On Tuesday, it was announced that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred decided that MLB’s punishment of banned individuals ends upon their deaths. Manfred’s ruling removed 16 deceased players, along with one deceased owner from MLB’s banned list. The 17 individuals impacted by the announcement are Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver, Lefty Williams, Joe Gedeon, Gene Paulette, Benny Kauff, Lee Magee, Phil Douglas, Cozy Dolan, Jimmy O’Connell, and William Cox. However, the most notable among those taken off the ineligibility lost are 17-time All-Star and MLB’s All-Time Hits leader Pete Rose (banned for gambling on baseball - violation of MLB Rule 21) and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson (banned for the 1919 Black Sox Scandal).
Pete Rose May Be Reinstated But He Still Doesn’t Belong in Cooperstown
