Atlanta Braves’ Legend Hank Aaron Weighs in on Pete Rose and Cheating Scandal

Atlanta Braves legend, Hank Aaron, discussed the recent cheating scandal and Pete Rose’s new quest to get in the Hall of Fame.

Hank Aaron is at the top of many Atlanta Braves all-time leader lists. He was the man who beat the “unbeatable” home run mark set by Babe Ruth.

When the man speaks, people listen. One of the greatest players of all-time spoke about the recent Astros’ and Red Sox cheating scandals on NBC’s Today Show, Thursday morning.

TODAY’s Craig Melvin asked if the Braves’ icon thought the punishment fit the crime. Aaron replied, “No I don’t, I think whoever did that.. they should be out of baseball the rest of their lives.”

Melvin then asked, “Pete Rose, should he be in the Hall?”

Aaron’s reply was succinct.

“No.”

To illuminate his thoughts, I take you back to a 2004 interview he did with ESPN. Rose had recently published his autobiography and in an attempt to channel the publicity of his book’s release, he began lobbying for reinstatement into baseball.

"“I just think it’s hogwash to say that he should be put backinto the game just because the public wants it,” Aaron said. “Arule is a rule, and the rule is on every clubhouse door that youcan’t bet on baseball. It doesn’t say that you’re excluded if youhave 4,000 hits or 700 home runs.”"

Aaron went on to say:

"“What are you going to do about Shoeless Joe Jackson?” heasked, referring to the player who was banned after he and seventeammates were accused of throwing the 1919 World Series. “TedWilliams said many days to me that (Jackson) didn’t have anythingto do with the scandal. If you let Pete in, you have to deal withthat.”"

Rose was still a recreational gambler at the time and had already lied on numerous occasions about the scandal. Aaron’s point is clear, the rules of baseball are clear.

Aaron compared Rose to an alcoholic who claims he doesn’t drink whiskey anymore, just beer.

My (Tomahawk) Take

We should not have to guess about whether or not Rose is telling the truth about not betting on his team. His excuses are worth nothing to the public. He forfeited any sympathy when he broke the rules by gambling on the game.

Rose has lied in the past and is using the emotion of the current cheating scandal to jumpstart his reinstatement.

Stealing signs has long been a part of the game, taking it to the level of these contemporary cheaters may be too far, but that’s not what this conversation is about.

Don’t let Pete Rose tell you that gambling on the game, while still an offense, is less of an offense than stealing signs or taking steroids. That is all up for debate.

A manager of a baseball team with the power to influence the outcome of a game who knowingly broke the rules and gambled on baseball doesn’t deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.

I hate what the Astros and Red Sox did, sign stealing gone too far for sure. It’s a cloudy area for baseball to decree judgments since stealing signs wasn’t really that big of a deal until the technology got involved.

It was almost a funny footnote in history books that the Giants were stealing signs with a telescope and a buzzer system when Bobby Thompson hit his “shot heard ’round the world.”

It doesn’t make any of it OK, but there wasn’t a precedent set in doling out punishment for sign-stealing of this magnitude.

As Hammerin’ Hank harkened back to Shoeless Joe, there was already a precedent set against gambling on the game, a long time ago.

Don’t let Pete Rose use your current emotions against you like a Sith Lord. Just because it’s old news, doesn’t make it acceptable.

I know there are a lot of passionate Pete Rose supporters out there, please share your opinions! Thank you for reading.