The argument is always that Pete Rose betting on baseball is the "ultimate" form of sin in baseball and Pete should be kept out of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame because of it. Although betting on baseball while a player or manager is frowned upon and Rose was handed the severest of punishments, this is by no means reason enough to keep Charlie Hustle out of Cooperstown. His numbers do not lie and are more than worthy of a Hall of Fame induction, not to mention that his betting in no way changed the game of baseball. There are several reasons why Pete's punishment is unfair and Rose should be in the Hall.

Number 1. Baseball is a game of numbers and is the sport where numbers matter the most when a player is up for election into the Hall of Fame. How many players that have over 4000 hits, over 1000 RBIs, and a lifetime batting average of over .300 are kept out of the Hall of Fame? Not to mention Mr. Rose was a 17 time All-Star, was the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1973, and was a main component in one of the greatest baseball teams of all time, the 1975 Cincinnati Reds. These numbers speak for themselves and are more than worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.

Number 2. Do people honestly think that this is the worst "crime" ever committed by a ballplayer? What Rose did had no effect on the outcome of ballgames and men who have ADMITTED to cheating by throwing spitballs and other illegal pitches have their pictures hanging inside the Hall. If we keep Pete Rose out of the Hall of Fame, what does that say for guys like Jose Canseco, who has admitted steroid use, Mark McGwire, who all but admitted steroid use in his famous Grand Jury testimony, Rafael Palmero, who has tested positive for steroids, and Sammy Sosa who has been caught with a corked bat? Many people have no problem with putting guys like this in the Hall of Fame, say for McGwire who was snubbed on last year's ballot, but will most likely be forgiven for his testimony and remembered more for his 65 home runs in 1999. All of them have done things that are far worse than what Rose did and their actions change the game of baseball and can be considered cheating! Do we pull Babe Ruth out of the Hall of Fame because he was an overweight drunk or think any less of Darryl Strawberry's numbers because of his drug use? No. We hold double standards due to the popularity of Rose's denial and then his admittance of guilt. Why do we forgive some, but hold long grudges against others in a game that has been tainted with controversy from its beginning?

And last but not least, what does holding a guy out of the Hall of Fame really do for Major League Baseball? Rose is more famous for NOT being in the Hall than he would be if they would have allowed him to be voted in. All baseball is doing is making Rose famous, giving us baseball fans something to debate, and allow Rose to make money off of books and merchandise that he probably wouldn't have had the opportunity to make if not for the big deal being made out of his infamous betting. If you really want to punish Rose, put him in the Hall and let's see how much we are talking about him in 20 to 30 years. Would be still be talking about Shoeless Joe Jackson if we would've let him play ball again? I don't think so.

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