14 Thoughts on Pete Rose
by Bill Staples, Jr.
Maybe Pete Rose is cursed. Everything connected to him seems somehow tainted. His birthday? April 14—the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. The day he passed Ty Cobb on the all-time hits list in 1985? September 11th. And now, his Hall of Fame saga is entangled in modern political extremism—which, in a strange way, feels perfectly on brand.
As a baseball fan and historian, I’ve recently been asked quite a bit about Pete Rose and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Friends, colleagues, even casual acquaintances want to know where I stand. I imagine this must be only a hint of what it feels like to be Johnny Bench—constantly fielding questions about Rose. (God bless Johnny Bench.)
So, I thought I’d put my thoughts down—for easy sharing and for the record. Here’s my take on "the matter of Mr. Rose." Below are 14 reflections on Pete and the Baseball Hall of Fame.
My 14 Thoughts on Pete Rose:
Full disclosure: Pete Rose the ballplayer was one of my childhood sports idols. Like many other young athletes born circa 1970, I modeled my style of play (in both baseball and football) after him. I don’t need a museum in Cooperstown to validate the players I loved watching. He’s already in my personal Baseball Hall of Fame.
Pete Rose the human being? That’s a different story. I’ve chosen to forgive what is forgivable. For what is not forgivable, I’ve chosen mercy. He’s one of many tragically flawed people in my life. Holding a grudge against Pete doesn’t hurt him—it only hurts me. So I’ve let that go.
That said, I do hope he’s elected into the Hall of Fame someday—soon. Not for his sake, or mine, but for baseball’s. The game and the fans who love it deserve closure.
However, I don’t believe the current Hall of Fame process—a 16-person era committee—will elect him. Public opinion is too polarized. In a recent poll by The Los Angeles Times, 46% of readers said yes to Pete, 54% said no. I don't think he has enough support to reach the 75% threshold required (12 of 16 votes).
But if I’m wrong, and he is elected, he should NOT be inducted with the traditional Hall of Fame class ceremony. The class of 2028 could include Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. Both are first-ballot favorites. They don’t deserve the circus that would accompany Pete’s induction.
Instead, a separate induction ceremony should be held for Pete. Hold it in Cincinnati at Great American Ball Park on his birthday—April 14, 2028. Likewise, if Joe Jackson is ever elected, hold his at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on his birthday—July 16. Plus, a special ceremony would allow Hall of Fame members who don’t want to be associated with the ceremony to opt out of attending—without the drama of public protest or walkouts.
Let’s be honest: Pete’s HOF case has been hijacked by the MAGA movement—and Pete is partly to blame for that (Exhibit A below). If he’s inducted in summer 2028 alongside others, there’s a real risk that the ceremony becomes politicized—especially since that’s a presidential election year.
Even worse, it could become dangerous. Imagine a mixed crowd of anti-immigration MAGA supporters alongside the large Dominican and Puerto Rican fanbase there to honor Pujols and Molina. The vibe could turn ugly. Inducting Pete separately would help avoid that tension.
Back to the process: the era committee structure isn’t built to fairly evaluate players forced to compete for votes against the likes of Rose and Jackson. This includes other stars before the 1980s, plus overlooked Negro Leaguers. That’s unfair to everyone involved. Instead, a new “Previously Ineligible Players” committee should be formed by the HOF—meeting maybe once a decade—to decide whether players like Pete or Shoeless Joe should be eligible at all. I would imagine that opinions on Pete will change over time, just as they have for Jackson.
The 16 committee members will be under immense pressure. If the vote goes against Pete, some fans and politicians might launch campaigns against them. The Hall of Fame should keep the voters anonymous.
Mike Schmidt once said, “Pete Rose is one of the most likeable arrogant people you’ll ever meet.” My dad was the same way. In fact, I suspect both men suffered from Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Studies show that people with NPD are more prone to gambling addiction. They crave validation and chase the thrill of winning—no matter the risk. Maybe, in time, Pete’s story will help us better understand addiction, psychology, forgiveness, and mercy.
Photo: Me and Pete, Diamond Dreams Baseball Fantasy Camp, Dodgertown, Vero Beach, FL, 2003Fuller disclosure: I met Pete Rose multiple times over five years at a baseball camp (first as an attendee, then afterwards as a staff member). He was funny, charming, told great stories, and gave solid coaching tips. In 2002, he confessed to me that he had bet on baseball. But when it came to the Reds, he said he only bet on them to win. “If the manager bet on his team to win, and did everything in their power to help his team win, why would anyone have a problem with that?” he asked. He didn’t understand that by not betting on every game, he was signaling to others when he didn’t have confidence in his team. That’s valuable info to gamblers. In 2004, when he released My Prison Without Bars, I brought a copy to camp and asked him to sign it. When he handed it back, I told him I was proud of him for finally coming clean. He looked stunned, at a loss for words, and simply said, “Thanks.”
Actor Paul Newman said that racing cars taught him a valuable lesson: “I realized I could do anything I wanted, as long as I was willing to pay the price.” It’s a shame Pete Rose never reached that understanding. Everything he’s going through now—after his death—is a consequence of the choices he made while alive. Pete said, “I’d walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball.” What he didn’t realize is that he’d be dragging his fans through hell with him—if they chose to stick by his side. That’s another reason why I’ve forgiven Pete. I choose not to live in his hell.
Many know that Pete Rose’s ban was lifted on May 13, 2025. Fewer realize the tragic irony of its timing: the decision came during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, several weeks after the Hall of Fame board voted against a proposal by the Nisei Baseball Research Project to amend the rules and allow Japanese American (Nikkei) baseball pioneers to be considered for election in the Classic Baseball Era. Under current guidelines, anyone not affiliated with MLB or the Negro Leagues remains ineligible. The Hall of Fame board met in February 2025, discussed the rule change, and voted no. And yet now, Pete Rose, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, and others who once disgraced the game are eligible. I remain optimistic—and philosophical—about the matter. As the saying goes, “Sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” Perhaps it’s for the best that the Hall of Fame candidacies of Kenichi Zenimura and other Nikkei pioneers aren’t lost in the chaos likely to surround Rose in December 2027. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Still, that arc feels especially long for those of us who support players who competed with honor but are excluded simply because of who they were and where they played. Until that injustice is addressed—until the Hall of Fame recognizes those from ALL historically marginalized leagues—not all wrongs have been righted. Justice delayed remains justice denied. That said, I think we’ve spent enough time talking about Pete Rose. Hopefully, we can all find closure soon—and begin celebrating the more positive legacies from the great game of baseball.
