For what it’s worth, Pete Rose is getting a hall of fame induction… in the Cincinnati Reds’ team hall.
Bypassing its usual voting process, Reds announced that it will induct Rose into its Hall of Fame this summer.
During the press conference, Reds’ chief executive Bob Castellini said Tuesday that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred approved the plans to honor Rose. The June 24-26 events will retire Rose’s No. 14 and feature a 40-year reunion of the 1976 world champion Reds.
The Reds Hall of Fame had the same rule that the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has had since 1991, which barred any players on baseball’s permanently ineligible list from induction, but the board of directors voted unanimously to change the bylaws and elect Rose.
The board also bypassed its usual selection process that involves fans and media voting.
Manfred denied Rose’s request to be lifted from baseball’s banned list last month. He concluded that Rose has not made enough reconfiguration in his life, which, according to then-commissioner Angelo Bartlett Giamatti, was Rose’s best chance to be reinstated.
That could the right decision from the commissioner as allowing Rose, who still gambles on baseball, presents risks of a future violation. But there is no denying that Rose was a great player and even Manfred, despite the unfavorable decision, acknowledged Rose’s accomplishment.
Manfred also believes the ban shouldn’t stop Rose from being considered for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, as he remained the all-time leader in hits with 4,256.
“I haven’t given up on Cooperstown. I’m not the type who’s going to give up on anything,” said Rose. I’m not going to sit here and say this is the second-best thing, because it’s not. Maybe it would be if I wasn’t from Cincinnati, but I’m from Cincinnati, so this is the first big thing.”
The club already has various symbolic tributes to Rose inside its stadium. The seven baseball bats featured on both smokestacks symbolize the #14 of Pete Rose, since MLB has restricted his number from being displayed along with other Cincinnati greats and adjacent to both the stadium and the Reds Hall of Fame is a rose garden, a single white rose surrounded by shades of red and pink marking the exact spot that the Rose’s record-breaking 4,192nd hit landed.
These sneaking in will change comes June. Rose’s face and name will be posted in the hall of Fame as well as a statue to honor the all-time MLB Hit King. Because according to Reds, “Now is the time.”
