In a landmark decision that reshapes baseball’s approach to discipline and legacy, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Tuesday the posthumous reinstatement of 17 previously banned players; headlined by Reds legend Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson from the Roaring 20s’ Chicago White Sox. The ruling clears the way for their potential induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, decades after scandals left their legacies in limbo.
Manfred’s decision to reinterpret the league’s stance on “permanent ineligibility” signals a philosophical shift: bans will now conclude at death. In a letter to Rose’s attorney Jeffrey Lenkov, Manfred explained, “A person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game. Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve.”
Rose aka “Charlie Hustle”, MLB’s all-time hits leader, passed away in September 2024 at age 83. His name was officially cleared just one day before the Cincinnati Reds plan to celebrate his career with “Pete Rose Night.” His reinstatement comes nearly 36 years after agreeing to a lifetime ban for betting on Reds games during his time as a player and manager from 1985 to 1987.
Cincinnati Reds owner Bob Castellini called the move long overdue. “Pete is one of the greatest players in baseball history,” he said. “Reds Country will continue to celebrate him as we always have.”
The Phillies, where Rose played a pivotal role in securing the franchise’s first World Series championship in 1980, supported the decision, referring to Rose as “one of the greatest players in the history of the game.”
Though reinstated, Rose cannot be considered for induction until 2028, when the Hall of Fame’s Classic Baseball Era Committee next convenes. The committee, composed of Hall of Famers, executives, and historians, will weigh his candidacy based not only on statistics but also character, sportsmanship, and integrity — a clause that has long stood as a barrier.
Jane Forbes Clark, Chair of the Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors, confirmed that MLB’s decision paves the way for eligibility: “The National Baseball Hall of Fame has always maintained that anyone removed from Baseball’s permanently ineligible list will become eligible for Hall of Fame consideration.”
Alongside Rose, the reinstated list includes Jackson, the legendary outfielder implicated in the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Despite posting a .375 batting average in that infamous World Series, Jackson and seven teammates were banned for allegedly conspiring to throw the Fall Classic. Their banishment marked one of the darkest chapters in baseball history and led to the creation of the commissioner’s office, first held by Kenesaw Mountain Landis.
Jackson, who died in 1951, remains a mythic figure in the sport’s lore — immortalized by Ray Liotta’s portrayal in Field of Dreams. His involvement in the scandal remains hotly debated, with defenders arguing that he was more a victim of circumstance than a willing participant.
Commissioner Manfred had previously denied a petition to reinstate Jackson in 2015, citing the inability to overturn Landis’ original judgment after nearly a century definitively. Tuesday’s ruling reverses that stance, noting that Rule 21’s primary aims, protecting the sport’s integrity and deterring future misconduct, no longer apply once a player is deceased.
The other players connected to the Black Sox scandal were also reinstated: Eddie Cicotte, Oscar “Happy” Felsch, Fred McMullin, Charles “Swede” Risberg, George “Buck” Weaver, Claude “Lefty” Williams, and Arnold “Chick” Gandil. Several others banned for gambling-related violations, including Benny Kauff, Joe Gedeon, and Jimmy O’Connell, were also included.
While the reinstatement reopens Hall of Fame pathways, voters will still weigh off-field conduct. In Rose’s case, this includes not only his gambling history but also a 1990 conviction for tax fraud and damaging allegations from a 2015 defamation case, in which he was accused of sexual misconduct with a minor in the 1970s. Rose has denied those claims.
Despite the controversies, Rose’s impact between the lines remains staggering. Over a 24-year career, he collected 4,256 hits, breaking Ty Cobb’s long-standing record and setting all-time marks in games played, at-bats, plate appearances, and singles. A 17-time All-Star, Rose was named Rookie of the Year in 1963, NL MVP in 1973, and World Series MVP in 1975.
Reds manager David Bell acknowledged the gravity of the moment, saying, “This is a moment of reckoning. Pete’s career was complicated, but his love for this game and what he accomplished can’t be denied.”
Manfred’s decision redefines the meaning of a “lifetime ban” and confronts a broader question — how should baseball reckon with greatness clouded by scandal? “The purposes of Rule 21 have been fulfilled,” Manfred wrote. “A posthumous penalty serves no further deterrent purpose.”
As the Classic Baseball Era Committee prepares for its 2027 vote, both Rose and Jackson will now receive the evaluation they were long denied. Whether their legacies shift from infamous to immortal remains in the hands of the Hall’s electors.