Now that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has lifted Pete Rose’s more than 35-year ban for gambling on his games, some prominent people, like current Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona, are calling for Rose to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Francona, who will most likely eventually join the Hall, was clear about his position on Rose’s HOF case.
I am aware that I simplify things too much. However, if Pete isn’t in the Hall of Fame for what he accomplished as a player, Francona stated, as reported by ESPN. However, I understand. Some of the things that I’m relieved that I don’t have to make such choices.
During his career, Francona played for Rose as well as alongside him. Both Francona and Rose played for the Montreal Expos in 1984; Rose only played with the team for a portion of that season before being moved to Cincinnati. Rose became the player-manager of the Reds after the deal. After the 1986 season, Rose’s playing career ended, and Francona rejoined Rose in Cincinnati for the 1987 campaign.
On August 24, 1989, Rose was officially placed on baseball’s ineligible list for gambling on MLB games, including Reds games, when he was both a manager and a player. This marked the end of both his managerial career and his involvement in MLB. Rose was thus prevented from ever being inducted when the Baseball Hall of Fame formally declared less than two years later that it could not induct any player on the ineligible list.
But after Rose passed away in September, Manfred gave it some thought and decided to lift the restriction on Rose and 16 other people who were on the ineligible list but have since passed away.