MLB Lifts Lifetime Bans on Controversial Legends Pete Rose, 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson

Cincinnati Reds icon Pete Rose and Chicago White Sox pariah "Shoeless" Joe Jackson will finally be eligible to make the Baseball Hall of Fame after they were posthumously reinstated Tuesday.

An emotional Cincinnati Reds hall of famer Pete Rose adjusts his cap as he takes the microphone during a pregame ceremony for the unveiling of Pete Rose's bronze statue being installed outside the stadium before the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two of baseball's most controversial stars have been welcomed back into the fold.

MLB's all-time hit leader, Pete Rose, was removed from the league's permanently ineligible list on Tuesday, as ESPN was first to report. The former Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies standout died at the age of 83 in September, still shunned by baseball for betting on games during his time as a player and manager.

Former Chicago White Sox outfielder Shoeless Joe Jackson was among the other players posthumously removed from the permanently ineligible list. He and the rest of his "Black Sox" teammates – including pitcher Eddie Cicotte and third baseman George "Buck" Weaver – had been banned since 1921 for their roles in fixing the infamous 1919 World Series.

Commissioner Manfred today issued a policy decision regarding the status of individuals who have passed away while on the permanently ineligible list. pic.twitter.com/k51B4DBpvU

— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) May 13, 2025

Rose's reinstatement comes a month after commissioner Rob Manfred met with President Donald Trump at the White House. Manfred confirmed that Rose's status was one of the many topics they covered in their meeting, which seemingly laid the groundwork for Tuesday's resolution.

Per Manfred, the players' bans should end with their respective deaths

Both Rose and Jackson are now eligible to get voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, although the exact mechanisms behind their potential inductions remain to be seen. While neither ever appeared on the traditional Baseball Writers Association ballot, their fate could instead be left up to the museum's Classic Baseball Era committee, which isn't scheduled to meet again until December 2027.

Regardless of the timeline ahead, the door has finally been re-opened on Rose and Jackson making their way to Cooperstown.

Rose posted a .303 batting average and a .784 OPS over the course of his 24-year career, racking up 4,256 hits, 160 home runs, 746 doubles, 135 triples, 198 stolen bases, 1,314 RBIs, 2,165 runs, a 79.6 WAR and 17 All-Star appearances. Jackson, on the other hand, was a .356 hitter with 1,772 hits, 54 home runs, 307 doubles, 168 triples, 792 RBIs, 873 runs, 202 stolen bases, a .940 OPS and a 62.2 WAR.

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