Pete Rose's fall from grace was a bitter blow to baseball. The player known as "Charlie Hustle" was a legend with the most ever hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053), and outs (10,328). He won three World Series rings, the same number of batting titles, the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in 1973, and made 17 All-Star appearances across an incredible (and unequalled) five positions.
But Rose finally wilted in the face of accusations that he gambled on baseball games while playing for and managing his beloved Cincinnati Reds. On August 24, he voluntarily accepted a permanent place on baseball's ineligible list. And by accepting that there was a factual reason for the ban, Major League Baseball agreed to make no formal finding regarding the gambling allegations. But the damage had been done and he must remain the greatest baseball talent not admitted to the Hall of Fame.