I would agree with Rapier on this one had Rose not gambled on baseball games as a player. Had he only erred in judgment as a manager, then you could permanently ban him from the Hall as a manager, while admitting him as a player. But Pete Rose the player (and manager) compromised the integrity of the sport. He gambled on the Reds while he played and managed them. He also lied about it for decades. That's unforgivable. No sport should ever tolerate players, coaches or managers gambling on the game. Had he been honest and upfront about his impropriety from the beginning, then maybe I could understand suspending him from Hall consideration for 25 years, and then letting him get enshrined. But the lies and the cover-ups do not speak well of his credibility. As such, it's hard to believe him when he now says that he only gambled for his team to win. While I wouldn't go as far as banning him from attending games as a spectator, or even working as a spring training instructor/scout, he should never be welcomed into the Hall of Fame, and he should never be allowed back into the game as a coach, manager or team executive.
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