With Rob Manfred elected to take over for Bud Selig, there has been recent talk about whether Pete Rose’s lifetime ban should be lifted, but former Major League Baseball commissioner Fay Vincent would be strongly opposed.
Appearing on Brady & Walker on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Friday, Vincent said the notion of baseball forgiving Rose, who was given a lifetime ban 25 years ago amidst accusations that he gambled on games, is ridiculous.
“It’s not a question of feeling sorry for (Pete) or if he deserves a second chance,” Vincent told Greg Brady and Ben Ennis. “In many things in life, you don’t deserve a second chance. There’s no fairness. You can’t fool around with gambling.”
Vincent, MLB’s commissioner from 1989-1992, added that no rational commissioner would ever allow Rose back into baseball. He says that there must be strong measures to ensure that gambling has no place within the game.
“The Pete Rose situation has very little to do with Pete Rose,” he explained. “It has to do with a deterrent. The deterrent against gambling in baseball is virtually perfect. Nobody bets on baseball. Nobody does it at any level. Because they understand that if you do it you’re out of baseball for life. It keeps people from being tempted to bet on baseball and it works.”
Rose, 73, was a 17-time all-star during his playing career with the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos. He won three batting tiles, the MVP in 1973, Rookie of the Year award in 1963 and three World Series titles. Rose is the all-time leader in hits, games played, at-bats, and singles.
