Fay Vincents view on Pete Rose hasnt changed, even after learning the news that MLBs hit king Vincent, 86, had been deputy commi sioner and played a large role in negotiating the settlement with Rose when the baseball legend voluntarily accepted a lifetime ban for betting on baseball while he was managing the Reds. The controversy on the field, and Vincent seemed Willie Wilson Jersey to stand firm on his viewpoint of the baseball great. Fay Vincent is pictured in 1997. Bob Olen I think he was devoted to baseball in the sense of the game, and his effort was certainly intense. He had a series of problems relating to his standards for conduct, Vincent He made some mistakes as he came along, and by the time I got to know him and Bart and I dealt with him in the betting i sue, it was really too late. I mean, he had formed his attitude and his character and Im afraid that he really thought that money was so important and he was betting a lot and he lost a lot and I think the corruption problem in his life was a serious one. Vincent, who eventually served as commi sioner from 1989-92, learned of Roses death when a reporter from The Athletic contacted him on Monday. Explore More Roses accomplishments on the field are undeniable, retiring from playing as MLBs all-time leader in hits (4,256), singles (3,215), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053), and plate appearances (15,890). He won three World Series titles, three batting titles and two Gold Gloves. But the accomplishments dont seem to be enough to di suade Vincent from the opinion that Rose shouldnt be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Vincent acknowledged that his pa sing on Monday may make the case for him to be inducted into Cooperstown easier, but even with sports gambling so widely accepted and popular, the former MLB exec didnt seem too keen on letting Rose in. Do I think he belongs in the Hall of Fame? I dont think anybody who participates in corruption of the game as he did belongs in the Hall of Fame, Vincent said. I think there should be a moral dimension to honors. Otherwise were going to have to have the ceremony in prison yards, because well have to have the prisoner come out of his cell to be honored in the prison yard. I dont think thats a good thing. Pete Rose died at the age of 83 on Monday. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Rose spent years denying he ever bet on baseball before ultimately admitting to it in 2004, though he claimed he never bet against his own team. In a 2018 interview with the Cincinnati Inquirer, Rose called his decision to bet on baseball the one thing I would change if I had to live it all over again. Vincent pushed back on the idea that because Rose never bet against his own team it excused Roses actions, pointing out that when you dont bet every day, you dont bet a pitcher on your team that you dont think is particularly good, or good any longer. The former MLB commi sioner later added that had Rose owned up to his errors right away, perhaps history would have looked a lot different for him. Former Reds manager Pete Rose, who died Monday at the age of 83, blows a le s than major league bubble as he looks out of the dugout prior to the Reds game against the Phillies in 1989. Bettmann Archive I think if hed done that, he would have been in the Hall of Fame a long time ago, Vincent said. But instead, he played a very hard game, and I think that was because he really thought that playing it straight, telling the truth, would cost him money, and he was desperate to make a lot of money. He thought that if he could get in the Hall of Fame, that would make his autograph a lot more valuable. It would make him a more attractive speaker. It would get him a lot of income. And I think he was probably right about that. I think eventually baseball will figure out a way to honor people within limits, in a separate category. So it would be sort of a tarnished honor, but it will be a form of honor recognizing some of his achievements and not overlooking a number of his detriments. Mark Gubicza Jersey