet, is not in the Hall of Fame. He’s not
in because he gambled and was on baseball’s ineligible list.
Why should Rose get different treatment?
So what exactly should Pete Rose get? I propose an ultimatum, which
was actually suggested by Cal Ripken Jr. Keep Rose on the ineligible
list for the rest of his life, but construct a Pete Rose commemorative
area in Springfield at the Hall of Fame. They could put a small
statue, pictures and lifetime stats up. This satisfies both Rose
lovers and Rose haters because although Rose has his little area
up in the Hall of Fame, he won’t be officially enshrined, remaining
on the ineligible list.
Whether the Hall does that or not, baseball needs to realize that
the integrity of the game and the players who played before Rose
have more of a claim than he does. In addition, although Pete was
such a great player, he was wrong; he broke the rules, and he has
shown no remorse about it. No matter what Selig thinks, Pete Rose
isn’t above the game of baseball.
Even though he’d bet you $100 that he is. |
