As much as you or anyone else might scratch their head as to why I'm writing this, it just so happens to be the 20th anniversary of the day Pete Rose was handed a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball.
There are the those that scream and yell from their high horses about how he ruined the integrity of the game. And there are those that shout from the mountain tops down on the rest of us lowly peons that can't grasp that he did no harm and always played to win.
I obviously care that he played to win, but that does NOT cover up the deceit and lies he left behind as his new legacy.
His legitimacy as a player was and never will be in question, and he is one of the greats of all time. His hits record speaks to that. He is in Cooperstown by virtue of the fact that they do indeed have articles from the game where he broke the record, left the record, his 300th hit. They have jerseys and hats, cleats and bats. But he, should not be inducted into the Hall.
Here is my argument, and I am willing to wager, it's pretty air tight.
MLB Rule 21(d): "BETTING ON BALL GAMES. Any player, umpire, or club ...
Read Complete Article at Bleacher Report - Sports & Society
Article is property of BleacherReport.com