The decision of the MLB on permanent ineligibility after death has an impact on Pete Rose, others

Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. has made a political decision today concerning the status of people who died on the permanently ineligible list. This question has never been officially addressed by Major League Baseball, but a request submitted by the Pete Rose family has been incumbent on the commissioner’s office to make a political decision on this unprecedented issue in the modern era while Mr. Rose is the first prohibited person after the mandate of Commissioner Kenesaw Landis to die while being on the ineligible list. Commissioner Manfred concluded that the MLB policy will be that permanent ineligibility ends with the adoption of the disciplined individual.

In a letter to Jeffrey M. Lenkov, Mr. Rose’s lawyer, Commissioner Manfred wrote: “In my opinion, a determination must be taken concerning the way in which the phrase” permanently ineligible “must be interpreted in the light of ends and policies behind rule 21, which are to: (1) Protect the game against individuals who pose a risk for the integrity of sport by prohibition of the participation of individuals; Reduces the probability of future violations by others. Rose will be removed from the permanently ineligible list. »»

Commissioner Manfred also wrote: “Although it is my preference not to disrupt the decisions taken by the previous commissioners, Mr. Rose was not placed on the permanent list ineligible by the action of the commissioner, but rather following a 1989 settlement of potential disputes with the commissioner’s office. My decision today is in accordance with the attention of Commissioner Giamatti for this agreement.

“The comments of Commissioner Giamatti were completely reasonable since, at the time, the temple of fame had no rule prohibiting people on the ineligible permanent list of the renowned temple.

To establish the clarity of the administration of the major league rules, the decision in this case applies to people in the past or the future which are posthumously on the ineligible permanent list. There are 17 individuals who died disciplined since the office of the commissioner’s office affected by today’s announcement, notably Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Joe Jackson, Fred McMullin, Sweden Risberg, Buck Weaver and Lefty Williams; Joe Gedeon; Gene Paulette; Benny Kauff; Lee Magee; Phil Douglas;
Comfortable Dolan; Jimmy O’Connell; William Cox; and pink pete.

The full text of the letter from Commissioner Manfred to Jeffrey M. Lenkov is available here.

Tuesday’s announcement does not guarantee that one of the former newly eligible players will appear on a future ballot in the fame of fame. The president of the temple of the renowned of the board of directors Jane Forbes Clark published the following declaration:

“The National Baseball Hall of Fame has always argued that anyone withdrawn from the permanently ineligible list of baseball will become eligible for the consideration of the renowned temple. Game before 1980 – to vote when it will then meet in December 2027. ”

The owner of the Reds, Bob Castellini, published the following declaration:

“On behalf of the Reds and our generations of faithful fans, we are grateful for the decision of Commissioner Manfred and the Major League Baseball concerning the deletion of Pete Rose from the permanently ineligible list.

“Pete is one of the greatest players in the history of baseball, and the Country Reds will continue to celebrate it as we have always done.

“We are particularly happy for the Rose family to receive this news and what this decision could mean for them and all Pete fans.”