[nightfighter]

Originally Posted by Mike P

And while I agree that Rose should be in the Hall--let's not forget that he cut a deal with Fay Vincent, the Commissioner at the time--he accepted the lifetime ban, including HOF ineligibility, in return for baseball keeping the nature and extent of his gambling secret. Then, almost immediately, he started lobbying the press for reinstatement, and to this very day, continues to deny that he ever bet on baseball.

Bart Giamatti was the one who initially banned him. His unexpected death has thrown a all subsequent commissioners in a bind as they don't want to be theone who overrules Giamatti.