Pete Rose, the man with more hits than anyone in the history of Major League Baseball, this titan of baseball is conspicuously absent from the Hall of Fame. The reason? He gambled on baseball. Boo-hoo! Let’s all shed a tear for baseball’s lost innocence, shall we?
Ladies and gentlemen, gather ’round and grab your peanuts and Cracker Jacks, for we are about to embark on a journey through the labyrinth of absurdity that is Major League Baseball and its esteemed Hall of Fame. Imagine, if you will, a grand cathedral — St. Peter’s Cathedral of baseball, if you like — where the gods of the diamond are enshrined.
But what if I told you that the greatest hitter of all time, a man revered by fans far and wide, is not allowed to step foot into this sacred temple? Yes, I’m talking about none other than Pete Rose, baseball’s own version of the fallen angel.
Now, before you clutch your pearls and gasp in horror, let’s dissect the sheer stupidity of this situation. Baseball, once the proud national pastime of America, has tumbled down the ranks to become the third most popular sport, lagging behind football and basketball. And if current trends continue, it’s only a matter of time before soccer kicks baseball off the podium entirely. Why has this happened? Well, one could argue it’s because baseball has a knack for shooting itself in the foot — repeatedly.
Let’s start with the Hall of Fame, that hallowed ground where baseball legends are immortalized. Recently, the Hall welcomed its latest class of inductees. Who are they? I’m sure many of you are scratching your heads right now. It’s like trying to name the Supreme Court Justices — most people can’t do it. Why? Because baseball’s real legends are being kept out by a bunch of self-righteous gatekeepers who think they’re preserving the sanctity of the sport.
Enter Pete Rose, the man with more hits than anyone in the history of Major League Baseball. A man whose very name conjures images of grit, determination, and an undying love for the game. Yet, this titan of baseball is conspicuously absent from the Hall of Fame. The reason? He gambled on baseball. Boo-hoo! Let’s all shed a tear for baseball’s lost innocence, shall we?
After all, what was it Mark Twain once said in a tribute to baseball? He called it “the very symbol, the outward and visible expression of the drive, and push, and rush and struggle of the raging, tearing, booming 19th century!” And that’s where baseball still lives, two centuries removed from reality.
Here’s where the hypocrisy gets rich. While Pete Rose is banned from baseball for gambling, ESPN —the network that has replaced Sports Illustrated as the sports industry’s leading mouthpiece — has launched its own sportsbook for gambling. Yes, you heard that right. The same entity that broadcasts baseball games is now knee-deep in the gambling industry. But Pete Rose? No, he’s persona non grata. If this isn’t the pot calling the kettle black, I don’t know what is.
Imagine if the Vatican decided to ban Michelangelo from its premises because he once drew a rude caricature of a cardinal. Meanwhile, they’re selling those same caricatures in the gift shop. That’s baseball for you.
The fans, bless their baseball-loving hearts, have not forgotten Pete Rose. In fact, they adore him. They know who the real legends are. They can recite Rose’s stats, recall his greatest hits, and remember his unforgettable hustle. Meanwhile, ask them to name one of the new Hall of Famers, and you’ll get a blank stare. It’s like asking someone to name all the Oscar winners for Best Cinematography — it just doesn’t stick.
The disconnect between baseball’s decision-makers and its fans is staggering. The Hall of Fame should be a place where the game’s history is celebrated in all its messy glory, not a sanctimonious club for the morally unblemished. After all, if we start holding every player to that standard, the Hall of Fame would be emptier than a ballpark during a rain delay.
As baseball continues its slide into obscurity, one can’t help but wonder if the sport’s stubbornness and hypocrisy are to blame. Football and basketball thrive on their ability to adapt, to embrace change, and to keep fans engaged. Baseball, on the other hand, clings to its outdated traditions like a drowning man clutching a life preserver.
The sport’s refusal to evolve is exemplified by its treatment of Pete Rose. By keeping him out of the Hall of Fame, baseball isn’t just punishing one man; it’s punishing itself. It’s denying fans the chance to celebrate one of the game’s greatest players and, in doing so, alienating the very people who keep the sport alive.
So here we are, in 2024, watching baseball trip over its own feet as it stumbles further down the ranks of American sports. The Hall of Fame, once a beacon of baseball greatness, now stands as a monument to the sport’s misguided sanctimony. And Pete Rose, the greatest hitter who ever lived, remains on the outside looking in, a testament to baseball’s enduring stupidity.
But fear not, dear readers, for there is still hope. Perhaps one day, baseball will pull its head out of the sand and recognize that the Hall of Fame is not a church, but a museum — a place to honor the game’s history, warts and all. Until then, we’ll just have to keep shaking our heads and laughing at the absurdity of it all, because if there’s one thing Mark Twain taught us, it’s that sometimes, all you can do is laugh.
In the meantime, let’s raise a toast to Pete Rose — a man who played the game with more heart and hustle than anyone before or since. Here’s to hoping that one day, the powers that be will wise up and give him the recognition he so richly deserves.
Until then, we’ll keep cheering for him, because as any true baseball fan knows, you can ban Pete Rose from the Hall of Fame, but you can’t ban him from our hearts.
TONY CASTRO, the former award-winning Los Angeles columnist and author, is a writer-at-large and the national political writer for LAMonthly. org. He can be reached at tony@tonycastro.com.
