Pete Rose
Just for fun I’ve been looking up the Pete Rose controversy online. I’ve found two sites that give pretty good details on the story: the Cosmic Baseball Association and the Pete Rose FAQ at Baseball Archive. I’ve written about my interest in Rose most recently here.
My conclusion: The Hall of Fame should drop the morals clause and let Rose become eligible. After reading about the controversy, I’m now more pissed off about his overstaying in the lineup to pursue his 4000th hit - which may have hurt the team than any gambling he may be guilty of.
If Pete Rose became eligible and if I were one of the voters, I would not vote for him until he gave a complete accounting for his actions, accepted responsibility for them, and apologized for the damage he inflicted to the game. So far he has done none of these actions.
I know what it means to be an addict, and I also know what it means to accept responsibility for my actions. Pete Rose must do the same, and when he does, he can enter Cooperstown.
But not until then, and if he dies before that happens, then tough.
