Pete Rose is finally heading to the Hall of Fame. The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.
The Reds will induct Peter Rose into their Hall of Fame during the weekend of June 24-26, essentially changing its rule that had matched the one the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown has, which is barring anyone on baseball’s permanently ineligible list from induction.
Rose had his application for reinstatement denied by Commissioner Rob Manfred back in December. Rose has been banned from baseball since 1989 after he agreed to the ban because of his gambling scandal. Even though Rose is not eligible for election into the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, he is however allowed to be honored during special ceremonies, as he was during the 2015 All-Star Game in Cincinnati.
Rose, Reds president and chief executive officer Bob Castellini and Reds Hall of Fame director Rick Walls will hold a press conference Tuesday morning.
“Inducting Pete Rose into the Reds Hall of Fame will be a defining moment in time 147-year history of this storied franchise,” Reds CEO Bob Castellini said in a statement Tuesday. “He is one of the greatest players to ever wear a Reds uniform and it will be an unforgettable experience watching him be honored as such.”
By the Reds bypassing their usual voting process, Rose was selected by the Reds Hall of Fame Board of Directors as the only inductee for 2016. Rose will become the 86th player or executive inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame since its inception in 1958.
“Pete Rose’s on-field achievements and impact on the Reds and its fan base are unquestionable and worthy of induction into the Reds Hall of Fame,” Walls said in a statement. “We look forward to this summer where, in front of his fans and with his teammates, ‘Charlie Hustle’ will be recognized for his contributions to the rich and distinguished history of the Reds.”
Rose, 74, spent 19 of his 24 major-league seasons with the Cincinnati Reds and was a key member of the Big Red Machine that won two World Series in the 1970’s.
Rose’s No. 14 has yet to be officially retired, but the only player to ever wear his number was his son, Pete Rose Jr., when he played for the Reds in 1997.
