Pete Rose’s reinstatement caught Mark Monroe by surprise.
Monroe directed a four-part docuseries on Rose, entitled “Charlie Hustle & The Matter of Pete Rose,” that debuted on HBO last year. Part of the film focuses on the efforts of Rose and his attorney, Jeffrey Lenkov, to get baseball’s all-time hits king reinstated by the sport.
“I am surprised, I guess you could say, that this has happened, because from where I was sitting, and the perspective I was getting from Pete himself -- he didn’t believe this would ever happen,” Monroe said.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred issued a policy decision Thursday that permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual.
Rose, who died on Sept. 30, 2024, had been banned for life since 1989 after betting on the Reds two years earlier while he was managing the team.
Manfred’s decision means Rose could eventually find his way into the Baseball HOF, which had prohibited players on baseball’s ineligible list from being considered for induction. (The verdict also means “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, who was banned by baseball in 1920 for taking part in the Black Sox scandal, is now eligible, alongside 15 others.)
“As someone who has spent some time with Pete, I know this is the one thing that he wanted, so it’s hard not to be happy for his family in this moment,” Monroe said. “I wasn’t making the film to try to get him reinstated. If anything, I was trying to show the full balance of his life both on the field and off the field. But at the same time, when you spend a lot of time with a guy and interview the people who love him dearly, I can only imagine that they’re probably disappointed that it didn’t happen in his lifetime but they’re super happy today.”
The decision, though, far from guarantees Rose will end up in Cooperstown.
“MLB has changed course after many decades, but that doesn’t guarantee or confirm that he’s going to be welcomed into the Hall of Fame,” Monroe said. “There are other players in this story, and it’s not done yet. I do think that today will likely energize the (pro-Rose HOF) fanbase, if you want to call it that. There will be that much more noise from those in Pete’s camp to do something in terms of the Hall.”
Monroe has no plans to add to his documentary or make an additional chapter if Rose finally gets the call.
“I don’t think I’ll make a sequel. I think I’ve said all I can say about Pete Rose,” he said. “I’m very thankful that Pete himself trusted us to tell his story. We tried to give the measure of the man, because he is a big figure in not just our sports history but our culture. He deserves at least a look at what happened in his life.”
