One word, Ty Cobb - The HoF is full of reprobates, drunks, gamblers, womanizers, abusers, etc - either kick them out or let Rose in, don't care which, I do care about hypocrisy.
Go Royals
Baseball 2025
- Thread starter FinLuver
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One word, Ty Cobb - The HoF is full of reprobates, drunks, gamblers, womanizers, abusers, etc - either kick them out or let Rose in, don't care which, I do care about hypocrisy.
Go Royals
FinLuver
Native Oregonian…1846
The LIST could very well be a L O N G one too.
Oh 100%. All sports HOFs have many terrible people lionized inside. That's why I tried to be clear in my post that one could easily make a strong case for him being in.
I just think he was a piece of crap and will shed no tear if he's left out even if that's hypocritical of the MLB. But I'd have said the same for any talented-athlete/awful-human under discussion. Heck, they could kick Cap Anson out today and I'd be supportive.
FinLuver
Native Oregonian…1846
We peoples are a weird lot…
We idolize the Hollywood crowd, the music makers, and the sports stars even knowing that they using, sexing, and full shit most of the time.
Agreed. I do my best to separate the art from the artist. Trying to do otherwise is a road to madness. Appreciate the creation and don't put the creator on too high of a pedestal.
As humans, for better or worse, we contain multitudes.
charles sullivan
Life of the Party
That's why Rose can't get in. Gambling on baseball is a crime against baseball. It goes directly to whether the game is being played to win or lose. It goes to whether you are managing/ playing in a manner that is best for your team or to win that nights bet.
Rose should never get in IMO.
Let me first say I am not, nor never was a fan of Pete Rose, even when he played for my beloved Expos, but there is no evidence he ever bet against his team winning. Ty Cobb, on the other hand, retired earlier from the Tigers than he wanted because of alleged game fixing in 1919. Dutch Leonard and player-manager Tris Speaker were also implicated. There is no evidence of such game fixing by Rose, and given his competitive nature and his hatred of losing, I doubt he ever bet against his own team.
Ty Cobb, game-fixing, and the fascinating end to an iconic career
Today we start our series looking at some MLB players who are franchise icons for one team, but ended up moving on to another before retirement. The story of Ty Cobb is a great place to start.
www.beyondtheboxscore.com
As I stated, either throw them all out, or let them vote him in or not (no guarantee he will get in), but let's not be hypocrites about it - same rules for all!!
And that is all I have to say on this matter
Go Royals!
Happy to have him never get in. He's a turd.
But there is a legit argument to be made that there are a number of folks who harmed the game's honesty are already in the hall. Cap Anson, who I already mentioned, was a gambler who bet on baseball (and an outspoken racist played a huge role in keeping black players out of the game for decades). Ty Cobb was accused of both betting and fixing games. It's well known that Gaylord Perry and Whitey Ford doctored baseballs. I promise you that a few steroid era users will end up in the HOF (if they aren't already) even if Sosa/Bonds/etc are kept out. While it's too early to tell, I highly suspect that nobody eligible from the Astros' "trash can banging" cheating teams will be denied the hall. Every one of those things harms the core of baseball.
Applying a moral standard of socially objective behavior to pro sport athletes when looking at our current social landscape is pretty laughable.
If their play on the field is warranted all players should be eligible for the HOF, with a disclaimer on their plaque if elected of what their accompanying baggage was, whether gambling, steroids, etc.
Rose making the HOF, however, is highly unlikely as his election is not up to the 400 sportswriters who traditionally vote on same. Instead, his nomination will be sent to a 'special committee' in 2027, selected by the HOF commissioner who can appoint anyone she wants including Rose haters, and likely will.
If their play on the field is warranted all players should be eligible for the HOF, with a disclaimer on their plaque if elected of what their accompanying baggage was, whether gambling, steroids, etc.
Rose making the HOF, however, is highly unlikely as his election is not up to the 400 sportswriters who traditionally vote on same. Instead, his nomination will be sent to a 'special committee' in 2027, selected by the HOF commissioner who can appoint anyone she wants including Rose haters, and likely will.
If repugnant behavior and formerly illegal actions were a disqualifying factor we would all be in a different place right now. Given the direction it seems things are going it would not surprise me to see his transgressions perhaps not forgiven but overlooked.
Detroit Tigers.
charles sullivan
Life of the Party
I favor keeping out the steroid era players and to be honest a lot of the steroid era journalists who have covered/ appologized for them.
The Astros stuff is more than a bit overhyped. I don't care for the use of electronics etc but sign stealing isn't the same sort of crime.
Gambling on baseball has been the cardinal sin since the early 1900's. Rose knew that.
There is no such thing as fair. Just because some people get away with attacking the sport does not mean all should.
I would be for that process 100%.
I wonder what the voting would look like if you reversed the process and had today’s current voters, with the access they currently have to the game today, views from other players, stats, etc vote for the Class of 36 with all their worts, racism whoring and probably betting to boot.
Then reverse the process and have the voters of yesteryear vote for today’s players. Total fantasy, but I get it.
Something I would like to see happen is have a panel of current players with say, 10 years of continuous service, maybe three from each league, have the ability to vote for newly eligible players for their first 3 years.
They would know about the player with .278 lifetime batting average but they would also know about the fact he was the heart and soul of a team that went to the playoffs for 3 out of the 5 years he played for that team, was the catalyst that that showed two rookies who became All Stars how to act professionally and was the leader in the clubhouse.
Maybe I’m just getting old but when I read a column today written by someone that has inserted into his daily diatribe a players current W/+%\$&++ and R/p\¥^ I’m thinking who needs to read this shit, and quit.
That makes my hair hurt. I’m done.
PLAY BALL!
Replicant
Life of the Party
This.
I mean, I love stats as much as the next geek, but honestly, it gets old, very quickly....
Just to clarify, I don't SUPPORT the argument that he should get in because other s--tbags are in. If it were up to me, I'd prefer pulling the other s--tbags out.
I'm just saying there is an argument to be made by folks who wish to make it and there's some logic behind that argument.
As far as I'm concerned, being a married 34 year old father of two and then having sex with a 14 year old girl and using "I thought she was 16" as your excuse should leave "a 50 gallon barrel sunk to the bottom of the ocean" as the only thing you are allowed to "get in". But that's just me.
The guy had a lifetime ban. Now he's dead. His enshrinement into the official backslapping club of MLB registers very low on my give a fucks meter. It's their club and if they want to embarrass themselves by doing this instead of fixing the ball/strike problem, then let them. It's their club to screw up as they please.