Pete Rose, the Cincinnati Reds legend, made headlines after TMZ reported his passing at age 83. Fans from the baseball world are paying tribute to his incredible impact on the sport. However, a lot of people were surprised to see so much love from the wrestling community.
This has led many to wonder why Pete Rose became a WWE Hall of Famer instead of being in the MLB Hall of Fame, even though he has the record for the most hits (4,256) in baseball.
At WrestleMania XIV, Pete Rose was the guest ring announcer. He made fun of the Boston crowd and their favorite baseball team, the Red Sox. In response, WWE superstar Kane hit Rose with a memorable tombstone piledriver, which became an iconic moment.
After that, he appeared in WWE many times and took the hits like a professional. Pete Rose became the first celebrity to receive this honor when Kane inducted him into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.
Unfortunately, Pete Rose didn’t make it into the Baseball Hall of Fame. If he had, he would have been the only person to be in both the MLB and WWE Hall of Fame.
The reasons behind Pete Rose’s MLB Hall of Fame ban
Pete Rose can’t be in the Baseball Hall of Fame because Major League Baseball banned him in 1989. He was the manager of the Cincinnati Reds at the time and was caught betting on games, including his own team’s. Gambling is a big rule violation in baseball, so he got a lifetime ban under MLB Rule 21, which says players and managers can’t bet on games.
This ban means he can’t be considered for the Hall of Fame, even though baseball now works with betting companies. It’s ironic because betting is more popular than ever in MLB, with sportsbooks at ballparks and fans betting during games. Despite this, the league won’t lift Rose’s ban, so he can’t get the honors he deserves for his amazing career.
