joe jackson in hof

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

No. Joe Jackson doesn't go into the Hall. Absolutely no way.

The very creation of the leagues was founded on games that were honest, above the touch of gamblers that permeated play in the 1880s and 1890s. The players knew that then, as they do now.

Even today there's an admonition about gambling:

Rule 21(d) by heart:

BETTING ON BALL GAMES. Any player, umpire, or club official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has no duty to perform shall be declared ineligible for one year.

Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible.



Baseball doesn't have a sign on the door about beating your wife, or doing cocaine. But gambling is a fundamental offense. To fully understand, you'd need to read about the history of gambling in the game, and the league formation. A great book to start with is The Fix Is In, by Daniel E. Ginsburg. Reading that would be a precursor to sensible talk about gambling and consideration for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.


So Jackson doesn't get in the Hall, he knew about the bribes, he even accepted payment. Weaver doesn't get in, he knew and didn't act to protect the game.

And the all time leader in hits in major league baseball played in 3562 regular season games, a bunch of post season games, and managed just over 400 games in which he wasn't a player. He must have walked past that sign way over 10,000 times. He gets into the Hall any time he buys a $16.50 ticket, it's open 362 days a year. So yes, I'm for Pete Rose getting into the Hall any day he wants at $16.50 a pop. They're closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. As for him being inducted, never. Same for Joe Jackson.