Stephen reveals the real reason behind MLB's stunning decision to reverse Pete Rose's lifetime ban
Stephen A. Smith reveals the real reason behind MLB's stunning decision to reverse Pete Rose's lifetime ban
READ MORE: World Series winner arrested in Miami for aggravated battery
By JAKE FENNER
The recent decision to allow Pete Rose to return to Hall of Fame consideration has led many to wonder if the President of the United States had anything to do with it.
President Trump has long been an advocate for Rose, saying that he belongs in Cooperstown despite the late baseball star's issues with gambling, tax fraud, and alleged statutory rape.
But on Tuesday, after decades of advocating for Rose, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced a change to the Hall's policy regarding the 'permanently ineligible' list.
Manfred declared that anyone who was on that list who had died would now be eligible for consideration to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
That allows multiple people, including Rose and 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson among others, to be re-considered.
After the announcement, ESPN star Stephen A. Smith theorized that Trump may have had some involvement in the decision.
Stephen A. Smith believes a recent MLB decision came with an ulterior motive
Commissioner Rob Manfred removed the names of players who had died from the list
Pete Rose is now be eligible for Hall of Fame induction after a decision by MLB's commissioner
The 'First Take' host addressed a theory on 'The Stephen A. Smith Show' wherein Smith didn't praise Manfred for the decision, saying that the move should've been made before Rose's death last year.
'And now you know what else we're hearing?' Smith said. 'That the reason Rob Manfred may have come — we're not sure — but may have come to this decision is because President Trump was pressuring him to do so, because he's been wanted Pete Rose taken off of that ineligibility list and ultimately inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
'So, now we're political now. We had a conversation with the president, and now we made this decision.
'Let's keep our eyes on what President Trump does on behalf of Major League Baseball down the line, because if it's anything, then that would mean baseball really didn't do this out of the kindness of its heart. They did it because they were expecting a favor in return.'
It's unclear what 'favor' Smith may be referring to.
A 17-time All-Star during a playing career from 1963-86, Rose holds record for hits (4,256), games (3,562), at-bats (14,053), plate appearances (15,890) and singles (3,215). He was the 1963 NL Rookie of the Year, 1973 MVP and 1975 World Series MVP. A three-time NL batting champion, he broke the prior hits record of 4,191 set by Ty Cobb from 1905-28.
Trump has said he intends to pardon Rose posthumously. Manfred discussed Rose with Trump when the pair met in April, but he hasn't disclosed specifics of their conversation.
It's not clear what a presidential pardon for Rose would entail. Rose entered guilty pleas on April 20, 1990, to two counts of filing false tax returns, admitting he failed to report $354,968 during a four-year period.
Smith believes that President Trump had something to do with Manfred's decision
Trump has long advocated for Rose, one of the greatest hitters in the history of baseball
Rose pled guilty to tax fraud and was accused of having a relationship with an underage girl
Rose was sentenced on July 19, 1990, by U.S. District Judge S. Arthur Spiegel in Cincinnati to five months in prison. He also was fined $50,000 and ordered to perform 1,000 hours of community service as a gym teacher's assistant with inner-city youths in Cincinnati as part of a one-year probation period.
The first three months of the probation were to be spent at the halfway house. Rose repaid the Internal Revenue Service $366,042.
Additionally, Rose was accused of statutory rape by a woman who claims she had a sexual relationship with the baseball star while she was a minor and he was in his mid-30s. Rose acknowledged the relationship, but claimed he was unaware that she was a minor under Ohio state laws.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings