CLASSIC BASEBALL Tom DiGiandomenico
Baseball Has No Room for Pete Rose
There is absolutely, positively no place for Pete Rose in Major League Baseball or the Baseball Hall of Fame. .
The rules were established following the 1919 Black Sox scandal when eight Chicago White Sox were banned from baseball for conspiring with known gamblers to fix the World Series. Baseball's first commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, was appointed to uphold baseball's public trust with the fans of America following the 1919 scandal. He acted swiftly and wisely to ensure that competition among major league baseball teams would not be compromised by the lust of wicked gamblers and ballplayers slithering in their pockets.
That public trust was upheld by late commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti in 1989 when he and Rose reached an agreement that banned Rose from baseball for life. Although there is no hard evidence that Rose bet on baseball and he never admitted to this, the fact that he signed this agreement suggests otherwise. He was afraid of the fallout if his misdeeds were investigated and revealed upon his Hall of Fame eligibility.
The circumstantial evidence against Rose is overwhelming. In November 1989, two months after his banishment, Rose appeared on the Phil Donahue Show, telling the world that he was a compulsive gambler seeking help, although he has yet to further elaborate on this so-called "help".
Whether or not you believe Rose bet on baseball, there is no doubting his association with known gamblers, felons, and drug dealers. Rose also admitted to betting heavily on basketball and football. Can we assume that Rose never used his inside baseball knowledge to stall or even pay off angry bookmakers? Based on his seedy past, Rose does not deserve the benefit of doubt.
Rose still hasn't admitted guilt, but recently met with commissioner Bud Selig to discuss reinstatement. John Dowd, the investigator commissioned by Major League Baseball to explore Rose's past, recently told the New York Post that it was "probably right" that Rose not only bet on Reds games, but he bet against the Reds as a manager in the mid-to-late '80s. Dowd also said if he had more time to investigate Rose 13 years ago, he would have likely unearthed even more damaging accounts of the all-time hit leader's lurid past.
Rose's lifestyle has also tarnished the hobby. He has used proceeds from autograph signings to pay off gambling debts. Historical artifacts from his brilliant career will never see the Hall of Fame no matter what Selig decides because Rose sold them to pay off debts. He has also been convicted of tax evasion for not reporting proceeds from autograph shows.
Do not feel sorry for Rose. He knew the rules and did not abide by them. He is a baseball man without a place to hang his cleats because of a disgraceful past. He seems to enjoy being the baseball rebel, often frequenting the casinos and night clubs of Las Vegas and Atlantic City. I have nothing against legal gambling, but a man who was banned from Major League Baseball because of his gambling habits should seek an alternative hobby before appealing to the commissioner for reinstatement.
Rose was far from a sympathetic figure as a player as well. Listening to Rose, you would think he was the first and only professional athlete to out-hustle the competition. He was a great player, but spent far too much time signing the praise of Pete Rose. A baseball player is expected to hustle, there is no reason to discuss it every time he is in earshot of a microphone.
Ultimately, it was Rose's hustle off the field that lead to his undoing on the field. His unwillingness to admit guilt and seek help should keep his banishment on the books.
Supporters of controversial athletes are extremely loyal and passionate, which is why Pete Rose baseball cards and memorabilia have been very active lately after years of apathy. A '63 Topps Rose rookie (#537) graded PSA-9 recently sold for $7,500 on eBay. Non-graded versions in Ex-Mt condition are selling for $600-$800. Most of his cards from the '60s in Ex-Mt condition have been selling lately.
Rose Bobbleheads are selling for $15-$20, while autographed bats with a certificate of authenticity -- a must in today's world of collecting, especially when a pathetic figure like Rose is the signer -- are selling for $110.
Do not purchase Rose autographed memorabilia as an investment. He flooded the market with his signature in order to pay off debts, so his autograph does not carry the same value as baseball's other all-time greats.
Because Rose has been banished from Major League Baseball, there are no bat, jersey, autograph, etc. cards of him. If Rose is reinstated any time soon, look for Rose memorabilia cards to be the hottest commodity of the year.
Tom DiGiandomenico is the publisher/editor of Sports Cards Gazette. Contact him at spcgaz@yahoo.com
