When Bowie Kuhn “banned” Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle from baseball for working at Bally’s, he did NOT say they couldn’t go to games, and he did NOT say they couldn’t put on their old uniforms and take part in Old Timer’s games. All he said was that they could not work for Bally’s while simultaneously working for a major league team. I happen to think that was a very reasonable stipulation.
Fact is, Mantle and Mays COULD have goen to Yankee or Met Old Timers’ games any time they likied. They CHOSE not to, as a matter of spite. Most fans assumed that Bowie Kuhn was keeping them away from those games, and Mantle and Mays happily LET the fans think just that.
In this case, I think the Commissioner was 100% right, and the Hall of Famers were 100% wrong.
Personally, I don’t care if Rose not only bet on games, but threw them for proffit. I could give a rats ass if he admitted as much in front of the Lord God almighty with one hand on a bible. Rose should be in for his acomplishments on the field, not as a manager. The whole idea of the “integrity” of baseball is a sick, sick joke with people like Selig in charge. Baseball has no integrity, not as it is currently run.
Again, Weirddave, it’s important to understand that Bud Selig has no control over the Hall of Fame. It is a completely separate institution.
Why should the Hall of Fame defile itself by inducting Pete Rose because Bud Selig is a scumbag? I just don’t follow that logic. The Hall of Fame has some integrity.
I meant literally on the playing field, instead of in the dugout. Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t Rose the player/manager for the Reds for a few seasons?