Trump endorses Rose

According to tweet from Donald Trump, the late Pete Rose should be added to the National Baseball Hall of Fame posthumously.

the former President insisted the Hall of Fame powers that be should “do it now, before his funeral”

Taking a break from his regular tweeting about the upcoming presidential election, the former president insisted the Hall of Fame powers that be should “do it now, before his funeral.”

Rose’s legacy

Rose was one of the biggest figures in MLB history, spending most of his career with the Cincinnati Reds. He still holds numerous MLB records, including most career hits and games played. Over his career, he also won three World Series titles; these sorts of accomplishments would normally mean a sure-fire induction into the Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame voted two years after he was placed on the banned list to exclude those on it from entry.

However, a 1989 lifetime ban from baseball for gambling on teams that he both played for and managed means that his entry would be controversial. The Hall of Fame voted two years after he was placed on the permanently ineligible list to exclude those on it from entry. Rose claimed that only wagered on his own teams to win, but three MLB commissioners upheld the ban over a 33-year period.

Trump’s endorsement is unlikely to make a significant difference to the ultimate decision, but with his own sentencing for a hush money case postponed until after the presidential election, it’s not a huge surprise to see that he considers Rose’s punishment to be on the harsh side.

Rose on HoF

Comments from Rose himself suggest that the legend may prefer to remain outside. “I don’t see much sense in putting me on the ballot after I die,” Rose said in September 2024, weeks before his passing. “For a player to go into his or her Hall of Fame, it’s more or less for your family and it’s more or less for your fan base. And I’m big on both of those things right there.”

what good would it do my family if they put me in the Hall of Fame after I die?”

“Most of the people that rooted for me my whole career would love to see me in the Hall of Fame as a living player, not as someone that’s ten feet under. I always thought about that—what good would it do my family if they put me in the Hall of Fame after I die? I can’t think of anything good about that.”