(NEXSTAR) – Major League Baseball decided Tuesday to reinstate both Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson, making them both eligible for the Hall of Fame.
The about-face comes decades after Rose, who holds the record for most hits, was banned from the game after an investigation found evidence that he had been betting while managing the Cincinnati Reds.
Rose’s permanent ban was lifted eight months after his death and came a day before the Reds are set to honor baseball’s career hits leader with Pete Rose Night.
For Jackson, the reinstatement comes more than a decade after the so-called “Black Sox Scandal,” during which members of the Chicago White Sox were found to have conspired to fix the 1919 World Series.
Under the Hall of Fame’s current rules, the earliest Rose or Jackson could be inducted would be in 2028.
Rose agreed to a permanent ban on Aug. 23, 1989, following an investigation commissioned by Major League Baseball concluded Rose repeatedly bet on the Reds as a player and manager of the team from 1985-87, a violation of a long-standing MLB rule.
Rose first applied for reinstatement in September 1997, but Commissioner Bud Selig never ruled on the request. Manfred in 2015 rejected a petition for reinstatement, saying, “Rose has not presented credible evidence of a reconfigured life.”
Rose died Sept. 30 at age 83, and a new petition was filed Jan. 8 by Jeffrey Lenkov, a lawyer who represented Rose. Lenkov and Rose’s daughter, Fawn, had met with Manfred on Dec. 17.
In a letter to Lenkov, Manfred wrote, “In my view, a determination must be made regarding how the phrase ‘permanently ineligible’ should be interpreted in light of the purposes and policies behind Rule 21, which are to: (1) protect the game from individuals who pose a risk to the integrity of the sport by prohibiting the participation of such individuals; and (2) create a deterrent effect that reduces the likelihood of future violations by others.
“In my view, once an individual has passed away, the purposes of Rule 21 have been served. Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game. Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve. Therefore, I have concluded that permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual, and Mr. Rose will be removed from the permanently ineligible list.”
A 17-time All-Star during a playing career from 1963-86, Rose holds the record for hits (4,256), games (3,562), at-bats (14,053), plate appearances (15,890) and singles (3,215). He was the 1963 NL Rookie of the Year, 1973 MVP and 1975 World Series MVP. A three-time NL batting champion, he broke the prior hits record of 4,191 set by Ty Cobb from 1905-28.
Jackson was a .356 career hitter who was among the eight Chicago Black Sox banned for throwing the 1919 World Series. Jackson twice appeared on a BBWAA ballot before the Hall’s rules change, receiving 0.9% in 1936 and 1% of a nominating vote in 1940.
The Associated Press contributed to this report; this is a developing story.
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