If it was up to you would u lift the ban on Shoeless Joe Jackson? Pete Rose? Or neither?

Answer 1

I'd say that the ban on Shoeless Joe should be lifted.
1. A Chicago grand jury acquitted Jackson (and 8 other White Sox) of throwing the 1919 series. It's largely commissioner Landis' actions (the ban) that make people think that Jackson is guilty. The acquittal shows that there wasn't enough evidence to convict Jackson of the crime. I believe that, as the highest profile"Black Sock", he was used as an example to other top players of the day about the penalties of throwing games for money, even though he was most likely innocent.
2. Jackson hit .375 with 12 hits, 6 r.b.i. and 5 runs scored in 32 at-bats during the 8 games of the 1919 series. His fielding was described as flawless. If he was throwing the series, he certainly did a good job of hiding it.
3. The pre-1920 major leagues were rife with corruption (see Hal Chase for an example) and the Black Sox were the straw the broke the camel's back. However, if you look at Jackson's stats, career .356 average for starters, you'd be hard pressed to lump him in with the gambling game-throwers of his day.
4. People like Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth both made many positive statements about Jackson. They both would have known if he threw games or not and, given their love and respect for the game, they wouldn't have spoken of him in such a way if they had thought that he was dirty.
So that's why I think that the ban on Shoeless Joe Jackson should be banned and he should take his rightful place in the Hall of Fame. It's not because he was banned almost 90 years ago, it's because there isn't enough evidence to support this ban, no matter what the year.

Answer 2

We have three items...

Joe Jackson
Pete Rose
All the Roid Guys

The Roid guys at least played to win.

Pete Rose broke the one rule you see posted in every dugout and locker room in baseball.

Joe Jackson took the money, but we can't be sure how hard he played. He has good stats, but he did admit to only "poking at the ball" in a few key spots.

I think we have it about right. Pete Rose out forever, remembering Joe Jackson fondly as a man who played with crooks for an owner who did not pay his players what they were worth... and lumping the Roid Guys together in a Roid Era.

Let me know if any of the Roid Guys broke a major league baseball rule at the time they shot up. Many forget the rules were only recently put into place.

To bash the roid guys is to impose morality... let's just look at the rule book for now.

And don't underestimate the fact that they played to win. Guys like Rose bet on baseball games, with the power to affect the outcome.

If you know who will win before the event starts, well.... baseball become Professional Wrestling.

Answer 3

I'd let Shoeless Joe in the Hall of Fame. Joe was a dumb country boy that couldn't read or write and he was used by the gamblers involved in the scheme to throw the '19 Series. Pete Rose knew what he was doing was wrong and did it regardless.

Answer 4

Joe Jackson never admitted to the crimes against the game he was accused of whereas Pete Rose did.The 1919 Black Sox were acquitted of all charges against them in court.Only afterwards did Kenesaw Mountain Landis issue a lifetime ban against the players;which included Shoeless Joe.
Pete Rose on the other hand has admitted his guilt and has had even more to say on his matters in recent years.But I get the impression he has no remorse or is even yet completely truthful.Furthermore,he agreed to his own punishment;a lifetime ban from the game.Whether I'd lift it is irrelevant.He agreed to be banned from baseball.What is so difficult to understand about that for some people?

Answer 5

You gotta lift the ban on Jackson. He was found acquitted after all. Pete Rose intentionally broke a rule and admitted to it. Now here's a stumbling block: if accusations are enough to keep the 'roid guys and HGH guys out of the HOF, then Jackson should not have his ban lifted.
What I am tired of is MLB and the HOF voters listen to the media and investigators more than what is actually fact. It's like you can say one negative about anyone and these wing-nuts freak and and ignore accomplishments to favor innuendo.

Answer 6

I'd wouldn't lift the ban on either.

Jackson admitted in open court he took money to throw the games. If this isn't an admission of guilt, I don't know what is. I don't care how well he did in the series. He took the money.

Rose admitted he bet on baseball while manager of the Reds, despite the fact it broke the #1 rule in baseball. Just because he is Pete Rose he doesn't get a pass.

Answer 7

I've answered this question so many times, I actually have my answer saved in a .txt file:

None of us have enough information to speculate about how much knowledge Shoeless Joe had of the Black Sox plans, BUT there is no question about Pete.

1. He knew gambling was against the rules, regardless if you're a player, manager, trainer, etc.

2. He STILL bet on games he was involved in, knowing if he was caught he would be ineligible to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

3. He was caught, and made the deal to sign the lifetime ban in exchange for baseball not releasing their findings (that he bet on baseball.)

4. He lied about it to EVERYONE else for 15 years, until he wanted to sell books.

People that don't know the situation well enough think he should be allowed in, people that have done some research on it realize he should NEVER he inducted.
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Answer 8

I would let Shoeless Joe in the Hall of Fame. He signed a paper not knowing what he signed , yes he took the money, but had no idea what it was all about. Pete Rose....I don't give a crap how good he was, he cheated ..bottom line. No Hall of Fame for Petey.

Answer 9

If I absolutely HAD to unban one, it'd be Joe Jackson. Only for one reason: Rose's crime is proven and Joe's is not. Pete definitely bet on baseball, whereas we don't really know if Joe was in on the 1919 scam.

Answer 10

Let's put it this way. If just one steroid using baseball player gets into the hall, there has to be some kind of reevaluation of those who broke other rules as well.

I'm not a Pete Rose fan, not even when he was with the Phillies, but if they open the door to any of these chemically enhanced ball players the veterans committee, who would be in control of the vote, cannot deny a .356 lifetime batting average nor can they turn their collective noses up at 4256 career hits.

Let's hope it never gets to that point!