In what is believed to be his last recorded interview before his passing, baseball icon Pete Rose openly reflected on his lifelong pursuit of a Hall of Fame induction – and his sad belief that it would only come after his death.
Rose, who passed away at 83 on September 30, 2024, from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, sat down with Dayton, Ohio sportscaster John Condit just ten days before his passing.
The interview was intended for an undisclosed documentary. During their conversation, the Cincinnati Reds legend was candid about his future in baseball’s most prestigious institution.
“I’ve come to the conclusion, I hope I’m wrong, I’ll make the Hall of Fame after I die,” Rose said.
Despite being MLB’s all-time hit leader with 4,256 hits, a 17-time All-Star, and a three-time World Series champion, Rose never saw his name appear on a Hall of Fame ballot.
His lifetime ban from baseball in 1989 for betting on games has kept him from induction, despite decades of debate about whether his on-field dominance should outweigh his off-field failures.
Rose expressed frustration at the idea of being enshrined in Cooperstown only after his passing.
“What’s the point? Because they’ll make money over it? The Hall of Fame is for what you did on the field, not what you did off the field,” Rose added.
Throughout the interview, Rose made it clear that he held no grudges about his exclusion.
“I’m not bitter about everything,” he said. “When you make a mistake, don’t be bitter to other people. I wish I hadn’t made the mistake, but I did, it’s history, get over it.”
Despite his storied career, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly denied Rose’s reinstatement requests, keeping him on baseball’s permanently ineligible list.
However, speculation remains about whether the league could reconsider its stance in the wake of his passing.
President Donald Trump recently reignited the conversation, publicly stating his intent to grant Rose a full pardon and advocating for his recognition based on his on-field legacy.
As debates over his legacy continue, one question lingers: Will Pete Rose finally be inducted into the Hall of Fame now that he is gone?
It feels like we’re getting closer and closer to that actually happening. Assuming it does, the whole situation would play out exactly how Rose predicted in his final interview.
What are your thoughts on the wild Rose saga? … Should he be in the Hall of Fame or not???
