Report says Rose ready to admit he bet on
baseball
From staff and wire reports
Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader, has indicated he's willing for the first
time to admit he bet on baseball according to a Newsday report. More than a
month ago, news broke that Commissioner Bud Selig was considering reinstating
Rose.
Newsday, citing an unidentified friend of Rose in its report
Wednesday, also said Rose would be willing to apologize for
his betting denials the past 13 years and serve a probationary
period in order to gain reinstatement and Hall of Fame eligibility
for 2004.
Rose's friend told Newsday that Rose is encouraged by
progress in talks among Selig, Rose's lawyers and Hall of
Famers Mike Schmidt, Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan — all
former Philadelphia and Cincinnati teammates of Rose — and is
confident an agreement can be finalized and announced within a
couple months.
Such an agreement would allow Rose to be reinstated in full,
meaning he'd be permitted to work in baseball as well as be
eligible for induction into Cooperstown.
Selig has been adamant that Rose fulfill three obligations:
An admission.
An apology.
Probation.
Rose consistently has denied he bet on baseball in the face of
evidence against him, including betting slips and phone logs
between bookies and his ballpark office in Cincinnati in the
1980s.
Selig declined to comment on his negotiations with Rose's
lawyers, except to say he hadn't talked to them in the past few
days.
Reinstatement could be announced as early as spring training
after Selig meets with a contingent of Hall of Famers. A date for
that meeting is still unscheduled but is expected some time next
month.
Rose's lawyer, Roger Makley, could not be reached for
comment. |
