WILD IRISH (PETE) ROSE

You wonder if Pete Rose didn’t get a jump on his St. Patrick’s Day celebrating when he petitioned Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred for reinstatement.

Rose, MLB’s all-time leader in hits, agreed in 1989 to a lifetime ban from the game for betting on the sport while employed by the Cincinnati Reds as their manager.

Some of his managerial time overlapped his playing career. Lifetime is generally thought to mean the extent of one’s life. Rose was also banned from consideration for the Hall of Fame in 1991.

Manfred, who replaced the retired Bud Selig as commissioner two months ago, has hinted he might not oppose legalized sports gambling beyond its current Nevada base.

So maybe he will come at the Rose case a bit differently after Rose officially petitioned him on Monday. Manfred had already approved of Rose being involved in this year’s All-Star Game, being held in Cincinnati.

Rose’s long-time denial of his offense made the ultimate punishment seem to fit the crime. He said he didn’t do it right up until he said he did do it, with baseball’s massive Dowd Report documenting many of Rose’s wagers. Ever since the Black Sox scandal of 1919, baseball has considered gambling its worst sin.

But that was before steroids and performance enhancing drugs and tainted records amplified by chemicals. Throwing a game is unforgivable, but Rose bet on his team to win (talk about damning with faint praise).

Rose’s 4,256 career hits are a record unlikely to be broken, amassed in a career that stretched from 1963-86. Nobody played in more games. He was Rookie of the Year, an MVP, a three-time batting champ and a 17-time All-Star at five positions. Charlie Hustle always gave the fans what they came to see. If he doesn’t belong in baseball per se, he certainly belongs in the Hall of Fame. At 73, he’s not going to play or manage anymore, so why not broker a deal that at least lets the Hall consider him. And we can all move on.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .