Pete Rose, 25 years later

There's not much love lost for Rose among the veterans (even his contemporaries). There is ONE MLB rule which is spelled out in huge black block letters on the wall of every clubhouse. They followed it; he didn't.


Rose gets 10 times as much money and notoriety being out of the HOF than he would being in. Just to grab one wild example out of the air, how often do you read or see stories on Frank Robinson, a teammate for part of Rose's career, whose career roughly overlapped Rose's, who was easily 1,000 times as good and as valuable a player as Rose was, compared to the constant, steady-but-low drumbeat of stories we get every year on Rose ('Pete still not in,' 'After 25 years, Pete still waits,' "Will new commissioner reverse ban on Rose?,' etc etc etc blah blah yadda yadda)?

 

He sullied the purity of a beautiful game.

 

That's one bad haircut, Steak.

 

Nobody wants a lesson in morality anymore from sports writers.

 

What's sad is that every story you see on Rose and gambling is wrapped around highlights of his playing days, and there was no player as pure as him. You really start to appreciate the whole Charlie Hustle thing.

And that's what's sad: Pete Rose the baseball player -- one of the greatest -- forever stained by Pete Rose the addict.

You want to be able to find a way -- any way -- to celebrate the Hall of Fame player. Ain't happening though.

 

However, if Rose was reinstated, he could draw a sizable salary as a special assistant to the GM or a roving hitting instructor or whatever.

And while Frank Robinson is widely respected for his legacy as a pioneer, he's generally regarded as an asshole, isn't he?

 

Probably a good chunk of change. The question is, is it worth it to look like a little kid not allowed to sit at the grown-up table?

 

I have seen him on a few separate occasions in Las Vegas.
People passing him by on their way to Hermes or Bauman's Rare Books.
It was like watching a guy fishing who was getting no strikes.

 

Robinson is considered fairly pricklish, but not in the top echelon of assholes. He was hired as manager in four different organizations -- if he was a completely objectionable asshole that wouldn't happen, or else two or three of those jobs would have been 50-games-and-out midseason-firing deals.

Anyway being in the HOF is not about being a "nice guy."

 

Rose ain't exactly Prince Charming, either.

 

Not trying to be a dick, but why do you say that? Maybe I'm recalling it a little bit differently but my recollection is that "lifetime" meant exactly that back when he was banned. I don't recall much being said about the possibility of the ban being lifted lifted at a later date.

 

If Manfred wants to curry favor with a commissioner "pardon" he should give it to Shoeless Joe Jackson.