Ohio Lawmakers Push to Lift Pete Rose’s MLB Ban, Aiming for Hall of Fame Induction Posthumously

Two Ohio lawmakers have initiated legal action to persuade Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred to lift the league’s ban on Pete Rose in order for him to become eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame. Despite serving a lifetime ban due to betting activities while he played and coached baseball, public belief asserts that after his death at age 83, the Baseball Hall of Fame will eventually rescind this prohibition against him. The resolution proposed by Republican representatives Bill Seitz and Tom Young requests Manfred’s intervention in lifting Rose’s ban from MLB to enable him to be considered for induction into Cooperstown. Resolutions do not have any legal force, but the lawmakers strongly argued that with such immense baseball talent it is unreasonable and contradictory that Rose continues to remain banned while ties between major league organizations and gambling activities are ignored. In a November 2015 letter submitted to Rob Manfred in December 2012 begging for forgiveness, Pete Rose himself asked the commissioner’s pardon, admitting he still bet on baseball games after being placed under permanent suspension by Commissioner A Bartlett Giamatti one week prior to his demise from a heart attack back in 1989. However, Manfred had previously stated that “violating… Rule One of Baseball” was clear and the consequences were evident for Rose’s actions. Despite being banned since then, Pete Rose has made several appearances at MLB stadiums over time including during All-Century Team celebrations in 1999 as well as a World Series anniversary celebration in Cincinnati back in August of this year (2022). The former player holds many achievements with records that have persisted through history. Amongst other noteworthy aspects, Rose is an All-Star seventeen times and has maintained a career batting average of .303 during his time on the field where he also won three World Series championships; most notably for setting a new record in hits with 4256 which still stands today.