Consider a student who passes a final exam under the influence of illegal drugs.
The professor might be inclined to call the police, but there’s no reason why
the student shouldn’t get the grade he earned. Then consider another student
who cheats on the same exam. No crime has been committed, but as a student
that’s the worst possible behavior, and deserves the harshest penalty.
 Gambling is the worst thing a ballplayer can do, because it undermines
the integrity of the game. Pete Rose did the worst thing a ballplayer could do
by not only gambling on games in the NBA the NFL and college sports, but also
baseball games. Peter Edwards Rose was investigated by Major League Baseball and
a hearing was scheduled for May of 1989. The scheduled hearing never took place
and yet Pete Rose was suspended from baseball and placed on the ineligibility
list. Pete could apply for re-instatement after one year. But less than one year
later the Baseball Hall of Fame added a clause to it’s eligibility rules
stating that players who were on Baseball’s ineligibility list could not be
considered as candidates. Commissioner Bud Selig said that the application would
be considered at an appropriate time. In 1997 Pete Rose applied for
re-instatement nearly eight years after he was first eligible to do so. He was
turned down  The question I raise is should Peter Edwards Rose be
inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his outstanding play on the baseball
field, or be denied it because of a gambling addiction. In my opinion Pete Rose
should be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and also be re-instated into Major
League Baseball. Yes Rose did commit a baseball crime and reluctantly admitted
to it but as compared to some of the people in the Hall of Fame and in baseball
Rose is no different. Guys who take drugs or beat their wives don’t get such
harsh punishment and many of them are still in the Hall of Fame and baseball.
 In today’s world gambling is considered an addiction. If this is the
case then why not allowing Pete Rose to be re-instated into baseball if he
agreed to have counseling on the issue. President Clinton committed acts that
almost got him impeached but the country forgave him and he is still the
President of the United States, and yet after ten years Pete Rose has not yet
been re-instated to baseball or even allowed to participate in official events.
 In a poll recently conducted on Ivotefor.com 75% or 198 of the 263
people polled said that Pete Rose should be re-instated, while a mere 25% or 65
said that Pete Rose should remain out of baseball. The Hall of Fame is as much
for the fans as it is for the players. Then why isn’t one of the most liked
sports figures allowed to continue his baseball career and be inducted into the
Hall of Fame.  Rose recently took another step closer to being
re-instated. He has backed an Official Pete Rose Online Petition set up at
www.sportcut.com. The petition will be sent on January 31, 2000 to the Baseball
Hall of Fame with all signatures. I urge you to vote for Pete Rose online to
better his chances.  In 1999 Pete Rose was elected to the all century
team.