Listening to the Sox radio broadcast last night, I heard Ed Farmer mention that he saw a recent interview with Pete Rose where Rose stated that right now it no longer matters to him whether or not he ever makes it into the Hall of Fame. Of course, that's bull. But I thought I should reprint part of a long time ago "K-Line" article concering Pete Rose.
Of course, everyone has an opinion on whether or not Pete Rose should be allowed back into major league baseball. My initial position on Pete Rose was that his lifetime ban from baseball should be lifted after fifteen years only for purposes for making him eligible for entry into to the Hall of Fame. I mean he certainly deserves to be in the Hall of Fame because of his play on the field. My opinion was that the lifetime ban should otherwise remain in place, prohibiting Rose from any other involvement with major league baseball, such as managing. While I could still live with that solution, my opinion has changed. I have joined the growing legions that believe that Pete Rose’s lifetime suspension from baseball should be kept in place including keeping Pete Rose out of the Baseball Hall of Fame! It’s simple, you break Baseball Rule 21 and you are out of baseball, including forfeiting your right to enter the Hall of Fame.
Baseball Rule 21, which is posted in every pro baseball clubhouse, states that: “Any player, umpire or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible.” It is undisputed, now further clarified by his own admissions which were most likely motivated by his attempting to drive sales of his book, that Pete Rose broke Rule 21 on more than one occasion. In effect, what Pete Rose, the self-proclaimed “ lover of baseball” has done on more than one occasion is trample on the purity of baseball.
Why is baseball so defensive about the issue of betting? It has to be, to protect the game, to protect the purity of baseball. Have you seen the movie “Eight Men Out” or heard about the the 1919 Chicago Black Sox scandal? It is because of that scandal that Rule 21 was set in place. That is why baseball is overcautious about any possible connection between gambling and baseball. In 1919, several members of the Chicago White Sox were accused and charged with accepting bribes for throwing the World Series, a series in which the White Sox were heavily favored. Thereafter, Major League Baseball has taken steps to protect the very nature of sports, i.e., that it is a true competition on the field
When you go to a sporting event you expect both competitors to be actually trying to win, to at least try to win the game. At the very least, you do not expect the outcome to be fixed and predetermined. Even if one of the teams is clearly more talented than the other, there is always a faint hope, even if it is only a million to one shot that if the stars are aligned properly the underdog has a chance to win. How would you feel about Major League Baseball, the NFL, or the NBA, if the outcomes of the games were predetermined? How would you feel if the outcome of baseball games were as orchestrated as the WWF? Pete Rose attempts to soften the blow of his indiscretions by stating that he only bet on the Reds and never against his team, and that he only placed bets as a manager and not as a player. That’s irrelevant! Even if you believe Pete Rose, it just doesn’t matter. Rule 21 doesn’t state “You can bet FOR your team, but you cannot bet against your team.” In law and politics, one is often cautioned “to avoid the mere appearance of an impropriety.” That is why Pete Rose has to be kept out of the Hall of Fame. To protect the inherent nature of the game. Even if it is only to protect the mere appearance of an impropriety. The fact that a player, manager, coach or major league employee bets on a team is enough to raise the question of whether or not the competitive nature of the game is being compromised in any way. That is a question that should never be raised. The integrity, the rules of baseball are more important than whether or not Pete Rose is admitted back to baseball or into the Hall of Fame.
As I stated, baseball has had enough public relations nightmares in the past few years. Nonetheless, there is something pure and special about the game of baseball. I mean, come on, as much as I like football and basketball, the only sport that could serve as the setting for a movie like “Field of Dreams” is baseball. Are not the majority of great sports movies baseball movies: “Field of Dreams,” “Bull Durham”, “Major League” and “The Rookie”? It is the great sport of fathers and sons bonding and of magical venues like Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. That’s what draws us back to baseball despite the contract holdouts, greedy players and even steroid controversies. That is a purity of the sport that should surpass the business concerns. That needs to be protected at all costs. If it is not protected, then you let baseball become the World Wrestling Federation, or worst, a bad reality program.
Everyone is entitled to forgiveness- yes, but has Pete Rose even made his act of contrition. Has Pete Rose apologized? I guess we will have to wait to purchase his next book to read an apology. I won’t be reading that book or his current book. And hopefully, I will not be seeing him go into the Hall of Fame.
