Major League Baseball’s decision to reinstate Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Eddie Cicotte and other players banned for life due to gambling allegations has been met with mixed reactions.
The debate surrounding those players will only increase now that they are eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Rose will be included on the 2027 ballot. Jackson and Cicotte are likely to have a chance at being enshrined in Cooperstown as well.
Let’s examine the three players who have the best case for the Hall of Fame and their chances of eventually being inducted.
Pete Rose (1963-1986) | 80%
Based on his resume alone, Rose would be certain of being inducted into Cooperstown.
The 17-time All-Star is not only the only player in MLB history to make at least 500 appearances at five different positions, but he is also the only player to start the Midsummer Classic at five different spots. He saw time at first, second, third and all three outfield spots, with center (73 games) as the only position he did not have at least 500 appearances at.
His accolades are impressive. Rose was the 1963 National League Rookie of the Year, the NL MVP in 1973, won two Gold Glove awards and was a three time batting champion. Rose was part of three championship winning teams and was the World Series MVP in 1975. He finished his career with an MLB-record 4,256 hits en route to a .303/.375/.409 batting line in a record 15,890 plate appearances, hitting 746 doubles and 160 homers.
However, Rose may be dinged by the character clause even if his gambling is ignored. He had been the subject of statutory rape allegations stemming from incidents that started in 1973 and continued for several years. Rose refused to respond, saying “who cares what happened 50 years ago” to questions. Chances are, Rose will be inducted, but it may not be a simple matter of looking at his numbers and accomplishments.
Shoeless Joe Jackson (1908-1920) | 90%
Jackson’s banishment had been somewhat controversial as he may not have been part of the scheme to fix the 1919 World Series. Jackson had reportedly refused to be bribed twice and even attempted to tell team owner Charles Comiskey about the scheme, though Comiskey refused to meet with him. The other implicated players said that Jackson’s name was included to provide more credibility to the plan. However, Jackson had admitted to taking a bribe during grand jury testimony ahead of the Black Sox trial.
Jackson was one of the biggest stars in the game when his career came to an abrupt end. He posted a .356/.423/.517 batting line in his 5,697 plate appearances, hitting 307 doubles and 168 triples. Although his career ended after his age-32 season, Jackson ranks fourth all-time in batting average, 35th in OPS (.940) and 26th in triples. Had his career continued, Jackson could have been one of the all-time greats.
Eddie Cicotte (1905, 1908-1920) | 0%
Cicotte, judged strictly on his statistics, would appear to have a case for enshrinement. He had posted a 209-148 record with a 2.38 ERA and a 1.154 WHIP over his 3,226 innings. Although Cicotte was banned after his age-36 season, the knuckleballer had won 50 games between 1919 and 1920 and appeared to have at least a couple of more seasons ahead.
The problem is Cicotte’s role in fixing the World Series. He, along with first baseman Chick Gandil, were considered the ringleaders of the scheme. While the Black Sox were acquitted in court, the players were hardly devoid of guilt. Cicotte’s legacy will remain tarnished by his actions, regardless of whether or not he was reinstated posthumously. The Hall of Fame will not come calling all these years later.
