MLB Commissioner Says He ‘Paid Attention’ to Trump’s Call to Reinstate Pete Rose

Last month, MLB announced it posthumously reinstated Rose, ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson, and others.

Pete Rose takes part in the ceremony celebrating the 25th anniversary of his breaking the career hit record of 4,192 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sept. 11, 2010. Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said he “paid attention” to President Donald Trump’s call to reinstate Pete Rose—an action he ended up taking.

“The president was one of a number of voices that was supportive of the idea that this was the right decision,” said Manfred during a June 4 press conference. “Obviously, I have respect for the office, and the advice that he gave I paid attention to, but I had a lot of other people that were weighing in on the topic, as well.”

Trump announced in March he would posthumously pardon Rose, a 17-time all-star who was banned in 1989 for betting on games as a player and a manager of the Cincinnati Reds. He was banned from the Baseball Hall of Fame.

“Over the next few weeks I will be signing a complete pardon of Pete Rose, who shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on his team winning,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He never betted against himself, or the other team. He had the most hits, by far, in baseball history, and won more games than anyone in sports history. Baseball, which is dying all over the place, should get off its fat, lazy [expletive], and elect Pete Rose, even though far too late, into the Baseball Hall of Fame!”

Rose, who died last September, was in federal prison for five months in 1990 after pleading guilty of filing false tax returns.

Last month, MLB announced it posthumously reinstated Rose, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, and others. This makes them eligible to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

“Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game,” said Manfred in a letter to Rose’s attorney, Jeffrey Lenkov. “Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve.

“Therefore, I have concluded that permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual, and Mr. Rose will be removed from the permanently ineligible list.”

Manfred met with Trump in April.

“I met with President Trump two weeks ago ... and one of the topics was Pete Rose, but I’m not going beyond that,” Manfred said. “He’s said what he said publicly. I’m not going beyond that in terms of what the back and forth was.”

After initially denying he bet on games, Rose, who played between 1963 and 1986 and managed between 1984 and 1989, admitted in his 2004 autobiography that he bet on games.

“I did everything in my power every night to win that game,” he wrote.