News broke earlier this week that Pete Rose would finally receive the honor of being added to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and would finally have his number 14 retired. Despite his ban from baseball being upheld, the Reds were permitted to add Rose to their local enshrinement. Thus, we wondered aloud whether or not he would have the same opportunity with the Phillies in the near future. Rose will not, at least not yet.
Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer asked the question and was told that Rose is not under consideration for 2016:
Rose is not a candidate to be inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame this summer, said Larry Shenk, the team's historian. Shenk and a group of Phillies executives met earlier this month, as they annually do, to choose 12 candidates that are presented in an online fan vote with the winner later chosen by a special committee.
Rose is not among those 12, Shenk said. The Phillies, he said, could honor Rose in 2017.
"I would imagine Pete's name will come up for discussion," Shenk said.
So it appears it is just a matter of being too late to enter the discussion for now.
To be admitted to the Phillies Wall of Fame a player must meet the following requirements:
Players with five or more years of service are eligible. Managers and coaches need four or more years of service. All candidates must be retired for three years before they can be eligible for the 12-man ballot. In addition to a player's statistical record, consideration is given to longevity, ability, contributions to the Phillies and baseball, character, plus special achievements.
Rose played with the Phillies the five years necessary to qualify.
The 2016 ballot has yet to be released but last year's ballot included the following:
- Outfielder Pat Burrell
- Manager Jim Fregosi (posthumously)
- Pitcher Larry Christenson
- Pitcher Gene Garber
- Outfielder Tony Gonzalez
- Pitcher Jim Konstanty
- First baseman Fred Luderus
- Pitcher Ron Reed
- Catcher/long-time bullpen coach "Irish Mike" Ryan
- Third baseman Pinky Whitney
- Catcher/manager Jimmy Wilson
- Pitcher Rick Wise
Burrell was elected to the Wall of Fame, and many of the others could appear again.
Of the 2008 Phillies, no other player currently qualifies. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Carlos Ruiz and Jimmy Rollins all will have the five years service necessary, once they have retired three years. Names such as Brad Lidge and Jayson Werth do not have long enough Phillies careers to qualify.
