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“The Pete Rose Scandal”

Pete Rose was one of baseball’s most influential players. For years people who loved the sport looked up to Rose and his participation in some of the most exciting baseball games in history. Then, in one of the biggest scandals in sports history, Rose was banished from the game he had played in for so long. Rose was caught gambling and betting on the sport he had become famous for. In more modern years, people began to debate about whether Rose should remain banished from baseball.

The Betting Scandal

Pete Rose was a leading hitter in the years he played baseball, and people often admired his athletic ability and competence in the sport–one of the most popular pastimes in the United States and often proclaimed to be the all-American sport. In later years Rose made his name by managing the Cincinnati Reds team. The scandal unfolded after Rose was discovered to be running up significant debts with bookmakers. He was discovered to have been making bets on his own team and was accused of placing his finances and betting schemes before his own team.

Rose was banished from the sport of baseball on August 23, 1989. For over a decade he remained outside of the game he once dominated. During this time period, Rose continually denied any involvement in betting on his team or anything else–as the gambling was considered illegal. The once-leading hitter was now a pariah in the sport. Throughout the course of his banishment from baseball, Rose continued to deny what had taken place. However, in later years he proclaimed publicly to have cleaned up his act.

Over a decade after his banishment from baseball, several people began to have discussions about reinstating Rose on the Hall of Fame ballot. The once-leading hitter deserved to have his name on the ballot, these people proclaimed. While Rose’s situation remains a controversial discussion, the scandal that ensued from his betting on the baseball teams serves to demonstrate how influential sports players can be–even in a situation where what they are doing is considered illegal.

This gambling story courtesy of: GamblingLore.com

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