Did you know that Jimmy Carter feels

that Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame? It's true!!! http://baseball-almanac.com/players/p_rosed.shtml

No one should approve of what Pete Rose did off the field. That is easily forgiven and forgotten.

On the field he played baseball the way it was meant to be played: hard and scrappy. I remember his rookie year. Everybody knew there was something special about this kid who sprinted to first base on a walk like he was trying to beat out a ground ball.

Does Pete Rose belong in the Hall of Fame? Four thousand hits speak for themselves. Four thousands hits are not so easily forgotten.

What he did off the field has nothing to do with him getting into the Hall of Fame. it is what he did on the field, and what he did on the field was get the all time record for hits.

...then Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle, etc., shouldn't be in the Hall.

Due to their on-field performances, though, they're all justified in being in the Hall.

So should Pete Rose.

...especially in relation to how one represents the game of baseball.

Pete Rose threatened the integrity of the game when he gambled on his own team.

That's not remotely the same as being a drunk and womanizer, a racist asshole or a drunk and a womanizer(answering your examples respectively).

Take an interesting case, Kirby Puckett. Kirby was perceived as one of baseball's great ambassador's struck down with gluacoma before he was ready to retire. He was voted in easily even though his career numbers weren't HOF locks. Well low and behold turns out Kirby was a real piece of shit, beating his wife and mistress and assualting another woman. If it was as widely publicized before his HOF as it was now, I doubt he would have gotten in. Even when he died suddenly every writer dealing with it made mention of his ugly side.

to bet on the sports they play. with the caveat that all bets are registered and published before the game. Who cares if Pete Rose bet on his own team to WIN? show me some evidence that he bet on his team to lose, no spreads, simply to lose, and we'll talk. show me a single play he dogged, let alone a game, to win a bet. no one is arguing that.

Pete Rose should be in the hall of fame. he helped define an entire generation of ball players, and his stats speak for themselves.

As somebody pointed out, Rose never bet on the Reds to lose. However, what did it mean that he didn't bet on a given day? As the Reds' mamager, he would have known, for example, if his starting pitcher had a sore shoulder or something like that.

It's not a good idea for sports figures to go anywhere near gamblers. It hurts the integrity of the game.

However, I still say that Rose has paid his price for his sins and it is long past time to celebrate Pete Rose, aka Charlie Hustle, the player.

the minute money entered the picture, there was no integrity left in the game, or any game. Baseball is a business, not a game. and it's not even an open business, it's a cartel. The minute you can put a price tag on a player, you remove integrity from the game.

and that is do not gamble on baseball.

I think its pretty obvious he did gamble.

I think Mike Wilbon has the right idea. Let the HOF have him with the stipulation that his plaque carry a lengthy explanation of the disgrace he brought upon himself and the game.

he gambled when he managed and he wouldn't be inducted as a manager, he would be inducted as a player.

I say induct the guy for on field accomplishments... If cheaters like Gaylord Perry (and in the future Barry Bonds) can get in when what they did actually affected on field play, then Rose should get in based on accomplishment especially since his sins did NOT affect on field play.

Rp

on weekends only

Solves everything

Rose had his chance to make ammends but botched that horribly.