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| Yes | 72% | 147 votes | Total: 204 votes | |
| No | 28% | 57 votes |
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Add to FavoritesThe saga of Pete Rose, the legendary former baseball player, is the classic story of a popular superstar falling from grace with a deafening thud. "Charlie Hustle," as Rose was known, was a perennial All-Star, who became the all-time hits leader in Major League Baseball (MLB) over career lasting nearly two decades. He was also well known for how hard he played the game. He never took a play off and, quite often, was considered the gold standard for how younger players should model their game and work ethic.
However, for all of his successes on the field, Rose possessed a dark side. He fell victim to a serious gambling addiction that consumed him. His problem spiraled out of control and it was eventually proved he, as manager of the Cincinnati Reds, bet on baseball, which was strictly prohibited by MLB rules. Unconfirmed reports even suggested Rose bet on games involving the Reds while the team's skipper. Complicating matters further with the powers that be in MLB and the court of public opinion was that, despite the presence of significant evidence proving he bet on baseball, Rose denied that he committed such actions and often lied about it. Only in the last several years has he finally admitted to betting on baseball. As a result of these rules violations, Rose agreed to lifetime banishment from the sport in 1989. The discussion of whether or not he should be re-instated has been hotly debated on the sports radio airwaves for years. If it were up to be, I'd say yes for several reasons.
Rose has paid his debt to the sport. It has been 20 years since the ex-star was banished from the game. It is understandable those in charge of MLB hold a certain level of resentment towards Rose. It cannot be argued that he violated rules governing the sport, tarnished the integrity of the game and committed actions bordering on the criminal. That said, perhaps it is time let bygones be bygones. Let's fact it, there are many violent criminals who serve sentences far less than Rose's excommunication has lasted.
Since Rose's exit, the issue of steroids and cheating in MLB has become a much larger and pronounced black eye for the sport. If baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and his lieutenants continue to look at Rose with a jaundiced eye, they are being extremely hypocritical. Need I remind them they presided over the sport when the use of performance enhancing drugs exploded amongst its players. Not only did the baseball administration know about it, they turned the other way. Why? The use of steroids allowed the league's on-field participants to hit farther, run faster and throw harder. The end result was inflated statistics that raised public interest, brought more fans into the fold and made the league millions, if not billions of dollars.
To me, in the arena of sports, the biggest crime is cheating. These days, players cheat all the time. The league has finally admitted the problem is real, but is still only willing to slap guilty parties on the wrist. If MLB can forgive cheating, they can forgive Rose.
Celebrities, particularly athletes seem to get second chances after committing acts far more heinous than Rose. Our society is a very forgiving one. If an individual has any kind of notoriety, he or she can be granted atonement for just about anything. Athletes like Michael Vick and Pacman Jones, whose negligence directly resulted in the deaths of animals and human beings get additional opportunities. If they get second chances, why shouldn't Rose?
Will MLB ever re-instate Pete Rose? This question continues to be a controversial topic. While Rose's actions were wrong, I think he deserves another shot. If he were to squander a second chance, than he should definitely be banished for good. However, he was a great player who still can add value to the sport in a number of different capacities. The ball, proverbially speaking, is in MLB's court.
Learn more about this author, Matthew Emma.
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No
During Pete Rose's career as a baseball player, he set a Major League record for most career hits with 4.256; a record likely to stand for years to come. Rose spent the majority of his playing career with the Cincinnati Reds at the height of The Big Red Machine's dominance and, with his teammates, enjoyed two World Series victories. Rose also experienced a World Series victory as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980 and his career ended with a short stint playing for the now defunct Montreal Expos and took a final bow during a two year return to his beloved Reds.
Rose's career statistics are stellar and cannot be denied and include being voted to seventeen All-Star Games. midst a plethora of other awards including a Golden Glove, a World Series MVP Award among his stellar career as an active player. Statistics and honors awarded in any league cannot be denied and Rose's amazing career cannot be denied. Loved for his passionate approach to the game, Rose also was famed for his head first diving slides. A player with the type of career outlined above is usually a no brainer, first ballot addition to the Baseball Hall of Fame but this has not been the case with Rose.
After a stint managing the Reds in the mid to late 80's, Pete Rose's retirement from baseball was complete and the rumor mill began churning with allegations of betting on baseball games. Fans did not want to believe a hero such as Rose could be guilty of anything other than virtually ending catcher Ray Fosse's career during an early 70's All Star Game. in which the head first slide into home severely injured Fosse.
Ultimately, Rose admitted to betting on baseball games, though indicating such bets were never on games he managed. Bart Giamotti, the MLB's then Commissioner reviewed the investigation and found Rose had voted on games played by the Reds during the period in which he managed the team. The punishment Giamotti provided Rose banned him from Major League Basball, MLB Stadiums and virtually erased Rose from the record book with an order that he never would be voted into the Hall of Fame.
On August 24, 1989, Rose voluntarily accepted a permanent place on baseball's ineligible list. Rose accepted that there was a factual reason for the ban; in return, Major League Baseball agreed to make no formal finding with regard to the gambling allegations. and Rose began therapy with a psychiatrist for treatment of a gambling addiction.
In recent years, Rose wrote a book and subjected himself to a series of interviews in which he expressed contrition for his behavior and sought reinstatement to the Major Leagues. The book and interviews seemingly set the stage for Baseball Commissioner, Bud Selig and Selig seemed to be open to Rose's reinstatement yet never took action to initiate same.
Despite a stellar playing career, Rose threw all of his credibility as a member of the baseball community away with his addiction to gambling; moreover his betting on the game of baseball which he claimed to love. In a period during which utilization of steroids has placed baseball on the proverbial hot seat, reinstating Rose would only further serve to negatively impact baseball's public relations efforts. Rose simply cannot ever be reinstated because he sullied baseball and may well do so again.
Learn more about this author, Melody Bish.
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