Pete Rose Will Be Eligible for Phillies Wall of Fame

Since Pete Rose has been on Major League Baseball's ineligible list, the Phillies have not honored Rose in any public way.  While last year Rose's appeal to the commissioner for reinstatement has been denied, Major League Baseball has allowed Rose to participate in certain activities in the Cincinnati Reds organization.  That permission may be extending to the Phillies organization.

The Phillies confirmed to 6abc yesterday that Rose will be eligible for the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2017.

This does not guarantee Rose entry, but rather will allow him to be voted in.  The Phillies usually open up voting to fans before making a final decision.   Rose will be up against former third basemen Scott Rolen and Placido Polanco.   If elected, Rose presumably will be allowed to participate in annual alumni festivities.

In 2016, the Cincinnati Reds finally inducted Rose to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and retired his number 14 jersey.  While never having been retired, the Reds held number 14 out of circulation since Rose was placed on baseball's ineligible list.  The only exception was for Pete Rose, Jr., who appeared in 11 games for the 1997 Reds.

The Phillies currently have number 14 retired for Senator Jim Bunning, who was named to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the veterans committee in 1996.  After Rose left the Phillies for the Montreal Expos in 1984, the number was assigned to John Wockenfuss, Jeff Stone, Tommy Barrett, Rex Hudler, and Gary Bennett before being retired in 2001.

The Phillies signed Rose as a free agent prior to the 1979 season.  Rose is often thought of as the missing piece that took a very good Phillies team from the late 1970s and turned them into World Champions, something the team accomplished in his second season, in 1980.  The Phillies also won a National League title with rose in 1983.

Now 75 years old, Rose currently serves as a baseball analyst for Fox Sports 1.