Five reasons to lift Pete Rose’s Hall of Fame ban
By John Buhler
No.1: All Time Hits King
In his 24 Major League seasons, Pete Rose accumulated more hits than anybody to have ever played in baseball. His 4,256 career hits, 3,215 career singles, 3,562 career games played, 14,053 career at-bats, and 15,980 career plate appearances are all Major League records that have lasted for 30 years since Rose’s last game as a player in 1986.
Rose is one of two players to have over 4,000 career hits in baseball, the other being Ty Cobb who starred for the Detroit Tigers in the Dead Ball era and was part of the inaugural Hall of Fame class in Cooperstown nearly 80 years ago.
Unless Ichiro Suzuki plans to play in the United States until he is 50 years old, then Rose’s hits record could stand as an unbreakable record like Cy Young’s 511 career wins or the Atlanta Braves‘ 14 straight division titles (1991-2005).
When analyzing all-time great hitters, it’s difficult to not bring up Rose’s name in those discussions, as his numbers transcend generations of baseball fans. Years from now when his hits record remains intact for going on 100 years, a young kid will keep bringing up the question why Rose, the all-time hits leader, isn’t in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s an itch that Cooperstown will likely never be able to shake; to not have the all-time hits leader not be in the Hall of Fame.
Next: No. 2: Greatest Cincinnati Red Ever