Pete Rose and the Hall of Fame

 

Photo credit: Tage Olsin

I've wanted to comment on this and finally found the time. As Don Van Natta reported on May 13, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred removed "Pete Rose, 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson and other deceased players from Major League Baseball's permanently ineligible list." Manfred decided that "permanent" meant lifetime, not forever, and the relevance is that the Baseball Hall of Fame, a separate entity from Major League Baseball, had a rule since 1991 denying anyone on the permanently ineligible list from being inducted.

This rule was chiefly directed at Rose. Before 1991, other ineligible players, like Jackson, had been eligible for the Hall but were never inducted. Eight were banned from Baseball in 1921 after the 1919 World Series-fixing scandal. Along with Jackson, two others might have finished with Hall of Fame-worthy careers.

Pitcher Eddie Cicotte won 209 games with a .585 win percentage over 14 years (1905, 1908-20). According to Stathead, he was sixth in wins over the 1905-20 span and, among players with at least 150 wins, tenth in ERA. He was not, however, nearly as dominant as some of the legends of the era, like Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Grover Cleveland Alexander.

Buck Weaver, a switch-hitting shortstop and third baseman, played only nine seasons; ten are required for inclusion into the Hall of Fame. His last four seasons demonstrate that he was becoming a good hitter, and probably very good for his position. If he hadn't been suspended and played until 1930, he may have finished with 2600-2700 hits, perhaps finishing 21st to 13th on the career list at the time.

Without the permanent ban, Shoeless Joe Jackson would have made the Hall of Fame at some point. In 1920, his last season before the ban, he had the second-best batting average and third-best OPS (on-base % plus slugging %) of all time. If he had played several more years, these averages would have likely declined as he moved past his prime, but he would have ranked much higher in quantity measures like career hits.

Nevertheless, Jackson's violation of the rules was far more egregious than Rose's. He accepted money to help throw the World Series. Perhaps he didn't actually throw it; the stat line indicates that Jackson played well. At the very least, however, Jackson received a bribe to keep his mouth shut while some teammates intentionally played poorly. At best, Jackson participated in fraud.

Rose was found to have bet on baseball games during his post-playing career as a manager, which is a no-no, and bet on games involving his own team, which is even worse. It's true that when he bet on his Reds, it was always on them to win, but the very act of doing so was compromising and sent signals to others. What if he bet on his team one night but not the following night? How would his betting have influenced his personnel moves regarding the starter rotation and relief pitching?

Rose's conduct was explicitly prohibited, and his lifetime ban was warranted. However, it's also true that when people watched a Rose-managed Reds game, they could expect the Reds to be trying to win. Rose opened himself up to possibly being compromised, which is far from the same thing as participating in fixing the World Series.

Jackson's conduct as a player damaged the integrity of the game; why would the Hall of Fame enshrine someone who did that? Pete Rose's misconduct as a manager was serious, but not close to the same level of severity.

The Baseball Writers of America typically selects players eligible for the Hall of Fame, and they can remain on the ballot for ten years. After that, Hall of Fame historical committees may take a turn on candidates. Rose's candidacy, however, will bypass the BBWAA and go to the Historical Overview Committee and the Classic Baseball Era Committee. According to the Hall's rules, Rose can't even be considered until December 2027.

I agree with Bob Costas, who told John Ziegler (beginning around 131:31) that Jackson had been considered by the Baseball Writers Association of America twice, once in the 1930s and once in the 1940s, and got little to no support. Costas thinks the BBWAA should also consider Rose because it never had the chance to vote on him.

In any case, I agree with what Commissioner Manfred did. Before Manfred lifted the permanent ban, I could never put my finger on exactly why I didn't want Rose inducted into the Hall. Rose wouldn't admit wrongdoing for many years, and even after he did, he made no lifestyle changes that would indicate he could be trusted to work in baseball again. But his on-field accomplishments warranted induction.

Manfred's action clarified my thinking.

For me, it comes down to this: while Rose belongs in the Hall of Fame as a player, he didn't deserve to personally receive the honor. He didn't deserve the applause. He didn't deserve the chance to stand at a podium and make a speech at the Hall. And he didn't deserve the opportunity to market himself as a Hall of Famer for economic purposes.

Rose deserved a lifetime ban from both MLB and the Hall of Fame, but not a permanent ban from the Hall of Fame.

Now that Rose has passed on, perhaps it is appropriate to remember his unprecedented achievements as a player, when he was a great ambassador for the game. I'm glad the Hall of Fame will someday decide, one way or another.

On a related note, I've seen some reaction that Rose deserves the Hall because MLB's relationship with gambling has changed, and society is now more tolerant of gambling. That's a ridiculous argument. It's true that sports betting has become legal in more places, making it less connected to mobsters. It's also true that MLB once went to extreme lengths to disassociate itself from gambling of any kind, while now it's comfortable with fans betting on games. However, the same rules of integrity remain as they've always been: if you work in the Major Leagues, you can't bet on baseball.

Imagine 70 years ago, an unmarried professor working at a Christian college had a sexual affair with an unmarried, 18-year-old student. Let's say he was brilliant and had a sterling reputation, but when the affair was discovered, he was fired and, disgraced, never found work in academia again.

Let's say this Christian college has since become more liberal and secular. Can you imagine its current administration saying, "Well, sexual mores have changed, and pre-marital sex among consenting adults is tolerated in this institution and widely accepted in the broader society. Therefore, in retrospect, we were wrong to fire this professor."

Wouldn't that sound absurd? It's evident that the changing mores had nothing to do with it; the problem was the classroom's integrity and the teacher-student relationship. It wasn't a matter of sexual morality, but of ethics.

Likewise, the changing relationship of society toward gambling has nothing to do with the Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson cases. Ultimately, it wasn't about the gambling; it was about ethics.

And in my opinion, Jackson's breach was much greater than Rose's. Jackson doesn't belong in the Hall. Rose, finally, does.

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Above Water

 

ABOVE WATER

"Samuel Anointing David" by Jan Victors. PHOTO: public domain.

The following is a slight adaptation of a talk I gave at Unity Lincoln on May 25, 2025. Biblical passages are from the World English Bible Classic version.

Tomorrow (May 26, 2025) is Memorial Day, a federal holiday for honoring and mourning those who died in the line of duty while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Our country is a republic. In its most basic sense, a republic means that no person, and no class of persons, is born with the power to rule over other people. We say those who sacrificed for the country died for the republic.

And so, as Americans, we may find it odd or uncomfortable to think of the spiritual or religious realm as a monarchy: the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven. As Americans, the idea of a King is associated with a tyrant under whom we have no rights.

But there's also a fascination with monarchies. The King and his court operate on an almost entirely different plane than the rest of the nation. They are set apart, in a sense "above" the worries and cares of the "common" people, precisely to represent the nation's unity, stability, and order. Most kings and queens of the modern age are Constitutional monarchs in democratic systems of government, but even then, they represent permanency. For example, if there is no more changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, you can conclude that something terrible has happened.

So, ultimately, the republics and monarchies of the nations have the same purpose: to preserve unity, stability, and order in the country. The Kingdom of God is invisible, but it has the same purpose for you: to protect your own stability, order, and wholeness. This means the absence of inner conflict. The Kingdom of God is inner peace. 

Inner peace is "a state of feeling good, unburdened by guilt or worry." Inner peace is the faith, the conviction, that all is well. That my thoughts are in alignment with my greatest good.

You may have great health, wealth, or fame. But you may also be weighed down by regrets, resentment, or worry. Without inner peace, you can't be happy. The temporary pleasures or escapes you may experience might be fine in themselves, but without peace, the form of pleasure can become an addiction, which only compounds the guilt and worry.

When Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6: "But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well," he was saying that without inner peace, nothing else matters. Inner peace is what is required to truly enjoy life. This is why, after the resurrection, Jesus greeted his disciples with, "Peace be with you." 

It's why the Apostle Paul wrote (Philippians 4:7), "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus."

Christ Jesus is the savior. Peace is the salvation.

In God's kingdom, you are the king; you are the queen. For Christ is in you just as Christ was in Jesus. To seek the Kingdom of God is to seek who you truly are.

"Christ" literally means "anointed one." In the Bible, to be anointed with oil was to be appointed to the office of high priest or king. It is derived from a Greek translation of the word Messiah. The implied meaning of the  "anointed one" is the "chosen one," the savior or liberator.

Symbolically, the oil represents the holy spirit. In 1 Samuel chapter 16, Samuel is guided to anoint David as the next king of Israel. It says, "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the middle of his brothers. Then Yahweh’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward." 

Jesus personified, or is a representation, of the anointing oil, the holy spirit. The name Jesus means  "God saves," whereas "Christ" and "Messiah" mean "deliverer" or "savior." In essence, to say "Jesus is the Christ" is to say, "the savior is the savior." I AM that I AM.

But what do we need to be saved from? 

All we ever need to be saved from is whatever disturbs our inner peace, whether it's a worldly problem like bills or physical illness, or an emotional issue like guilt or worry. The invisible holy spirit, represented in the Bible as the anointing oil for the Messiah, is our savior.

Every one of us is capable of finding and feeling inner peace. That means we all have access to the holy spirit. That means we are all anointed ones. 

That means we are all Kings and Queens. The savior is the Christ that dwells within each of us. Christ the King is who I am.

On a podcast recently, I heard the independent researcher and author Micah Dank briefly mention Jesus walking on the water. Jesus represents the anointing oil, and oil does not mix with water. It stays above the surface. Micah Dank's point was that it is oil that "walks" on top of the water, that is above the water. And that reminds me of Genesis chapter 1, verse 2:

"The earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep and God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters."

I'm also reminded of an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in which a hostile silicon-based life form calls humans "ugly bags of mostly water." I disagree with the first part: I think humans are a good-looking race. But the second part's true: our bodies are 60-70% water. 

My human body is a bag of water. It includes a sense consciousness - an ego - but my true self is spirit, Christ the King. Like a king over a nation, my spirit looks after my body, loves it, guides it, and wants it to have the best experience, but doesn't get mixed up with the body or its ego. My spirit will not sink or drown in this bag of water. But, my ego must decide for itself whether to call upon the spirit, the Christ within, to guide it and save it. My ego must first seek the kingdom of God.

Now I'm going back to the account of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14:

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves . . . In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It’s a ghost!” and they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.”

Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.”

He said, “Come!”

Peter stepped down from the boat and walked on the waters to come to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased. Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”

Jesus, the one anointed with spiritual oil, could not sink into the water. And when he told Peter, "Why did you doubt?" he was asking why Peter let the wind disrupt his peace, causing him to sink, when Peter had already demonstrated the faith to walk on water. 

The anointing oil used in ceremonies was olive oil, and I will point out that Jesus picked up the donkey to ride into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. He delivered prophesies to his disciples, known as the Olivet Discourse,  at the Mount of Olives. On the night of his betrayal, Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, at the Mount of Olives. 

Where does the Book of Acts say Jesus ascended into heaven? The Mount of Olives.

But people were seeking the Kingdom of God, people were seeking inner peace, long before the stories of Jesus. In Teach Us to Pray, by Charles and Cora Fillmore, that we're studying in the Metaphysics class every Sunday at 9 A.M. here in the library and on Zoom, the Fillmores bring up an example of this seeking from 2 Kings, chapter 4:

Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead. You know that your servant feared Yahweh. Now the creditor has come to take for himself my two children to be slaves.”

Elisha said to her, “What should I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?”

She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil.”

Then he said, “Go, borrow empty containers from all your neighbors. Don’t borrow just a few containers. Go in and shut the door on you and on your sons, and pour oil into all those containers; and set aside those which are full.”

So she went from him, and shut the door on herself and on her sons. They brought the containers to her, and she poured oil. When the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.”

He said to her, “There isn’t another container.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

Then she came and told the man of God [Elisha], He said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

The prophet Elisha performed other miracles. He promised an elderly couple they would have a child. He raised a child from the dead. He multiplied loaves to feed a lot of people. He cured a leper, even though the leper was a foreign general. He even raised another person from the dead when he himself was dead. That's in 2 Kings 13. You could say Elisha was the original Jesus! 

And I'm not being facetious. As I said earlier, the name of Jesus means "God saves." And the meaning of the name Elisha? "God saves.

Here's what I think. The widow with her small pot of oil was drowning in debt. But she had faith, so she prayed to the one known as "God saves" to bring her inner peace and receive instruction. She decided to seek first the kingdom of God. You could say she prayed for divine order and divine guidance, to be anointed with spiritual intuition. And when she followed the advice, foolish though the instructions seemed to be, abundance flowed. 

So if you're worried about anything, whether you're drowning in sorrows or drowning in debt, seek the savior who will pull you out of your sea of troubles - seek your inner peace with the faith that all is well. Seek first the Kingdom of God. Then, secure in that knowledge, you will be open to receive spiritual guidance. 

Peace be with you.

James Leroy Wilson writes The MVP Chase (subscribe) and JL Cells (subscribe). Thank you for your subscriptions and support! You can contact James for writing, editing, research, and other work at jamesleroywilson-at-gmail.com.