Have you ever needed a second chance in life?

I am emailing you asking for your assistance.  I think it's time to reinstate Pete Rose back into baseball allowing a vote into the Hall Of Fame. We are a nation built on forgiveness, restitution and we forgive our heroes ... especially when they have admitted their indiscretions and regret their “actions”.

Pete bet on baseball, a major “sin”. He was no saint! He was my manager and I was playing for Cincinnati, when on August 23, 1989, Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti banned Pete Rose for life for behavior unbecoming a major league ball player … betting on baseball sealed away in the Dowd Report.

No one has ever claimed that Pete’s misconduct was intended to either gain a competitive advantage or have an effect on the outcome of any game. He bet on the Reds to win everytime. It was just wrong behavior.

That’s a long time ago, 32 years in fact… and “Charlie Hustle”, now 80 years old, has admitted his wrongs and apologized for that action. My recent contact with him validates his humble spirit and the importance of reinstating him now, not posthumously. 

Even after reading his book, I understand him better and appreciate him even more. I know why Pete was "Pete". Certainly there is nothing in a person’s life whether it be their upbringing or their life experience or even their personal motivation that totally excuses bad behavior. Yet, what we learn in life is that you deserve a second chance when you humble yourself, are broken and admit you are wrong.

Today, I am asking you to consider taking ten minutes of your time and write a brief note/letter to the Commissioner of baseball and ask that Pete Rose be reinstated. I have included both an address and an attached copy of my letter.  In the event you choose not to, that’s no problem. I am aiming for 500,000 letters by September 10th, so if this is something you deem to be “a good thing”, please forward to at least 25 of your friends. If we do this three times that's over 700,000 letters. Please don't put it off.

If you've been given a second chance before, let's do the same for Pete.
 

Commissioner Rob Manfred

Major League Baseball

245 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10167

212-485-3444

My best to you and God Bless,

-Scotti Madison, 1989 Cincinnati Reds MLB Baseball Player