You are here
Home > Baseballology > Legalizing Sports Betting Doesn’t Absolve Pete Rose

Legalizing Sports Betting Doesn’t Absolve Pete Rose

Pete Rose was a great player. The same kind of brazen, fearless play he exhibited on the baseball diamond did him in later in life. With the announcement that sports betting will be legalized throughout the land, many were thinking this would help Pete Rose. It won’t.

MLB hasn’t changed their rules. Management still can’t gamble on games. Betting on your team to win is harmful. It can affect the game, the way you treat your pitchers, substitute players etc. MLB wants to stay far, far away from this slippery slope, as they should.

Rose never came clean until he decided to do it, many years later, in a book. That was his decision, a bad decision, and that’s why he not in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. MLB ruled on this last year and they’re done with it.

The all-time hits leader will always have his place in his fans’ hearts but the BBWA will never vote for him again. He will never appear on another ballot, the same as Shoeless Joe Jackson. That has been very consistent and that will never change.

People want to make excuses as to why this isn’t that bad. I’ve heard the steroids is a worse argument and one has nothing to do with the other. Apples and Oranges.

What will be the next change that will get people talking about Rose again? Pete’s not talking about it. As Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber essentially said; Rose’s story is a cautionary tale and that will keep players away from the temptation to bet on their own sport. MLB did the right thing here. So did the Supreme Court, but one has nothing to do with the other. That’s a reach and it created some dialogue on an already open and shut case.

Russ_Cohen
I'm the author of 10 books. If you're looking for autographed copies just go to my Twitter @Sportsology and DM me.

Leave a Reply

Top