MLB Clears Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson for Hall of Fame Consideration

Major League Baseball has removed 17 names from its permanently ineligible list, including two of the sport’s most talked-about figures—Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson. The move comes decades after their respective scandals and signals a fresh policy stance by Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Good to know

• Rose and Jackson are now eligible for Hall of Fame consideration starting in 2028.
• The updated policy only applies to individuals who have passed away.
• A total of 17 former players and executives were taken off the ineligible list.

Commissioner Manfred clarified the reasoning in a letter to attorney Jeffrey M. Lenkov. “Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game,” he wrote. “I have concluded that permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual.”

This decision followed a formal petition earlier this year, mainly focused on Rose, whose family has long advocated for his reinstatement in hopes of a Hall of Fame spot.

Rose, who died in September, was banned in 1989 by then-commissioner Bart Giamatti for betting on baseball, including games involving his team while managing the Cincinnati Reds. He initially denied the accusations but admitted in 2004 that he had bet on baseball. Despite the ban, Rose finished his career with 4,256 hits—a number that still leads the all-time list.

MLB enforced Rule 21, which was designed to protect the game’s integrity. However, as Manfred noted, the purpose of that rule has already been served once the individual is no longer alive.

The Cincinnati Reds responded positively to the change. “Pete is one of the greatest players in baseball history,” said Reds owner Bob Castellini. “Reds Country will continue to celebrate him as we always have.”

Shoeless Joe Jackson’s name was also dropped from the ineligible list. He played for the 1919 Chicago White Sox and was one of eight players banned for their connection to the infamous Black Sox Scandal. Despite hitting .375 during that World Series and leading in several categories, Jackson was banned in 1920 by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. His exact role in the scandal has been a topic of debate for years.

Along with Rose and Jackson, the other 15 names removed from the list include Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver, Lefty Williams, Joe Gedeon, Gene Paulette, Benny Kauff, Lee Magee, Phil Douglas, Cozy Dolan, Jimmy O’Connell, and William Cox.

While removal from the list is a major step, there is no guarantee of Hall of Fame induction. The earliest any of the 17 could be considered is 2028. Hall of Fame Chairman Jane Forbes Clark said, “Being removed from the permanent eligibility list will allow for the Hall of Fame candidacy of such individuals to now be considered.”

At the time Rose was banned, MLB had no official relationship with gambling. That has changed since the Supreme Court struck down PASPA in 2018. Sports betting is now legal in 38 U.S. states, and MLB has partnered with several sportsbooks. However, players, managers, and staff are still prohibited from betting on MLB games.

Manfred did not cite the expansion of sports betting as a reason for the policy change but referred to it as a “policy decision on this unprecedented issue in the modern era.”