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“HALL OF FAMERS-GET THEIR DAY-FINALLY”
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Make way for Charley Hustle and Shoeless Joe in Cooperstown.
In death they have finally been freed of the stigma of their life, taking part in betting rings on baseball.
At the Hall of Fame, the baseball shrine, you cannot write-tell the entire history of the game, if you exclude certain records set by players no longer allowed in the game, or expelled from the ballot in Cooperstown-can you?
Pete Rose and Joe Jackson have been reinstated by the Commissioner’s office. Their memorabilia is in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and now their names are in line to be put on the Hall of Fame ballot too, with plaques to follow in the Gallery.
Rose died months ago, but since 1992 has been seeking reinstatement to the game he set so many records in.
Jackson died in 1951, in poverty, in disgrace for what he did in 1919.
Rose bet on baseball while the Player Manager of the Reds in 1985-86-87, always to win-never to lose.
Jackson took (5,000) from gamblers during the 1919 World Series-but never threw a game in the World Series against the Reds.
Found guilty, by the 225-page John Dowd Report, Rose appealed for reinstatement 3-times and was rejected. His family made a followup appeal after he passed. Rose lived a life of sin, continuing to gamble, hawking autographed baseballs, jerseys, hats, books, whatever he could-wherever he went. He showed little to no remorse in taking your 200-dollars for whatever he signed.
He went to prison for tax evasion on gambling earnings. He was investigated for having sex with a 15-year old girl. He was defiant till he finally came clean, in a book he wanted you to buy.
Superstar but super sleazy too.
Jackson appealed for reinstatement multiple times but was denied by iron-fisted Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis. His sin, a man who could not read or write, was taking money but refusing to throw games.
It was not easy. Rose lied for 19-years, then finally admitted it. Jackson played semi pro baseball for decades, living out his life running a South Carolina liquor store.
They now will have the Classic Era Committee, 16-members, vote to add them to the Hall List. 12-yes votes are needed. Can you say ‘Rubber Stamp-Yes’. Then the BWAA (Baseball Writers Association America) will vote, with 75%-needed to get into the Hall.
Remember though, this is the group that has kept the steroid cheats, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens out of Cooperstown for a decade. One wonders if their moral conscience outweighs the memo from the Commissioner reinstating Rose-Jackson? And there are other pages now to consider beyond Bonds’ home run record, Clemens strikeouts; add Alex Rodriguez drug suspension and Manny Ramirez reputation history. Are the standards for players and person now separate entities come Cooperstown time?
Is there enough room on a Rose-or-Jackson plaque for an * asterisk about the gambling ban?
Those gold adorned plaques will include Rose’s stats, 24-years in the majors, 4,256-hits, a (.303) career average, 17 All Star berths, Rookie of Year, MVP, 3-World Series rings.
Jackson’s plaque will include a (.375) career average, a .408 season, and 13-years of excellence with the Indians-A’s-White Sox.
Both were great talents, with great flaws as human beings, whose lives ended like a black mark obituary notice, a true tragedy.
But on this day, this week, there is sunshine across the baseball map. They should get in, as players, if not people.
And there is a side note to all this. The Commissioner, who spent 3-years considering the layers of this possible decision, also changed ‘Rule 21’, the one that mandated a lifetime suspension for anyone gambling. Manfred has decided ‘that in death-the lifetime suspension ends..There was no greater deterrent than a lifetime ban with no reprieve’.
It means Shoeless Joe’s teammates of the White Sox-Black Sox scandal, eight in all, who were also barred, are removed from the ineligible list.
In Cincinnati, where they always celebrated Rose, the Reds honor his memory on Wednesday night. It now turns into a year long celebration.
There is no one left from the Black Sox era, though family members of Jackson and teammate pitcher Eddie Cicotte, including a son, former Yankees pitcher Al Cicotte, are likely celebrating too.
We remember so much about Rose’s style, hustile, skill, smile, smirk. The movie ‘8-Men Out’ a classic of all time, refreshes us about the 1919 White Sox team and its place in baseball history.
Isn’t it interesting, now the tone of conversation? ‘He served his time in life..in death he is now eligible’. Do we consider the vote ‘only for the player-discounting the person?’. Food for thought.
On the other street corner, are national sports media raging about ‘where’s the accountability for doing what Rose did’, and the purist who believe you are ‘shedding right-vs-wrong values by allowing Rose onto a ballot’. Even in death, the discussion on the Hit King will continue.
Among the hottest national media quotes:
..Dark day for baseball
..Where’s accountability
..Baseball without integrity
..This opens floodgates
..Hall of Shame off the field
..Not check any boxes for character-integrity-sportsmanship
..About his behavior-conduct
..Can’t heal man-so honor man
..Loved baseball-Loved gambling more
Cooperstown awaits, two of the greatest hitters of all time, now waiting for a ballot, a vote, and what will be a historic ceremony, to take place. The history of what they did-be damned.
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