Despite hanging up his glove nearly four decades ago, Pete Rose continues to hold the record for the most hits in MLB history. Over the course of his career, Rose accumulated an impressive 4,256 hits, surpassing Ty Cobb’s 4,189 and Hank Aaron’s 3,771, who sit on the second and third spot respectively. However, even with these staggering numbers, Rose’s induction into the Hall of Fame has been thwarted by his confessed gambling on baseball games.
Accusations of betting first arose in 1989 against the former Reds player and manager, a scant three years following his retirement from the sport and while he held the managerial reins in Cincinnati. Fast forwarding to 1991, Rose incurred a lifetime suspension from inclusion in the Hall of Fame, an exclusion that remained steadfast, even after appeals for reinstatement.
Rose passed on in September of 2024, sparking questions as to whether the leadership of MLB would reconsider posthumously inducting him into the Hall of Fame. This conjecture was swiftly quashed by Commissioner Rob Manfred, but not everyone shared the same sentiment. In fact, then-President Donald Trump voiced his disagreement publicly.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump declared his plans to absolve Rose of his federal tax violations, and he openly chided MLB’s decision to continue excluding the famous player from the Hall of Fame. The expected pardon and its implications for Rose’s prospective election to the Hall of Fame instantly sparked discussions.
Trump utilized Truth Social to reveal his intentions to absolve Rose of his crimes related to the filing of fraudulent tax returns back in 1990. He also leveraged the platform to express his disapproval of MLB’s refusal to admit Rose into the Hall of Fame during his lifetime.
In his critique, Trump recognized Rose’s extraordinary achievement as the leader in MLB hits and highlighted his record-setting performances in decisive games. Trump committed to granting a ‘complete pardon’ to Rose, with the expectation that this will occur soon.
However, it’s important to clarify what this ‘complete pardon’ encompasses – It doesn’t absolve Rose’s existing record, rather it amounts to a posthumous governmental exoneration of his crime. It’s at this juncture that the full pardon becomes particularly relevant.
Rose was convicted on two felony counts of filing dishonest tax returns in 1990 for ‘failing to declare $354,968 income resulting from memorabilia sales, autographs, and personal appearances,’ as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Rose was consequently sentenced to five months in a federal correctional institution, serving the full term.
Despite the infamous gambling scandal that tainted his career, Rose faced no criminal charges for betting on baseball games. He merely violated MLB regulations. Trump’s ‘comprehensive pardon’ will only address the tax crimes, for which Rose has long completed his sentence.
Regardless of Rose’s actions undermining the sanctity of baseball, he never faced criminal charges related to it. MLB imposed a severe sanction demonstrating a zero-tolerance approach towards contraventions and to deter other players from gambling on the sport. However, Trump’s pardon wouldn’t influence MLB’s perception of Rose’s transgression.
As such, the pardon has no bearing on Rose’s potential inclusion in the Hall of Fame. According to ESPN, his lawyer John Dowd, who initially investigated Rose for MLB in 1989, stated that the MLB does ‘not engage in the business of pardons nor it regulates admission into the HOF.’
Thereby, Trump executing his pardon carries as much influence as any individual asserting Pete Rose’s worthiness for the Hall of Fame. Irrespective of his demise, Rose’s perpetual ban from baseball remains intact, and this action does not inherently render him fit for the Hall nor does it enhance his eligibility.
Ultimately, only the MLB commissioner can alter this circumstance.