Shoeless Joe Jackson gets in first.
Jim

In.

And "who really cares"???????????

Yes put Pete Rose in.......he was singled out.........cough cough, yeah Don King I'm sure has never bet on anything....

Having grown up in the era of the Big Red Machine in Dayton, Ohio I can tell you that I would have a hard time ever believing that Pete bet against the Reds. If you ever saw him play the game you know what I mean...name for me a player who played harder than Rose, every game, at almost every position, and had more hits than any player in history (and did it from both sides of the plate). Add to that the individual and team (World Series) awards and the fact that he was truely not a naturally gifted player, just worked harder than the rest.

The betting issue gets complicated in that he would bet on the Reds when he was confident in his pitcher (Soto for example) and when he didn't bet the bookie and the bookies' bookie were able to take this as a tip and load up. Unfortunately for Pete the attitude, mindset and arrogance that made him one of the best players ever in the game also sealed his fate with Giamatti, who was an acedemic that Rose felt didn't belong in BB (think Bob Knight and Miles Brand...don't get me started).

My feeling is that he belongs in the Hall without a doubt based on his performance as a player. I wouldn't allow him back into the game, as he would like, and that would continue to serve as his sentence for thinking he was above THE rule in baseball. That being said it is probably unlikely at this point as he would have to be voted in by his peers and likely doesn't have the support. If it ever happens I'm there for sure (with my boys!). Wore #14 whenever I could as a kid...if you didn't already know :)

No

yes! he should absolutely be allowed in the hall of fame today!!! I can't believe you can get a lifetime ban for gambling but if you have a gambling ring and murder dogs then spend 18months in prison you can still play a sport???? Let's not get into all the drug use in baseball.....

I agree there.
I hated Pete Rose, I was a Giants fan
Pete should have taken steroids, he'd be in by now.
If they let Bonds and all those other roid kings in, Pete should be there too.
I read once that Bench had said not to let him in.

Can anyone here say they ever saw even the slightest indication that he threw a game? Pete Rose worked his ass off, every minute, every game, his entire career. If Canton is also going to represent the players' moral worthiness off the field, we might as well take at least half the guys right back out. Nowhere is a greater collection of drunken, womanizing, philandering bums displayed with such honor. And Pete Rose was a better ball player than anyone else in their. His stats speak for themselves. His hustle and attitude have never been equalled.

When I was in Vegas in July, Pete Rose was signing autographs at a baseball memorabilia store in Caesar's Forum. The place was totally empty and Pete was just sitting at a table twiddling his thumbs.

Poor Pete, if only someone had told him about the lifetime ban in regards to betting on baseball.

He understood the risks and did it anyhow. His accomplishments are recognized in the HOF, he gets a plaque after he dies. If you want people to respect the rules, enforce them.

As far as steroids go, the incentive to take them was generated by the teams offering big $ for the performances they enhanced. If baseball wants to solve the problem, punish the team 2x's as much as the player: 1st offense-12 month suspension without pay for the player, for the team-fine equaling double the player's forfeited salary, and reduce the 25 man roster by the number of players serving a steroid related suspension. 2nd offense-lifetime suspension without pay for the player, team fined double the remaining contract and loses the roster slot for the duration of the contract. The franchises benefited financially from steroids and offered big returns for cheaters, the only way to stop steroids is to make teams afraid of hiring cheaters rather than allowing (encouraging) them to employ them.

Nfw!

I have seen him there on (2) seperate occasions--both time the lines were not long or didn't exist. May have something to do with the fact that the cheapest item to purchase to get an autograph was 50.00

And I say "no way" to the Hall. Like legion said--his answers got progressively worse.. I didn't bet, Okay I did, but not on my team, okay I did.

When someone has that big of a gambling jones, and they admit to betting on their own team, the temptation to bet against your team and throw a game is too great.

Yes.

Other players have done far worse than he has.

Yes he should be in the Hall of Fame. He never bet on baseball.