Someone started this topic in P&R but it got locked - I guess it was in the wrong forum.

But it's a big question in sports right now. Here are the facts:

-Pete Rose is the all-time hits leader
-He admitted to betting on baseball while he was manager of the Reds
-He is currently serving a lifetime ban from baseball

Some say what Pete did on the field as a player should stand by itself. And they also say even if he bet on baseball as a manager, he didn't do it as a player (as far as we know) and his credentials as a player are what he should get in on.

The other side says that integrity counts and Pete has none - therefore, no HOF.

Finally, if Pete Rose gets in, how about Joe Jackson?

What do you think?

RodeoSchro said:

That's all that should matter. Fuck the integrity shit. Look at all the shady characters, racists, whoremongers, alcoholics, etc. in the HOF(in any sport). You wouldn't even have a HOF if you took all those cats out. It's ridiculous to keep Rose out.

yes ...

In a word.....yes.

Absolutely. But that doesn't mean he should be given free reign to hang around MLB clubhouses though. You can still ban him for life from attending any baseball games, any clubhouses, or any off-field MLB facilities, but he should be conditionally reinstated so he can be voted into the Hall of Fame, since his active playing days had nothing to do with his gambling issues.

It's interesting that you have two situations which allegedly impugn on the integrity of baseball, gambling and steroids. Because of the Black Sox Scandal (Chicago White Sox allegedly throwing the 1919 World Series for money, for those not aware), every major and minor league team tells its players not to bet on baseball games because it sullies the outcome of baseball games. However, you have a whole generation of players who juiced up on steroids and HGH who bulked up like bodybuilders and either jacked out tons of home runs or regularly pitched 98 to 103 mph fastballs when they previously struggled to hit 90 mph just to pad their win, save, or ERA stats. When Pete Rose gambled on baseball, he clearly did it because he was in debt to bookies, and he wasn't trying to alter the outcome of games. The steroid users, however, not only altered the outcome of games, but of the record books as well.

uPtoWnNY said:

totally agree with this

As a player he deserves to be there

Those dopers are still playing .. manny, aholerod n who knows who else or how far n deep doping goes. Baseballs integritys gone. Rose is small potatoes he bet on games, gamblings legal wtf? at least he playd clean. How prevalant is steroid use in sports in general? Lyle Alzado died telling ppl about steroids noone cared or listened.I bet theres tons of athletes/team owners/managers god the list goes on n on shitting theyre pants hoping noone finds out about drug use.

728huey said:

IMO, the great players who juiced(that we know of - Manny, Bonds, Clemens, McGuire, A-Rod) belong in the HOF too. Those cats had the numbers before they took steroids. Baseball's always had its 'eras'(Dead Ball Era, Segregated Era, etc.)- now we have the Steroid Era.

I just saw a report about Manny and Big Papi failing a drug test in 2003. Meanwhile, the country was hating on Barry Bonds while everyone was doing this shit. And I GUARANTEE you Pujols is juicing.

http://sports.espn.go.com...id=4366335

I could care less if they doped or not. It's all about the entertainment $.

uPtoWnNY said:

I agree with both of these posts... and I was wondering about Pulhols myself.

chocolate1 said:

None of these cats are above suspicion, IMO. I'll bet you at some point in his career, Pujols messed with that shit. Not just the superstars either - think about all the secondary players who may have taken steroids/HGH just to make the team. Shit, there may be cats in the HOF who juiced, we'll never know.

uPtoWnNY said:

Maybe we will know if Jose Conseco's latest claim is true: http://sports.espn.go.com...id=4367025

sextonseven said:

Canseco is a snake and a lowlife, but he's the only one telling it like it is. I remember he was vilified for bringing this up years ago, but guess what? The chickens have come home to roost.

I just heard something really interesting.

Kevin Bass, a former Astro, said that he thinks the steroid backlash was what got Jim Rice over the top and into the HOF after 14 years of not making it. Rice only had about 350 home runs, but now he's a Hall of Famer.

Bass said this could also help guys like Dave Parker, Andre Dawkins and Dale Murphy get into the Hall.

And I think Rose should be in the Hall. But no way do I support anyone proven to have done steroids getting in. Maybe mistakes were made in the past (Gaylord Perry comes to mind), but sooner or later, it's time to do the right thing.

NO MORE CHEATERS.

RodeoSchro said:

According to this dude, steroid use has been going on since the 1960s.

http://www.kcbd.com/Globa...?s=3295046

uPtoWnNY said:

It has.