Pete Rose: The most cheated man in baseball history.

How can one of baseball's all-time greats be denied of what he truly deserves? Pure skill, hard work and fair play were the only factors that came into play in the career of Pete Rose, and still he is being cheated out of recognition because of a controversial sports scandal. The unbelievable player/manger for the Phillies, Expos and Reds had an absolutely legendary career. He is the all-time leader in hits, games played and at-bats. He even earned himself a couple batting titles, an MVP and a Golden Glove along the way. During his career, Rose was credited as one of the most respectable leaders in the game. He even managed the Cincinnati Reds from 1984 to 1986 WHILE still being a player in the starting line-up! So, how did this legend become the face of everything unmoral in modern sports? Well, it could all just be a big misunderstanding.

In 1989, three years after Rose retired, he was formally questioned and brought to court regarding illegal betting with the MLB while playing in the league. In the court case, the lawyers attempting to prosecute Rose argued that he sent an average of $10,000 a day betting on the MLB and even his own games, and Rose later admitted this to be true. The problem with the situation is the rule that Rose broke is completely outdated. It states that one may not bet on the MLB in anyway. But, Rose was not convicted or proved of betting on anyone other than his own team. He was betting to win, all it did was make him want to win the game even more. This in no way affected the integrity of the game, and could not have influenced the game's outcomes. All it did was provide extra motivation for Rose to do what he already wanted to do...win.

So, the question becomes how can Pete Rose be seen as a monster in the world of baseball? Stars like Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa have been tried and convicted of using performance enhancing drugs. Drugs that illegally made them better at their jobs, and more likely for them to win games. these individuals DID affect the integrity of the game, and Rose's antics DID NOT. With all this being said, why is it that Rose is the only living individual to be permanently ineligible from the MLB, and the only one to be denied access to the Hall of Fame? Trying to make a quick buck on your own performance does not even compare to cheating and lying to the public about influencing the results of games. Barry Bonds is officially the all-time career home-run leader, but it is a 100% fact that he cheated to break that record. Pete Rose was one of the greatest players of America's past time, and he did it genuinely. What he did may have been against the rules, and maybe even wrong,  but that does not change that he fairly earned his place as one of the best to step on a baseball field. Pete Rose deserves a place in the Hall of Fame.