Incredible as it may sound, Major League Baseball (MLB) recently took a historic step. Just this past year they’ve lifted the lifetime bans on legendary players Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson! This news comes only eight months after Rose’s passing on September 30, 2023, at the age of 83. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred’s decision now allows both athletes to be inducted into their sport’s Hall of Fame. Under the current rules, however, they can’t be voted in until members of the Classic Era Baseball committee meet in December 2027.
Famed for his incredible successes on the ball field, Pete Rose is an icon. He has MLB career records for hits, games played and at-bats. He retired ultimately with a gaudy .303 career batting average. In that time, he racked up impressive accolades, including three World Series titles—two with the Cincinnati Reds and one with the Philadelphia Phillies. Rose went on to win three batting titles and earn two Gold Glove Awards. He was named the National League Rookie of the Year and awarded Most Valuable Player honors. His legacy took a major blow when, while managing the Cincinnati Reds, he was caught betting on games. This scandal resulted in a lifetime ban from baseball in 1989.
The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose
Pete Rose’s impact on baseball is undeniable. He is widely regarded as the greatest player ever to play the sport. His on-the-career record accomplishments shattered traditional standards of excellence and continue to hold a lasting touchstone even now. Yet, while Rose’s choice to participate in gambling during his time as manager was ultimately his undoing.
The ban imposed by then Commissioner Bart Giamatti became a watershed moment in baseball history. It ignited discussion on the integrity of the game and how players should be punished for their plays. Regardless of his massive contributions on the field, Rose’s legacy was marred by controversy stemming from his actions off the field.
The recent lifting of his ban is yet another indication that MLB’s attitudes toward the past are shifting. Manfred’s action is certainly warranted by the contributions Rose made to the game, but recognizes the complexity and nuance of Rose’s story. It provides fans and historians an opportunity to reexamine his role in the sport’s history.
Shoeless Joe Jackson’s Legacy
Shoeless Joe Jackson is still another, equally iconic statute. Jackson had a spectacular lifetime batting avg. of .356, placing him fourth in career batting average in MLB history. His genius really was second to none. His career was most unfortunately cut short when he got caught up in the notorious Black Sox Scandal of 1919.
During his time as a member of the Chicago White Sox, Jackson supposedly conspired with gamblers to lose the World Series on purpose. His involvement in this scandal resulted in his being banned from organized baseball for life in 1921, along with seven other White Sox teammates. Jackson may have denied any impropriety, but the damage to Jackson’s legacy was done irreparably and he has long been a controversial figure since.
With this action by MLB, Jackson’s Hall of Fame candidacy can once again be debated and discussed. Fans and historians alike can now explore his monumental contributions to the game. Without the cloud of a ban hanging over their perspectives, they can better recognize his influence.
The Path Forward
Both Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson have already been reinstated. They won’t even be eligible for Hall of Fame consideration until December 2027. This new timeline gives us the opportunity to explore their legacies more deeply, particularly in the context of baseball history.
The SEC’s reinstatement should at least raise some positive interest in their careers and create conversations over the ethics of gambling in sports. It opens the larger question of how a player’s legacy should be shaped by their past actions. As fans await the Hall of Fame committee’s decisions, their stories will undoubtedly remain central to conversations about baseball’s rich history.
