Pete Rose, 25 years later

I realize this is one of SportsJournalists.com's third rail issues, but it's worth acknowledging that Sunday (Aug. 24) marks the 25th anniversary of Rose's lifetime ban from baseball. I'm not sure anyone at the time (especially Rose) figured he'd still be banned in 2014.

Here are a couple of reads on the subject, one by ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (who was covering the Reds at the time) and the other from the Atlantic, the writer of which a hard line against the possibility of Rose's reinstatement.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11384095/mlb-pete-rose-walking-contradiction-25-years-ban

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/08/why-pete-rose-still-cant-be-absolved/378866/?single_page=true

Personally, I don't have any problem if Rose gets reinstated to get into the Hall of Fame, but I don't think he should be allowed to work in baseball (and you know some desperate team, probably the Reds, would hire him in some capacity).

I tend to think he'll eventually be reinstated, but only after he dies.

What say you, SportsJournalists.com?

 

I half expect Rose at some point to announce that he's dying to see if he can curry enough favor with baseball to be inducted before he dies.

I could see him getting put back on the ballot and then getting Biggioed and barely miss induction.

 

1. Rose has lied about every other single thing, why would anybody believe him now?

2. Everybody's dying; just some faster than others.

3. Still guilty. Rose never gets in. Ever.

 

The sight of old Pete Rose manning an empty autograph table at Caesars is one of those picture-tells-a thousand-words kinds of images.

 

I've often thought he appeared rather pathetic when he went to Cooperstown during the Hall ceremonies for personal appearances.

 

I wonder how much he makes in a year signing his name.

 

I really don't have any kind of emotional stake in whether or not he gets reinstated or into the Hall.

I do think, however, that it's worth pointing out that gambling in America -- with casinos all over the place -- is quite a bit different today than it was in the days where it was solely operated by mob bookies. Now, don't get me wrong, you still can't allow participants to bet on games they're involved in.

But I can imagine that as the attitude toward gambling continues to soften (not saying that's good or bad, just reality) baseball might come around in a generation or two of different commissioners. We may not be alive to see it, but I can imagine a day where Rose is reinstated because all the evidence points to him having bet on his team winning.

 

Kennedy's book is very good.

 

Great book, even if it resulted in that horrible ESPN movie starring Tom Sizemore with a squirrel on his head.

 

I think even if he's reinstated, it will take the veteran's committee to put him in.