Reinstatement of the Rose

Image Credit: AP

NEW YORK, NY — I remember watching Pete Charlie Hustle Rose, had a passion for the game of baseball. The Cincinnati Reds’ Big Red Machine lineup in 1975, a reason I continued to enjoy baseball as a high school senior in the Bronx.

There they were with Rose: Johnny Bench, Tony Pérez, Joe Morgan, Dave Concepción, Ken Griffey, César Gerónimo, George Foster, a majority of that team eventual inductees to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Reds teams of the 1970’s were a dynasty, Rose part of back-to-back World Series champions in 1975-76. Yet along the way Rose, after becoming the all-time hits leader in baseball, stumbled.

He was a compulsive gambler. We all know the history. Ineligible status for Hall of Fame induction, prohibited to be employed by a Major League team, placing bets on his own team as a former manager of the Reds. Rose was ineligible, the Hall of Fame shut the door on a baseball legend.

Then MLB commissioner Bartlett Giamatti made his verdict. Fay Vincent, his successor, also stood his ground. Bud Selig listened and would not budge. Rob Manfred would listen and reconsider, the optimism was strong as the current commissioner continued to hear the plea that Rose should not be denied enshrinement, though keep the door closed with Rose and involvement with baseball.

But over the years as the door remained closed, Pete Rose stayed away from the adversity. He stayed strong and hoped the day would come when the door would be open. Tuesday, Manfred reconsidered, though still with critics who opposed the verdict that should have come sooner and before Rose passed away late last year.

Pete Rose and 17 deceased players, including the scandal plagued Joe Shoeless Jackson were granted removal from baseball’s permanently ineligible list. Rose, Jackson, and others are eligible for election to the Hall of Fame when the Classic Baseball Era Committee determines their evaluation in December of 2027.

The significance, of course, is Pete Rose controversy but always deserving for Hall of Fame status, very possible as an inductee in 2028, though up to a committee now and not Manfred, a successor, or those in the hierarchy of Major League Baseball.

Regardless whether it be pressure amounting from the Pete Rose immediate family, or that meeting last month with President Donald Trump at the White House, for the moment the debate is over. Trump reportedly coerced Manfred, with or without threats of changing the antitrust laws of Major League Baseball.

And there should never have been any doubt about reinstating Rose, or for that matter inducting a baseball great to the Hall of Fame. He had the numbers, integrity though off the field shied away from the eligible voters of writers composed with the Baseball Writers of America.

There are standards with eligibility, the bylaws sometimes bypassed and controversial. The steroid era of players that went on a home run record tear have also been bypassed for Hall consideration, now that will be questioned. Induct Rose and so goes Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Alex Rodríguez. All amidst that controversy and subjects of a House of Representative Congressional Committee, a Mitchell Report that is public information.

Yet over the years, the Hall of Fame up in Cooperstown, NY displayed moments of Pete Rose’s accomplishments on the field. Baseballs, bats, hats, uniforms. But no plaque on their hallowed walls with other greats, this as baseball continued to embark and expand online gambling interests that have amounted to tremendous profit.

Contradiction for sure as they continued to close the door on Pete Rose.

So, I recall an October day in 1973 at Shea Stadium. Mets versus Reds, Game 3 National League Championship Series. The late Bud Harrelson and Rose and their brawl at second base. Rose slid hard and a bench clearing brawl on the infield. Harrelson and Rose could have traded gloves more fit for a classic boxing match. It was ugly and memorable.

Rose, as I watched as a youngster precipitated the brawl, of course he was a competitor and got the name “Charlie Hustle” that fit him. The Mets would win the game 9-7, years later Rose and Harrelson would not hold animosity and looked at that old fashioned fight on the infield.

“Pete was my uncle and deserved the Hall of Fame honor way before he passed on,” said Pedro Borbón Jr., the son of Pedro Borbón Sr., who was a pitcher and teammate of Rose on that team. “He took good care of me when my Dad was busy during the offseason back in the Dominican Republic.”

Many recall, as does Borbón Jr. that his dad on the infield would witness a bite of his cap. Harrelson took his teeth and threw the cap and stomped it in the dirt.

“He was compassionate, a man who played the game with that hustle,” said Borbón Jr. who also had a MLB career with four teams as a hard throwing pitcher. “Just so sad it took so many years,” he said about the reinstatement.

So many years later for sure. But Pete Rose is smiling and looking down now. It’s been an injustice for years though the skeptics will continue to bark that Rose was a detriment to the game of baseball. On the contrary he had many advocates that said otherwise.

This was “Charlie Hustle.” An All-Star and Gold Glove winner numerous times, fan favorite, and made mistakes. We all make mistakes along the way, Rose served a prison sentence and admitted his faults though an admission of guilt much too late that caused more damage. He published a book “My Prison Without Bars” that also stirred controversy.

However the saga has almost come to a conclusion, just a matter of time and Pete Rose will get his call to the Hall. Manfred finally ended the ongoing debate that lingered for years and the skeptics will continue to say no.

Just should have been a much sooner and conclusive end of this saga.

Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and contributor at LatinoSports.com – X: @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso

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