Pete Rose, Major League Baseball’s all-time hits leader, is now eligible for enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, but his place in Cooperstown is far from certain. On Tuesday,

Rose, a.k.a. Charlie Hustle (the nickname was an insult he happily embraced), was a competitive monster over his long career (1963–1986), mostly with the Cincinnati Reds, overcoming an unimpressive athletic toolkit through sheer force of will. "I'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball" was his mantra.

As news broke that Shoeless Joe Jackson and Pete Rose are now eligible for the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, some people are wondering why Shoeless Joe Jackson was banned from baseball in the first place.

The long saga of Pete Rose’s betting on baseball goes back over 40 years, taking multiple twists and turns before finally reaching its latest end point: Rose’s reinstatement to baseball. While much of the fireworks came in 1989,

Major League Baseball has lifted the lifetime ban of Pete Rose, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and 15 other deceased players. The move clears the way for a Hall of Fame vote but doesn't guarantee admission.