President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social his intention to grant a full pardon to Pete Rose, the late baseball legend who holds the record for career hits but was banned from MLB and the Hall of Fame due to his involvement in sports betting. Trump stated that Rose, who passed away in September at the age of 83, had only bet on his team winning and should not have been penalized for it. Notably, Trump did not reference Rose’s earlier tax evasion case, where he pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns in 1990 and served a five-month prison term. The president plans to officially issue the pardon for Rose in the coming weeks.

Rose’s ban from baseball came in 1989 after an investigation revealed that he had placed bets on games involving the Cincinnati Reds during his time both as a player and manager from 1985 to 1987. Subsequently, the Hall of Fame implemented a rule in 1991 preventing individuals on the permanently ineligible list, which includes Rose, from being considered for induction. Trump’s decision to pardon Rose has sparked discussions and reactions within the baseball community and among fans.

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