Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced a landmark decision on Tuesday, reinstating Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson—both previously banned for gambling offenses. This reinstatement, which comes after Rose’s death eight months ago, also applies to 15 other individuals, including all eight members of the 1919 Chicago Black Sox.
The decision modifies MLB’s stance on “permanent ineligibility,” establishing that such bans will now expire upon an individual’s death. The announcement precedes Cincinnati’s scheduled Pete Rose Night, honoring the career hits leader despite decades of controversy.
Pete Rose accepted a permanent ban from baseball on August 23, 1989, after MLB’s investigation revealed that he bet on games while managing and playing for the Cincinnati Reds. Although Rose petitioned for reinstatement multiple times, including in 1997 and again in 2015, both attempts were rejected.
Commissioner Manfred maintained in 2015 that Rose had not demonstrated genuine reform. After Rose’s death on September 30, 2024, attorney Jeffrey Lenkov filed a new petition for his reinstatement in January 2025, which eventually led to this week’s policy shift.
Posthumous Policy Shift Sparks Debate Over Integrity, Legacy, and Hall of Fame Eligibility
Commissioner Manfred defended the policy change in a letter, stating that the objectives of Rule 21—to preserve the integrity of the game and serve as a deterrent—are fulfilled once an individual is deceased.
While many fans and figures welcomed the decision, Marcus Giamatti, son of the late Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti who originally banned Rose, expressed strong disapproval. He criticized the decision for undermining his father’s legacy and claimed it compromised the sport’s integrity.
Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson (MLB)Under current Hall of Fame regulations, anyone on MLB’s permanently ineligible list is barred from induction. With the bans lifted posthumously, both Rose and Jackson now become eligible for consideration by the Hall’s Classic Baseball Era committee.
This group, which meets next in December 2027, evaluates players whose primary contributions occurred before 1980. Candidates must receive at least 75% of the vote from a 16-member panel that includes Hall of Famers, executives, and historians. Rose was never officially on the BBWAA ballot due to his ban, though he received scattered write-in votes.
Hall of Fame Reconsiders Legends Amid Controversy, Redemption, and Statistical Greatness in Baseball History
Pete Rose’s career remains one of the most statistically impressive in baseball history. The 17-time All-Star still holds records for hits (4,256), games played, at-bats, and singles. He won Rookie of the Year in 1963 and MVP in 1973.
Shoeless Joe Jackson, banned for allegedly throwing the 1919 World Series, was a .356 career hitter—third-highest in MLB history—and remains a cultural icon due in part to his portrayal in Field of Dreams. With the ban lifted, both players’ legacies may now be fully re-examined by the Hall of Fame.
Although former President Donald Trump expressed support for Rose and even suggested a posthumous pardon, it’s unclear if he played any role in influencing MLB’s decision. Rose’s legal troubles extended beyond baseball—he was convicted in 1990 for filing false tax returns, resulting in prison time, fines, and community service.
Despite these issues, the new ruling from MLB allows for Rose’s baseball accomplishments to be reconsidered independently of his criminal record, reigniting debate over morality, redemption, and recognition in professional sports.
