Aaron Boone opens up on emotional push for Pete Rose Hall of Fame return

When MLB commissioner Rob Manfred removed Pete Rose's lifetime suspension, it was not just a significant day for baseball. Yankees manager Aaron Boone made it personal. Having grown up in the neighborhood with Rose, Aaron Boone had a personal link to baseball icon Rose, courtesy of his dad, Bob Boone, having played with Rose for the Phillies. With Pete Rose's suspension lifted, his Hall of Fame candidacy is back in the spotlight.

Boone family’s close ties to Pete Rose
Aaron Boone's respect for Pete Rose extends beyond his position as a manager. His father, Bob Boone, played alongside Rose on the Philadelphia Phillies. This made the Boone and Rose families develop a close relationship.


Aaron Boone was raised with Pete Rose, learning from the legend not only as a player but as a family friend. For Aaron Boone, this was not a matter of baseball; it was a matter of honoring a man who had entered their lives.

Aaron Boone elated MLB lifting ban gives Pete Rose a Hall of Fame chance: ‘Should be in there ‘ https://t.co/jI6MidYUW5 pic.twitter.com/7Kd7DZfNQP

— New York Post (@nypost) May 14, 2025

"I think it's a good thing," Aaron Boone replied when the word came in regarding the lifting of the ban. "Obviously, I have a long history with Pete and the family. I even talked to Junior today. Hopefully, this is a good thing for baseball and his family. At the end of the day, I always feel like the Hall of Fame’s a museum. I’ve always felt like he should be in there, while understanding the ban from baseball. It’s my era, my love of the game, and because I’ve had a close relationship with that family, I’m happy about it"

Aaron Boone backs Pete Rose’s Hall of Fame induction
Aaron Boone has been arguing for years that Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame, even after the historic betting scandal that resulted in his suspension in 1989.


To Aaron Boone, the Hall of Fame is not about erasing baseball history , and Rose's influence on the sport cannot be denied. "He should have been in there. His impact on the game is undeniable," Boone said. "With the Hall of Fame, it’s always felt simple to me."


The removal of the ban on Pete Rose qualifies him for consideration to the Hall of Fame, and Boone feels has been long overdue.


While expressing respect for how serious the scandal was, Boone is adamant that the Hall of Fame should stand for the people who helped shape the game, all warts and all.


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