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Pete Rose writes letter to MLB commissioner about hall of fame eligibility

Rose accepted a lifetime ban from baseball in 1989, which includes a ban from being enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

CINCINNATI — Pete Rose is once again making his case for a spot in Cooperstown.

In a letter to Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, the 81-year-old Rose apologized for the gambling scandal that led to his exclusion from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. 

"Despite my many mistakes, I am so proud of what I accomplished as a baseball player," Rose wrote in the letter, according to WLWT

Rose played 24 seasons in the big leagues, including 19 during two stints with the Cincinnati Reds. He helped lead Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine" to World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. His 4,256 career hits are still the most by any player in MLB history. 

"I am the hit king and it is my dream to be considered for the hall of fame. Like all of us, I believe in accountability. I am 81 years old and know that I have been held accountable and that I hold myself accountable. I write now to ask for another chance," Rose wrote.

In August 1989, Rose, who was then managing the Reds, accepted a settlement from then-Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti after an investigation into whether Rose bet on baseball games, including those involving the Reds teams for which he played and coached. Part of the settlement included a lifetime ban from baseball, which also makes him ineligible to appear on the hall of fame ballot. 

Despite Rose's latest plea, WLWT reports there is no indication that MLB plans to retract the suspension.

On Jan. 1, 2023, Rose is scheduled to place the first bet at Hard Rock Casino's sportsbook in Cincinnati, the first-day sports betting becomes legal in Ohio.

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