President Donald Trump has declared that he intends to pardon the deceased Pete Rose, a story that has sports experts and casual fans alike buzzing. A three-time World Series winner, the player with the most hits of all time, a baseball legend, yet, there’s a shadow over his legacy: the lifetime ban, the exclusion from the Hall of Fame, the payoffs, the gambling allegations. And here comes President Trump, who is not mincing words.

“Over the next few weeks I will be signing a complete pardon of Pete Rose,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He did not pull any punches, accusing Major League Baseball of a gross injustice. “He shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on his team winning, “Trump said. And he makes a good point, right? Rose, a loyal team player, never bet against himself. And that is an important distinction for Trump.

But here comes the fascinating part. Trump’s pardon, though newsworthy, poses some interesting conundrums. What, exactly, is being pardoned? Rose was never convicted of any crime. It’s mostly a symbolic act, one that sends a clear and unabashed message to the MLB. But it’s no less an affirmation of the extraordinary legacy of Rose himself. And that legacy is secure thanks to Trump.

The spark ignites: Rose’s fate in the balance

When it comes to Pete Rose, its numerical prowess leaps off the page. That’s 4,256 hits, nearly a thousand more than Ty Cobb. And add to that his 3,562 games played, evidence of his durability. In the words of baseball historian Bill James, “Rose’s career is a statistical anomaly.”Rose’s raw numbers are a monument to his unparalleled dominance compared to other Hall of Famers, even those with shady pasts.

And don’t forget “Charlie Hustle.” For them, that was more than a name—it was a creed. Rose played every inning as if it were his last—diving for balls, sprinting to first, lighting a fire under his teammates. Tony Perez, one of Rose’s teammates, labeled him “the heart and soul of the team,” and his presence surely influenced the team spirit.

There’s also Pete Rose, the manager. And he was not only a player but a dugout leader as well. Yes, he had a gambling problem, but his management style? It was simply Charlie Hustle. He expected them to play as hard as he did. He won more than he lost while managing the Reds between 1984 and 1989. In the words of former Reds player Buddy Bell, “He managed like he played—with passion and a drive to win.”

But it’s not all sunshine and peanuts. Cast your mind back to 2017. The Philadelphia Phillies scrapped the ceremony when allegations emerged that Rose had slept with a teenage girl. Rose said she was 16, the legal age, but it was still a stain. Then there’s the gambling, of course. Rose confessed to gambling on games, a cardinal sin in baseball.

Yet, Trump’s action is nonetheless indicative. And let’s face it, the guy really poured his heart and soul into the game.“He had the most hits, by far, in baseball history, and won more games than anyone in sports history,” Trump recalled. So, what’s next? Will this pardon open the door for Rose’s Hall of Fame induction? Share what you think in the comments below.