On Tuesday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred reinstated deceased players Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson from he permanently ineligible list, paving the way for them to be possibly inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Manfred’s reasoning was that the bans were meant to be lifetime bans, and upon the deaths of the individuals, the ban should be lifted.
“In my view, once an individual has passed away, the purposes of Rule 21 have been served. Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game. Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve.