Major League Baseball Issues Policy Decision on Permanent Ineligibility Status After Death

Today, begins a new era. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred removed Pete Rose, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and other deceased players from Major League Baseball’s permanently ineligible list. After mauling things over Manfred ruled that MLB’s punishment of banned individuals ends upon their deaths. They are now presumably eligible for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame. These decisions and developments have paved the way as Major League Baseball issues a new policy decision on permanent ineligibility status after death.

The ball has been rolling when it comes to permanent ineligibility status in baseball for years. However, Pete Rose’s family has really helped to move things along. The family has felt that the league should make a much different call regarding Rose; especially, now that he has passed.

Commissioner Manfred has obviously come to see things from the Rose family’s perspective. And now All-time MLB hits leader Pete Rose and 17 other players are now eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame after the league’s commissioner removed them from the permanently ineligible list.

Major League Baseball Issues Policy Decision on Permanent Ineligibility Status After Death

Regarding Rose and others now being unbanned, Major League Baseball and the Commissioner made the following statement:

“In response to a petition from the family of Pete Rose, Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. today issued a policy decision regarding the status of 17 individuals who passed away while on the permanently ineligible list. Excerpts of a letter to the lawyer for the Rose family included:

‘The question of whether an individual should remain on the permanently ineligible list after his death has never been formally addressed by Major League Baseball. Indeed, Mr. Rose is the first person banned by a Commissioner other than Kenesaw Mountain Lands to die while still on the ineligible list. As such, it is incumbent upon the Office of the Commissioner to reach a policy decision regarding this unprecedented issue in the modern era.

In my view, once an individual has passed away, the purposes of Rule 21 have been served. Obviously, 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.

Therefore, I have concluded that permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual, and Mr. Rose will be removed from the permanently ineligible list.

I want to emphasize that it is not part of my authority or responsibility to express any view concerning Mr. Rose’s consideration by or possible election to the Hall of Fame. I agree with Commissioner Giamatti that responsibility for that decision lies with the Hall of Fame.

While it is my preference not to disturb decisions made by prior Commissioners, Mr. Rose was not placed on the permanently ineligible list by Commissioner action but rather as the result of a 1989 settlement of potential litigation with the Commissioner’s Office. My decision today is consistent with Commissioner Giamatti’s expectations of that agreement.’”

Manfred finished things up by saying, “To establish clarity for the administration of the Major League Rules, the decision in this matter shall apply to individuals in the past or future who are posthumously on the permanently ineligible list. There are 17 deceased individuals disciplined since the founding of the Commissioner’s Office impacted by today’s announcement, including Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Joe Jackson, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver and Lefty Williams; Joe Gedeon; Gene Paulette; Benny Kauff; Lee Magee; Phil Douglas; Cozy Dolan; Jimmy O’Connell; William Cox; and Pete Rose. The full text of the letter from Commissioner Manfred to Jeffrey M. Lenkov accompanies this press release.”

Now we wait and see how writers vote. Will this new move get various athletes now into the Hall of Fame? We will soon see.

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