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Pete Rose’s Lifetime MLB Ban Expires
Finally.
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A long time coming.
By Ryan David
CINCINNATI—Pete Rose, Major League Baseball’s all-time hits leader and polarizing gambler, passed away Monday, making him officially eligible to be reinstated after serving a lifetime ban from the league. He was 83.
Long considered an unsavory figure, “Charlie Hustle” was banned from the MLB following an investigation that revealed he gambled on baseball games as manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
That revelation kept the storied slugger from entering the Hall of Fame and led to an enduring estrangement from the sport. With his sentence now finished, Rose’s renewed eligibility is fueling rumors he will return to America’s pastime.
“We’re exploring all options,” remarked MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. “Times have changed. Gambling is now an integral part of baseball and we’d gladly welcome back the Hit King. Given his incapacity, we’re unsure in what capacity he will serve.”
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Reactions to the Cincinnati icon's possible return to the league were mixed. While Manfred’s comments were lauded by those who thought Rose’s banishment was unfair, critics say a post-mortem reinstatement comes too late, and fans have voiced their grievances on social media.
“Rob Manfred proves his idiocy once again, this time by failing to comprehend the very nature of mortality,” read a post from user @RedsHotBalls on Threads. “What will they do, taxidermize Pete and erect his embalmed body in the Great American Ballpark gazebo? Actually, that would be pretty cool.”
How Rose died is still unclear. Las Vegas police say the famed hitter passed from natural causes at home, but that conclusion is contentious.
“We understand the skepticism,” said LVMPD Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren. “Pete had a crushing gambling debt, so it’s normal to suspect foul play. And though his battered corpse sustained two busted kneecaps, we believe this wasn’t from a mafia-style hit, but Rose’s trademark, head-first dive into a cashier's cage while claiming roulette winnings earlier that day.”
In a statement, the slugger’s family corroborated the assistant sheriff’s account.
“We thank everyone for their concern, but our beloved father and friend passed away peacefully. He lived boldly, bringing an unrivaled zeal to every hit, stolen base, and parlay. Pete is gone, but he died doing what he loved: betting against the Pirates.”
A private funeral will be held Saturday, sponsored by FanDuel.
End of the Bench will have more on this story after we get this bet in.
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