Pete Rose, other deceased players removed from MLB’s permanently ineligible list

On Tuesday, Major League Baseball made a significant and unexpected decision by removing Pete Rose and other deceased players from the league’s permanently ineligible list. This decision, conveyed by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in a letter to the Rose family’s attorney Jeffrey Lenkov, allows the sport’s all-time hits leader to be considered for election to the Hall of Fame.

Rose, who passed away last September at the age of 83 due to a heart condition, was originally placed on the ineligible list in 1989 for gambling on games involving his team, the Cincinnati Reds, while he was their manager. With a record of 4,256 hits, Rose had never been eligible for the Hall of Fame due to a rule change in 1991 that prohibited players on the ineligible list from consideration.

In his letter to Lenkov, Manfred stated, “I believe that a reassessment of the term ‘permanently ineligible’ is necessary, particularly in light of Rule 21’s objectives, which are to: (1) protect the integrity of the game by preventing those who could harm it from participating and (2) deter future violations. Once an individual is deceased, the purpose of Rule 21 is effectively fulfilled. A person who is no longer living poses no threat to the integrity of baseball. Additionally, a lifetime ban without any possibility of reprieve is arguably the most severe deterrent. Therefore, I have determined that permanent ineligibility ceases upon the passing of the disciplined individual, leading to Mr. Rose’s removal from the list.”

In December, Manfred met with Lenkov and Rose’s daughter, Fawn, to discuss potential reinstatement. Following the meeting, Rose’s family submitted a formal request for reinstatement on January 8, aiming for a posthumous induction into the Hall of Fame.

The ruling also extends to 16 other deceased individuals, including Shoeless Joe Jackson.

In mid-April, Manfred met with President Trump at the White House. Trump had previously expressed support for Rose’s Hall of Fame candidacy in a tweet in 2020 and again after Rose’s death, urging MLB to “do it now, before his funeral.” Trump reiterated his position in March on Truth Social, stating, “I will be signing a complete PARDON for Pete Rose, who should not have been gambling on baseball but only bet on HIS TEAM WINNING.” Trump emphasized that Rose never bet against himself or his team and that he remains the all-time hits leader in baseball.

Despite Trump’s statements, Rose was never arrested for gambling. His only prison time, a five-month sentence in 1990, resulted from a guilty plea to tax evasion charges unrelated to his lifetime ban from baseball.

Throughout the years, Rose continued to make appearances during Hall of Fame induction weekends in Cooperstown, New York, often selling autographs and memorabilia at a local shop. Artifacts from his career remain on display in the Hall of Fame museum, and the library holds extensive documentation of his legacy. However, Rose was well aware that he might only be inducted posthumously. In an interview ten days before his death with sportscaster John Condit, Rose said, “I’ve accepted that I might only get into the Hall of Fame after I die. But I disagree with it because the Hall of Fame is about your fans and your family, and it’s not the same if you’re not around to share it.”

Players initially have 15 years of eligibility for Hall of Fame voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. After that period, candidates can only be considered by a 16-person committee comprised of Hall of Famers, front-office executives, and historians. Jane Forbes Clark, Chairman of the Hall of Fame Board, stated that MLB’s new decision would allow previously ineligible deceased players to be considered by the Hall of Fame’s Classic Baseball Era Committee, which will meet next in December 2027.

If Rose is included on that ballot, he would require 12 out of 16 votes to gain induction.

Rose was initially banned by Commissioner Bart Giamatti in 1989 after an investigation led by John Dowd confirmed that Rose had violated Rule 21(d)(2), which strictly prohibits betting on games involving one’s own team. Giamatti, who urged Rose to “reconfigure” his life as a condition for potential reinstatement, passed away just eight days after issuing the ruling.

Since Giamatti, three commissioners, including Manfred, have reviewed Rose’s case. Manfred previously denied Rose’s petitions for reinstatement in 2015 and 2020, but in his recent ruling, he emphasized that the original ban was a result of a settlement agreement rather than a direct commissioner ruling. Manfred noted that Giamatti’s expectations were reasonable given that, at the time, there was no rule barring those on the ineligible list from Hall of Fame consideration. He also pointed out that Shoeless Joe Jackson was considered for the Hall of Fame twice despite being on the list.

Ultimately, the decision to remove Rose and other deceased players from the ineligible list marks a pivotal shift in how MLB handles posthumous consideration for those previously banned, potentially opening the door for Rose’s long-sought enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.