On May 14, 2025, Major League Baseball (MLB) commissioner Rob Manfred announced the historic decision to remove baseball’s all-time hits leader Pete Rose and 16 other deceased players, including “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, from the league’s permanently ineligible list. This rule shift, spurred by a request from Rose’s family following his passing at 83 on September 30, 2024, allows Rose to be considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame, an honor he was denied for more than three decades because of his gambling scandal.
The decision marks a turning point in one of baseball’s most polarizing sagas, rekindling debates about legacy, integrity, and redemption in the sport Pete Rose. However, his legacy was tarnished in 1989 when an MLB investigation led by attorney John Dowd confirmed that Rose had bet on Cincinnati Reds games while serving as their player-manager in 1985-86 and manager in 1987.
Rose accepted a permanent ban from baseball as part of a settlement with then-commissioner Bart Giamatti that made him ineligible until a formal decision on his betting but barred him from MLB activities. Supporters, including former teammates such as Mike Schmidt and Cincinnati fans, argued that his unique contributions to baseball should be respected, insisting that he never bet against his team.
Critics, however, said that betting on a game he was involved in was a violation of MLB’s Rule 21, which considers such actions a threat to the integrity of the game, which justified his punishment. Rose’s initial denials, followed by his confession in his 2004 book My Prison Without Bars, further complicated public perception. His off-field issues, including a five-month prison sentence for tax evasion in 1990, further added to his controversial image.
After Rose’s death, his family, led by his daughter Fawn Rose and attorney Jeffrey Lenkov, filed a petition for pardon on January 8, 2025. Lenkov, Rose’s attorney for almost ten years, held discussions with Manfred and MLB representatives in December 2024. President Donald Trump also supported Rose’s cause, posting on Truthout social in February and March 2025 that he intended to issue a “full pardon” for Rose, criticizing MLB for lacking the “courage or decency” to include Rose. While the scope of Trump’s pardon was vague – possibly addressing Rose’s tax conviction rather than his MLB ban – it increased public and political pressure.
Manfred’s decision, announced in a letter to Lenkov, was based on the rationale that “once a person dies, the purposes of Rule 21 are accomplished.” He contended that a deceased individual poses no further risk to baseball’s integrity and that a lifelong ban without reprieve serves as an adequate deterrent. The decision also reinstated other banned players, including eight members of the 1919 Chicago “Black Sox” scandal, such as Jackson, who was accused of throwing the World Series. This sweeping policy change affects 17 deceased individuals who are now eligible for Hall of Fame consideration.
Rose’s Hall of Fame candidacy will be evaluated by the Classic Baseball Era Committee, a 16-member panel of Hall of Famers, historians and authors, at its next meeting in December 2027 for possible induction in 2028. A 75% majority (12 votes) is required. While the Cincinnati Reds celebrated the decision, planning a “Pete Rose Night” at Great American Ball Park on May 14, 2025, induction is not guaranteed. The committee will balance Rose’s remarkable career against his infractions, a process likely to reignite discussions about his legacy in baseball history.
The timing of Manfred’s decision is notable, as MLB has rapidly embraced sports betting, partnering with companies like FanDuel and earning millions in advertising revenue. This change has led some, including X fans, to call Rose’s punishment hypocritical, arguing that he was “ahead of his time.” Still, Rose’s reinstatement offers a chance to honor the player while also acknowledging the gambler’s punishment, which could decide his ultimate legacy in Cooperstown.