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Major League Baseball (MLB) has posthumously reinstated Pete Rose, the sport’s all-time hit leader, making him eligible for election to the Hall of Fame. This decision, announced on Tuesday, reverses Rose’s status on MLB’s permanently ineligible list—a ban that had been in place since 1989 due to his gambling on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds.
Rose, who amassed an unparalleled 4,256 hits throughout his career, passed away from a heart condition in September last year at the age of 83. His death marked the end of a long-standing debate over his eligibility for baseball’s highest honor, as players on the ineligible list had been barred from Hall of Fame consideration since a rule change in 1991.
The removal of Rose and other deceased players from the ineligible list was communicated in a letter from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to the Rose family’s attorney, Jeffrey Lenkov. In the letter, Manfred explained his rationale, stating that the intent of Rule 21—to protect the integrity of the game and deter future violations—no longer applies once an individual has died. As such, the commissioner concluded that "permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual."
Manfred highlighted that individuals who are no longer alive cannot pose a risk to the sport’s integrity, nor can a more significant deterrent be conceived than a lifetime ban without the possibility of reprieve. With this reasoning, Rose’s name has been officially removed from the list of permanently ineligible individuals, allowing for his potential induction into the Hall of Fame.
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