Rose admitted in 2004 that he had bet on games, though never against his own team.
“Over the next few weeks I will be signing a complete pardon of Pete Rose, who shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on his team winning,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump said he planned to issue a “complete” pardon of Pete Rose “over the next few weeks,” ESPN reported that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is considering a petition filed by the family of 17-time All-Star in January that requested him to be removed from the sport’s ineligible list.
Why did it take so long for MLB to come to its senses? And be embarrassed into doing the right thing only after President Trump made HIS statement? After all, no crime was committed; only some rule established in 1919 was violated.
And considering that since at least 2018, MLB has accepted advertising from all the online gambling sites, has plastered the ads all over the stadiums, and broadcast sponsors during radio and television games, the hypocrisy is endless.
But Pete Rose was the ultimate sinner.
“Baseball, which is dying all over the place, should get off its fat, lazy ass, and elect Pete Rose, even though far too late, into the Baseball Hall of Fame!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday night.
Pete Rose died last year, on September 30, never to know his case would still be a matter that would be in the public eye. It is a shame MLB stood on its hypocritical ground to make a point. Lifetime ban, indeed.
In its own sense of self-righteousness, MLB has proven it would rather play hardball than show mercy on one of its greats. And doing so now, makes it all the more pathetic because it was embarrassed to do it now.
But at least, hopefully this summer, Pete Rose will finally earn his rightful place in the Hall of Fame.
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