When baseball great Pete Rose died in 2024, the calls immediately went out for Major League Baseball (MLB) to reverse its lifetime ban of Rose, related to his gambling, and make Charlie Hustle eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Now, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has removed Pete Rose, 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson, and others from the 'permanently ineligible list.'
Breaking: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred removed Pete Rose, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and other deceased players from Major League Baseball’s permanently ineligible list.
— ESPN (@espn) May 13, 2025
Manfred ruled that MLB’s punishment of banned individuals ends upon their deaths. They are now presumably… pic.twitter.com/YkIZ34jMUu
In a historic, sweeping decision, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday removed Pete Rose, 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson and other deceased players from Major League Baseball's permanently ineligible list.
The all-time hit king and Jackson -- both longtime baseball pariahs stained by gambling, seen by MLB as the game's mortal sin -- are now eligible for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
Manfred ruled that MLB's punishment of banned individuals ends upon their deaths.
'Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game,' Manfred wrote in a letter to attorney Jeffrey M. Lenkov, who petitioned for Rose's removal from the list Jan. 8. 'Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve.'
The 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees will be welcomed at Cooperstown July 25-28.
Baseball fans were unimpressed with Manfred's gesture.
Too little too late
— Erica Kaiser (@EricaKaiser_) May 13, 2025
Yeah.
And while Rose admitted to gambling, although he denied ever betting on his teams, the case against Jackson was much weaker.
Wow, yet another meaningless move in Professional Baseball
— ThermosMargarine 🇺🇸 (@ThermosMargara) May 13, 2025
Right up there with the pitch clock.
Shouldn't the HOF, of any sport, be a historical reflection of the best in that era? I don't think anyone should be banned from the HOF, for any reason. Not only did they reach levels most can only dream of, they did it at historical levels.
— Chad Finn | Betting Expert | Finn's Edge (@TheChadFinn) May 13, 2025
Yes. And by those standards, Rose qualifies.
So is there no lifetime ban for betting on baseball? Is it no longer MLBs cardinal sin? These bans should remain. It makes no sense to suddenly lift them after all this time, as if the bans were wrongly given but we're only finding it out now. Also, it's ridiculous to do this…
— Nick in the D 👊 (@NickInTheD) May 13, 2025
Hard to reconcile this with MLB joining forces with online gambling outlets.
Just disgraceful by the MLB and Rob Manfred. He should’ve been added a long time ago. Waited until after he died and just something that people do all the time now. MLB just keeps ruining itself.
— Jake Mone (@jakemone) May 13, 2025
It's not the same game it used to be.
Which deserves a ban from the Hall of Fame? A short time of betting on your team to win. OR using banned steroids which gave the player an unfair advantage to win? Equally bad? One deserves a ban and not the other? Using the steroids had a huge impact on baseball game…
— Bill Carson (@bill2car) May 13, 2025
A fair question.
This opens the door to Cooperstown. https://t.co/U1ce1Tp1yP
— Schadenfreudelish (@aggierican) May 13, 2025
As it should.
Shoeless Joe’s finally gonna be able to play again, this is great news https://t.co/49Pcm7tLRy
— Enguerrand VII de Coucy (@ingelramdecoucy) May 13, 2025
'Say it ain't so, Joe.'
Pete Rose’s infractions as a manager were duly punished, and he was banned from employment for the rest of his life.
— Roll ‘Bama Roll (@rollbamaroll) May 14, 2025
No issues there.
But that should have zero bearing on the player’s eligibility into Cooperstown. Rose should have been inducted into the HOF during his lifetime. https://t.co/ItqyQIuqIX
Correct.
Nerd take I know but gambling aside, Pete Rose was a bad guy who should not be celebrated. He was a bad husband (multiple times), a bad father and a pedophile. https://t.co/ZAKpXmW4mI
— joey (@JMechling_36) May 13, 2025
None of that has any bearing on his record in baseball.
And lest we forget, what a record it was.
RIP Pete Rose 😢
— Fliff (@fliff) September 30, 2024
⚾️ Career .303 AVG
⚾️ 4256 career Hits
⚾️ 44 GM Hit Streak
⚾️ 17x All-Star
⚾️ 3x Batting Title
⚾️ 3x World Series Champpic.twitter.com/mmyvdQ53Pq
We'll see if Rose gets inducted on the first eligible ballot.
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