Is Pete Rose deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame? Why not, and why not?
Rose clearly satisfies the requirements for being put on a plaque based solely on the merits of his excellent, lengthy playing career.
However, Rose regularly broke Rule 21 on his own, which resulted in his permanent (not lifetime; anyone who believes that things will change after he passes away is insane) ban from Major League Baseball.
Following suit, the Hall of Fame will not consider him a candidate—not a very strong policy, but it’s what the Hall implemented for itself. The subtle, underlying message is that Rose is not wanted by the Hall.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter what the Hall does. It’s merely a museum, albeit a very prestigious one. However, Rose shouldn’t be accepted back into MLB’s good graces until he EARNS it. Rose seems to believe that chance should just be given to him, as do his hordes of supporters and helpers. Even though they are all mistaken, this is what they do.
Do I believe Rose belongs now? No. And Pete Rose alone is accountable for the way things are right now.
Pete Rose has stated that he has never wagered against the Reds, so why should he be excluded from the Hall of Fame?
Did you know that Pete Rose is featured heavily throughout Cooperstown’s Hall of Fame?
Along with other relics from historical events, his bat and jersey from his hit off of Eric Show that broke Ty Cobb’s record are displayed beautifully (at least they were when I visited).
Yes, he is present.
And each year, he stands outside selling autographs from real Hall of Famers.
Both Barry Bonds’ and Roger Clemens’ stuff is included.
The room containing all of the plaques is the only area in the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum that is devoid of roses.
I believe he is content with the setup.
He is a part of the story every year. He would vanish if he got inducted into the Hall of Fame.
This year, how many pieces about Johnny Bench, Don Sutton, and Robin Yount will there be?
What about Bob Gibson, Tony Perez, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, etc.?
The COMBINED number is probably far lower than the Pete Rose numbers.
So, Pete is in the Hall of Fame’s Museum section. A plaque reading, “most hits in history, integral part of the Big Red Machine, disgraces our sport by violating the Prime Directive” is all that’s missing from him. and May may have engaged in some extremely significant additional activities that are unfit for a plaque.
