Articles about Gambling
Pete Rose Gambled and Lost
Pete Rose Gambled and Lost
Few would argue that Pete Rose is one of the greatest baseball players to ever put on a pair of spikes. Baseball is a game of statistics and he is the owner of one of the greatest stat records in the game. During his playing days, Pete Rose got more hits than any other player to come before or after. In a game that has featured such great hitters as Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Ichiro, and Cobb, Rose's longevity and consistency put him above all the rest past and present.
No one ever questioned his hustle or skill on the baseball diamond, but his character and judgment have plagued him since his days as a player have ended. In August of 1989, Pete Rose received a lifetime ban from the sport that he gave so much to. An investigation revealed that while a manager of the Cincinnati Reds, Rose had gambled frequently on sporting events. Rose denied adamantly that he had ever bet on his beloved game of baseball, but he had clearly and admittedly broken the rules on gambling that major league baseball had established.
For a brief period near the turn of the century, it seemed that momentum was building toward the commissioner of baseball considering a lift of the lifetime ban. Rose was deservedly recognized as a member of baseball's All Century Team and received a long standing ovation from the fans in attendance for his contributions to the game.
The pinnacle moment never came however. Rose seemed to say all the right things during that period and eventually got as far as applying for reinstatement and meeting with the commissioner. The commissioner never took action after the meeting on the issue which lead many to suspect that Rose, despite his years of denials, had bet on the game of baseball.
These assumptions were validated when Rose released an autobiography that told of his years of gambling and admitted not only to betting on baseball, but to betting on the team that he was managing at the time.
For years the lifetime ban of one of baseball's greatest stars seemed questionable and severe, but in the end, Rose made more than a mere error in judgment. He had made a habit of breaking the rules on a regular basis without regard for the consequences or lack of integrity involved in the action. Though the punishment is extremely harsh, the knowledge that has been gained since its execution has it seeming just.