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Just days after Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader in Major League Baseball, was posthumously removed from the league's permanent ineligibility list, the Cincinnati Reds celebrated his illustrious career. Rose passed away in September at the age of 83, and this recent development opens the door for his potential induction into the Hall of Fame—a prospect that has stirred considerable debate.

The history of baseball is often seen through a lens of mythology and romanticism, epitomized by the words of writer Bernard Malamud who said, "The whole history of baseball... has the quality of mythology." This week, however, reality intruded into that magical realm when MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that permanent bans from baseball would end upon the player's death. This significant change affects not just Rose but also "Shoeless Joe" Jackson, whose ban spanned over a century.

Opinions on this development are deeply divided. Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, a former teammate of Rose with the Philadelphia Phillies, hailed it as "a great day for baseball." In stark contrast, Marcus Giamatti, son of the late Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti who originally banned Rose in 1989, described it as "a very dark day for baseball." On social media, speculation abounded about whether Manfred's decision was influenced by former President Donald Trump's calls for Rose's reinstatement.

Regardless of where one stands, this decision underscores how intertwined baseball is with American culture and its broader societal complexities. While the sport thrives on legends and tales that helped define America, it also mirrors the nation's messy politics and power dynamics. Ultimately, baseball cannot escape the very real issues that permeate the larger world, and the recent decision regarding Pete Rose's eligibility encapsulates that ongoing collision between myth and reality.