Hall Of Fame Ballot

Pete Rose will apply for reinstatement to baseball after the World Series and before the end of the year, the lawyer for the career hits leader said yesterday. "Pete intends on having a petition filed soon, as quickly as is expedient for everyone," lawyer S. Gary Spicer said. Rose, who agreed to a lifetime ban in August 1989 following a gambling investigation, had been waiting for a new commissioner to take office. But Bud Selig's term as acting commissioner shows no sign of ending soon, and Selig has shown no inclination of lifting the permanent suspension.

Pete Rose in Cincinnati's new ballpark on opening day? It might happen. Pete Rose reinstated to baseball by opening day? Don't bet on it. A high-ranking Major League Baseball official yesterday disputed a published report that indicated commissioner Bud Selig might lift Rose's lifetime ban from the sport by opening day. Although the commissioner's office is moving forward on Rose's appeal, there is no timetable for his reinstatement,...

Even if Pete Rose applies for reinstatement, baseball officials said yesterday they were in no hurry to consider lifting his lifetime ban. Rose's lawyer met with a lawyer from the commissioner's office and discussed the process Rose would need to follow if he wishes to lift the permanent suspension he agreed to in August 1989. That penalty is preventing Rose from appearing on the Hall of Fame ballot. Rose's lawyer, Gary Spicer, told the Cincinnati Post that his client wanted to return to baseball and not just have his name listed on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Pete Rose still expects to be in baseball's Hall of Fame someday and isn't disturbed at a vote yesterday that will make it harder for him to get there, according to a close friend. Rose declined to be interviewed after the Hall of Fame's board voted unanimously to exclude banned players from the ballot. Rose, who accepted a lifetime ban in 1989 for illegal gambling, is the only living person on the permanently ineligible list. The vote means Rose will not be on the Hall of Fame ballot unless he is reinstated.

The window of opportunity for Pete Rose to be voted into the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America is fast closing. Major League Baseball is considering a probationary period of "at least 2 years, maybe longer," before Rose can be reinstated, a high-ranking baseball official familiar with the Rose scenario told the Dayton Daily News yesterday. He said reports that Rose was seen gambling in Las Vegas casinos and a tax lien against his Los Angeles property have slowed the process.

Three former Phillies, including Dick Allen, are among 10 former major leaguers whose careers began in 1943 or later to be considered for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. The results will be announced Dec. 8 at baseball's winter meetings in Las Vegas. A candidate needs 75 percent of the vote to be elected and the living 64 Hall members will vote. Allen, along with former Phils Jim Kaat and Al Oliver, joins Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva, Vada Pinson, Ron Santo, Luis Tiant, Joe Torre and Maury Wills as candidates being considered for 2009 induction.

The only living member who will be honored in July by the Baseball Hall of Fame is a writer - former Daily News scribe Paul Hagen. That is somehow appropriate, considering that the writers are at the forefront of a debate that extends beyond the walls of the Cooperstown, N.Y., museum. "This is the most star-studded ballot in 75 years, and we didn't elect anybody on it," ESPN.com's Jayson Stark said. "It just shows you what a mess Hall of Fame voting has become. " For the first time since 1996, the Baseball Writers' Association of America did not elect anyone Wednesday.

With book sales rising and his chances of becoming eligible for the Hall of Fame possibly eroding, Pete Rose will return to the city of one of his greatest baseball triumphs today. Rose will be at the Barnes & Noble bookstore at 1805 Walnut Street, on Rittenhouse Square, to sign copies of his controversial new book, My Prison Without Bars, from noon to 2 p.m. The book, released Jan. 8, sits atop the New York Times best-seller list for nonfiction. With the cost $24.95 a copy, Rose is clearly making money off the book, in which he publicly confesses to gambling on baseball while manager of the Cincinnati Reds.

The arrival of the Hall of Fame ballot in the mail used to be a highly anticipated event in my household. I couldn't wait to see the first-time names because memories of those players would come rushing back. I looked forward to exploring the names and numbers on the ballot before deciding who I thought was deserving of a spot in Cooperstown. Now, thanks to the taint of the steroid era, the arrival of the ballot brings dread instead of anticipation, suspicion instead of admiration.

Major-league baseball does not suspect Pete Rose of betting on his own team, but it is investigating the possibility that he bet on other major- league games, a baseball management source told the Associated Press yesterday. If Rose, the Cincinnati Reds' manager, is found to have bet on baseball, he will be suspended for one year; betting on the Reds will mean a ban for life. Asked if baseball was investigating whether Rose bet on the Reds, the source, who asked not to be identified, said, "No, that's not what they're looking into.

The only living member who will be honored in July by the Baseball Hall of Fame is a writer - former Daily News scribe Paul Hagen. That is somehow appropriate, considering that the writers are at the forefront of a debate that extends beyond the walls of the Cooperstown, N.Y., museum. "This is the most star-studded ballot in 75 years, and we didn't elect anybody on it," ESPN.com's Jayson Stark said. "It just shows you what a mess Hall of Fame voting has become. " For the first time since 1996, the Baseball Writers' Association of America did not elect anyone Wednesday.

The mother of all Hall of Fame ballots arrived in the mail earlier this month and I immediately set aside the manila envelope and continued to ponder how to handle the polarizing players who showed up on the ballot for the first time this year. You know the names. Barry Bonds. Roger Clemens. Sammy Sosa. Superstars who stained the game by using performance-enhancing steroids. After this year's ballot arrived, I started reading columns from some of my fellow members in the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

A CSNPhilly.com poll issued on the heels of Carlos Ruiz' Adderall suspension asked fans if they still thought as highly of the catcher as they did before he was caught illegally using the a performance enhancing drug. More than 60 percent said they did. At about the same time, members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America were asked anew to serve as high priests to Major League Baseball, and in particular the Baseball Hall of Fame, as it pertains to assumed or suspected steroid users.

BARRY BONDS, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa are listed on the baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time, setting up an election sure to become a referendum on the Steroids Era. The 37-player ballot was announced Wednesday. More than 600 longtime members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America will vote through next month. Candidates need 75 percent for induction, and the results will be announced Jan. 9. Bonds is the all-time home run champion with 762 and won a record seven MVP awards.

Roger Clemens has signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League and is expected to start for them on Saturday at home against Bridgeport (Conn.). The 50-year-old righthander was acquitted in June of charges he lied to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs. Clemens' agent Randy Hendricks said the pitcher's "fastball was clocked at 87 m.p.h. and four pitches were working, so everyone believes he can do it. " Clemens hasn't played for a team since pitching for the New York Yankees in 2007.

PETE ROSE, Eric Lindros, John LeClair, Doug Collins, Andrew Toney and Eric Allen highlight this year's ballot for the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. The ballot for the ninth annual induction class is in the hands of the Hall's voting panel, which includes more than 220 participants. The Hall's ballot committee has nominated 37 people in 15 sports. The Class IX Induction Ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 8 at the Society Hill Sheraton. The ballot is divided into those whose careers primarily occurred more than 50 years ago (Heritage Nominees)

The arrival of the Hall of Fame ballot in the mail used to be a highly anticipated event in my household. I couldn't wait to see the first-time names because memories of those players would come rushing back. I looked forward to exploring the names and numbers on the ballot before deciding who I thought was deserving of a spot in Cooperstown. Now, thanks to the taint of the steroid era, the arrival of the ballot brings dread instead of anticipation, suspicion instead of admiration.

THE 2011 HALL OF FAME ballot presented the usual challenges and tough decisions common in years without a slam-dunk first-ballot presence. Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar, both painfully close to the magic 75 percent a year ago, are back for another run at the tape. In his 13th year on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot, Blyleven was supported by 400 voters, or 74.2 percent. Alomar drew 397 votes, or 73.7 percent. That was hanging-chad close. Jack Morris (52.2 percent)

Roberto Alomar is among 15 first-time candidates on this year's Hall of Fame ballot, joining holdovers Mark McGwire, Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven. Edgar Martinez, Barry Larkin and Fred McGriff also are new to the ballot this year. There are 26 candidates, three more than last year when Rickey Henderson was elected in his initial appearance and Jim Rice made it on his 15th and final try. Dawson fell 44 votes shy of the 75 percent needed and Blyleven was 67 short. Also on the ballot for the first time are Kevin Appier, Ellis Burks, Andres Galarraga, Pat Hentgen, Mike Jackson, Eric Karros, Ray Lankford, Shane Reynolds, David Segui, Robin Ventura and Todd Zeile.

Three former Phillies, including Dick Allen, are among 10 former major leaguers whose careers began in 1943 or later to be considered for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee. The results will be announced Dec. 8 at baseball's winter meetings in Las Vegas. A candidate needs 75 percent of the vote to be elected and the living 64 Hall members will vote. Allen, along with former Phils Jim Kaat and Al Oliver, joins Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva, Vada Pinson, Ron Santo, Luis Tiant, Joe Torre and Maury Wills as candidates being considered for 2009 induction.