Longtime Cincinnati Reds announcer Marty Brennaman voiced his frustration with Major League Baseball’s (MLB) decision to reinstate Pete Rose from the permanently ineligible list, calling the timing ‘the wrong way to go.’ Brennaman, 82, who called Reds games from 1974 to 2019, criticized MLB for hastily making Rose eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame just months after his death. He argued that the decision undermined the significance of Rose’s actions and the long-term consequences of his gambling on games.
While some fans have celebrated the move, others, like Brennaman, have questioned the timing and implications of reinstating a player’s eligibility after his passing. Brennaman noted that Rose had accepted the possibility of never being inducted into the Hall of Fame while alive but had hoped for his family to enjoy the honor. However, he believes that MLB’s rush to make Rose eligible did not respect the gravity of Rose’s past actions and the impact of his gambling on his legacy.
Although Rose was a legendary player with 4,256 career hits, a 17-time All-Star, and a three-time World Series champion, his legacy has been tarnished by his gambling on baseball games, which led to a lifetime ban from MLB in 1989. The decision to reinstate him for consideration has sparked a mixed reaction, with fans and analysts debating the merits of the decision and its potential impact on historical narratives about baseball’s most controversial figures.