Overview

• Major League Baseball has lifted lifetime bans for 17 deceased individuals, including Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and Eddie Cicotte, making them eligible for Hall of Fame consideration.
• Commissioner Rob Manfred clarified that permanent ineligibility ends upon death, stating the punishment's purpose is served posthumously.
• Pete Rose, banned in 1989 for gambling, will appear on the 2027 Classic Baseball Era ballot, though his induction is uncertain and will require 75% of committee votes.
• The decision has sparked debate about the timing, with critics like broadcaster Marty Brennaman arguing Rose should have been reinstated during his lifetime.
• While eligibility has been granted, historical precedent with figures like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens shows that reinstatement does not guarantee Hall of Fame induction.