Wednesday, October 27, 1999
Selig: Rose ban remains, no matter what fans say
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — The fans have spoken and Bud Selig says it makes no difference: Pete Rose isn't coming back to baseball as long as he's commissioner.
Selig attended Sunday night's Game 2 and heard the 55-second ovation for the banned career hits leader, the longest ovation for any of the 30 members of the All-Century team.
“That certainly can't influence your decision,” Selig said Tuesday night before Game 3 of the World Series.
Following an investigation of Rose's gambling 10 years ago, the Reds manager agreed to a lifetime ban from baseball. Rose applied for reinstatement in September 1997, but Selig has not yet made a formal ruling.
Still, Selig hasn't hidden his feelings on the matter, saying he's seen no new evidence.
As long as Rose remains on the permanently banned list, he is ineligible for the Hall of Fame ballot. Selig said he sees no reason for a compromise decision in which Rose could enter the Hall but still remain banned from baseball.
“These kind of situations in life really don't call for a middle grounds decision,” Selig said.
Selig said he didn't second-guess himself for inviting Rose to participate in the ceremony with the other 17 living members of the team, but he didn't want to get into the debate on Jim Gray's controversial interview with Rose on NBC after the ceremony.
“There are a lot of things, such as that interview, you wish didn't happen, but that's another story. I don't think it took away from the overall ceremony,” he said.
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