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For anyone invoking Pete Rose’s name in the Astros scandal, it’s WAY too simplistic to say Pete was banned because he bet on baseball. He’s out of baseball because he gambled and continued to lie about it for years. /1
When Pete was busted he was offered two deals, a 10-year suspension, then one for 7. He chose indefinite because it would allow him to apply for reinstatement after a year (insert joke about bad bet). BUT the deal was he had to reconfigure his life. /2
Pete was convinced Giamatti would let him back in but Giamatti died & Vincent wasn’t inclined. Selig very much wanted to reinstate him but Pete made it impossible, lying about the extent of his betting. Selig kept kicking the can, not approving but also not denying the request /3
So Pete could have been back in baseball by 1996 if he’d just agreed to the deal that had been offered. Instead he chose another path and then did nothing to show he’d reconfigured his life. /4
Manfred came in determined to act on Pete’s long-standing request. But shortly after he took office we reported on the existence of a notebook that showed Pete HAD bet on the Reds, despite 25 years of denials, and Manfred finally denied the application for reinstatement. /5
The point is Pete could have been back in baseball, and thus eligible for the Hall of Fame, a long time ago. /fin
