5/13/25

(Cooperstown, NY) After decades of Major League Baseball ignoring pleas from fans and players alike, the Hall of Fame bans on deceased players has been lifted. That now opens the door for players such as Pete Rose and ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson to take their respective places among the icons of the sport in Cooperstown. MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred ruled the Hall of Fame bans for individuals ends upon their deaths.

“Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game,” Manfred wrote in a letter to attorney Jeffrey M. Lenkov, who petitioned for Rose’s removal from the list Jan. 8. “Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve.

Pete Rose was banned from the Hall of Fame due to betting on baseball games while being the manager of the Cincinnati Reds in 1989. Rose passed away on September 30th, 2024.

‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson was banned due to his ties to the 1919 Black Sox Scandal in which the Chicago White Sox were accused of throwing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Jackson’s involvement in the scandal has always been questioned due to his high performance in the World Series in which he had the highest batting average at .375 and hit the only home run in the series while not committing an error. Jackson passed away on December 5th, 1951.

For more, click the link to read Don Van Natta Jr.’s story on ESPN.com.

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