He was a pro at the card table but preferred the racetrack. He was friendly with known underworld figures, associated with gamblers, and was indicted for assaulting a fan under the stands while a stadium policeman held the fan's hands. The assault charges were eventually dropped, but the ball club made a substantial financial settlement with the fan.
He was suspended and fined by the Baseball Commissioner innumerable times during his career for fighting with umpires and opposing players, and once for inciting a riot at the ballpark. Unions boycotted his team's games in response to his anti-union statements. He received bribe letters to throw World Series games, but to his credit, he turned the letters over to the Commissioner (www.pubdim.net).
If the above is not enough, he stole money, watches, and other valuables from his teammates. He was caught when the player he had victimized marked five $100 bills, allowed them to be taken, and then found them in his bag (www.nypost.com). This player was a gambler, a fighter, and a thief. He is also a member of Baseball's Hall of Fame.
Tom Keegan wrote an excellent column in the March 13, 2002 edition of the New York Post, relating much of the above information about former Yankees shortstop and Dodgers and Giants manager, Leo Durocher. Keegan was reacting to the Ruben Rivera criminal action in which the former Yankees outfielder had removed a glove from Derek Jeter's locker. The Post sports writer pointed out that while stealing from teammates is rare, it does occur, and Durocher stole from Babe Ruth.
Ruben Rivera's actions were wrong, and Leo Durocher's actions were wrong. It has been reported that some teams may be interested in giving Rivera another chance, which is fine. Rivera has been punished and he deserves another chance.
Leo Durocher was traded from the Yankees to Cincinnati shortly after victimizing Ruth. Despite all his on and off the field transgressions, Durocher was hired to manage four different teams during his career. In 1984, the Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee elected him to the Hall based on his managerial record.
The Leo Durocher situation is an excellent example of those in power evaluating a player based on performance. A player's personal life should not play any part in determining merit for election to the Hall of Fame since "morality and character" are relative terms and simply distract one from the main task, which is evaluating baseball achievements.
This leads to an on-going injustice and inconsistency. The Ruben Rivera incident and Keegan's article about Durocher relate to Pete Rose. A majority of fans, players, and writers believe Rose should be eligible to have his name placed on the Hall of Fame ballot and that based on his performance as a player, he should be a member of the Hall of Fame.
An extremely revealing poll was a Gallup/CNN/USA Today taken in November, 1999. Fifty six percent of those surveyed believed the Commissioner's report that Rose had bet on baseball and that he bet on his own team, yet 74 percent of those surveyed thought Rose should be eligible to be elected into the Hall of Fame.
Pete Rose was an outstanding baseball player but not an especially likeable person. He was one of the greatest competitors of all time who would do anything to win. Ask Ray Fosse. Rose barreled into the American League all-star catcher in the twelfth inning of a 4-4 game to score the winning run.
Rose hit Fosse in the shoulder with his knee as his hand touched home plate. Fosse continued to play that year but subsequently, it was discovered that the slide had separated his shoulder. Fosse was never the same after the collision and never achieved the greatness predicted for him.
Rose has stated that he ''could never have looked at his father in the eye'' if had not done whatever was necessary to score the winning run. It didn't matter if it was an exhibition game, or the seventh game of the World Series. It didn't matter if Rose and Fosse had been at dinner together the night before. Pete Rose had to do whatever it took to win.
Allen Lewis, a member of the Veterans Committee, stated that "Rose belongs in the Hall of Fame as much as anyone who has ever played the game. Pete's made some mistakes, but so have some other guys who are in the Hall. Pete's been a great ambassador for the game. I think his time will come."
What Pete Rose did off the field does not matter. Those who decide eligibility for entrance into Baseball's Hall of Fame disagree in Rose's case but the Veterans Committee had to overlook or discount Durocher's transgressions. Those decide eligibility for the Hall of Fame have the power, but they are patently wrong. Pete Rose's name belongs on the ballot because all that matters are the results from the field.
No one can ever question Pete Rose's dedication in attempting to do whatever was necessary to win. The only thing that should prevent Rose from entering the Hall of Fame is the discovery of evidence to prove that he ever bet AGAINST his team. The logic of the situation precludes that possibilty because Pete's heart would never let him do it. Pete HAD to win.
References:
/ballplayers/D/Durocher_Leo.stm
http://www.baseball-reference.com/d/durocle01.shtml
/ballplayers/F/Fosse_Ray.stm
/ballplayers/R/Rose_Pete.stm
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/p_rose3.shtml
http://www.pollingreport.com/baseball.htm
http://www.nypost.com/sports/yankees/12123.htm
http://www.cincypost.com/2001/jul/06/rose070601.html
» Harold Friend is a Yankees fan who misses watching them on television.
Also by Harold Friend
» Joe DiMaggio: It's None of Your Business
» A Costly Party: What a Difference a Martin Could Make
» Rickey Henderson the Greatest? Don’t Buy It
» McCarver's Wrong: Ted Is Better Than Barry
» A Strikeout: The Cruelest Out of All
» You Don’t Need Television
» Hornsby, Lajoie, and ... Maz?
» More submissions
Posted April 10, 2002.
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