MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced quite the surprise yesterday in a new rule change that directly affects Pete Rose and 16 other deceased players on the permanently ineligible list.
Rose has been on the permanent banned list for quite so time now due to his gambling which is why he is still not in the Baseball Hall of Fame despite being the all-time MLB hits leader.
Rob Manfred announces new rule that could end up having Pete Rose enter the Hall of Fame
Manfred made a massive announcement yesterday that the Rule 21 ban will no longer be in affect once a player passes away since they can no longer be a threat to the integrity of the game.
«In my view,» Manfred wrote in a letter to Lenkov, «once an individual has passed away, the purposes of Rule 21 have been served. Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game. Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve.» -Manfred
Due to this rule change, a list of 17 players including legends Joe Jackson and Pete Rose has now been removed from the ineligible list and will not have a chance at being inducted into the Base Hall of Fame.
In reinstating Rose, Manfred also reinstated the following individuals who have passed away while on the permanently ineligible list, including: Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Joe Jackson, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver, Lefty Williams, Joe Gedeon, Gene Paulette, Benny Kauff, Lee Magee, Phil Douglas, Cozy Dolan, Jimmy O'Connell and William Cox. -Castrovince
After the announcement, Cincinnati Reds owner Bob Castellini released a thank you message to the MLB commissioner as he believes that Rose deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
"On behalf of the Reds and our generations of loyal fans, we are thankful for the decision of Commissioner Manfred and Major League Baseball regarding the removal of Pete Rose from the permanently ineligible list,» -Castellini
This is a massive change for the game of baseball especially if Jackson and Rose end up getting into the Hall of fame.