Pete Rose is officially off MLB’s ineligible list and has a clear path to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, assuming Cooperstown actually wants him.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred ended a decades-long saga Tuesday by announcing he will reinstate all deceased members of baseball’s ineligible list, reversing the decisions that prevented Rose, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and several others from entering the Hall of Fame. The decision reversed Manfred’s prior decisions that specifically turned down reinstatement for Rose and Jackson.
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It is generally known that Rose was kept out of the Hall of Fame because he bet on baseball while serving as manager of the Cincinnati Reds, but the story is much more complicated than some realize. It was not as simple as kicking Rose out of the game for breaking one of its firmest rules, nor did reports of Rose’s transgressions end after his ban.
Here is a timeline of what you need to know about a man who could enter the Hall of Fame as soon as 2028.
Feb. 21, 1989: MLB meets with Pete Rose after Sports Illustrated tip
Outgoing MLB commissioner Peter Ueberroth gets tipped off by Sports Illustrated that it is writing a story on a bookie claiming Rose bet on baseball. Ueberroth calls a meeting with Rose that includes incoming commissioner Bart Giamatti and future commissioner Fay Vincent.
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At the time, Rose is working as manager of the Reds, a role he took when he joined the team as a player-manager in 1986. He retired as a player in 1986 and ultimately posted a 412-373 record as manager. He remains MLB’s most recent player-manager.
When asked if he has ever bet on baseball, Rose reportedly says, “I’m not stupid. I’ve bet on horses, basketball and football, but I don’t bet on baseball.”
March 20, 1989: MLB announces investigation into ‘serious allegations’ against Pete Rose
The commissioner’s office announces it is investigating “serious allegations” against Rose. It does not specify the nature of the allegations.
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Former federal prosecutor John Dowd is chosen to lead the investigation.
March 21, 1989: Sports Illustrated publishes its story
The Sports Illustrated story comes out, and it’s bad for Rose. An investigative report details troubling behavior by Rose, who is said to be potentially at risk of a permanent ban from MLB.
Multiple subsequent reports find additional problems for Rose, such as past scrutiny for gambling when he was a player in the 1970s and the IRS seizing betting slips from his…