Posted By:
Kevin CummingsI'd be willing to bet (ooops, better not go there) that there are far more people in the Hall of Fame that bet on games than we know about. There are already many we do know about.
Yes, I know "the rules are the rules," and the reason the rules were imposed was to remove the temptation of participants to adversely affect the outcome of the game. If you want to go strictly by the rules, then there is no leeway.
I, however, feel that while breaking the rule is wrong, there can be mitigating factors. If, for instance, it can be proven that your bets were always for your own team to win, then it would seem that you would not have done anything to adversely affect the outcome of the contest. In fact, one might argue that you'd fight harder to win. Under those circumstances, I don't see betting as a big deal.
As to Pete Rose specifically, he may be a jerk and a liar, but we've debated ad nauseum that it's not your personality or personal habits that gets you elected to the Hall of Fame.