Pete Rose Now Eligible for Hall of Fame Following MLB Decision and His Death

Baseball legend Pete Rose, who passed away in September 2024 at age 83 from natural causes, is now eligible for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame following a significant policy change by Major League Baseball.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred ruled that permanent ineligibility from baseball ends upon the death of the disciplined individual. This decision effectively removed Rose from MLB's banned list, along with other deceased players including members of the 1919 "Black Sox" team like Shoeless Joe Jackson.

"This decision reverses a long-standing ban and makes Rose, a controversial figure, eligible for baseball's highest honor," according to reports. Rose will be eligible for Hall of Fame consideration starting in 2027.

Rose, known for his illustrious career primarily with the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies, had been serving a lifetime ban from MLB since the late 1980s for betting on baseball games, including those involving his own team while he was managing the Reds.

His death prompted widespread reflection on both his remarkable on-field achievements and the gambling controversy that defined the latter part of his life and career. The Hall of Fame eligibility represents a significant shift in how baseball will remember one of its most accomplished yet controversial figures.