Oh, it has been years since Pete Rose’s name has been lingering in the shadows of baseball’s greatest honor—getting inducted into the Hall of Fame. The greatest hitters of all time didn’t lack talent; it was the lifetime ban that wouldn’t budge. Now that the ban has finally lifted, he’s not here to see it. However, lifting the ban wasn’t the end goal for the Rose family. For his family, his lawyer, Reds announcer Marty Brennaman, and many more, the fight isn’t over.

Just a few days ago, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the Cincinnati Reds legend and several other deceased players have been taken off the ineligible list. However, it didn’t calm things down. Not even a bit. In fact, Rose’s attorney, Jeffery Lenkov, revealed that it’s been chaotic ever since Rose’s children came to know that the ban on their deceased father has been lifted. After all, it was Manfred who had rejected Rose’s appeal for reinstatement multiple times while he was alive.

Now, months after his passing, Manfred reinstated him based on Rose’s family petition. In fact, there was someone who took even more offense at such turns of events that he suggested Rose’s family decline all offers for his induction into the Hall of Fame. It was Brennaman, the former Reds announcer. Not only that, he also questioned MLB’s timing of lifting this ban. “I’m just trying to reconcile in my own mind why they waited as long as they did,” he told TMZ. “The fact that they rushed to make him eligible within a matter of months, to me, was the wrong way to go about doing business.” To him, it didn’t feel right—giving Rose the honor for HOF consideration so late.

However, Lenkov wants to focus on the positives. And now, he’s all in to get Rose into the Hall of Fame. Rose lost all hope when his petition for reinstatement was rejected by Manfred in 2016. And he died with a “broken heart” for not being in the Hall, which he rightly deserved. “I’m never going to give up. Ever. So whatever it took to get the reinstatement, I’m going to continue until there’s no other options for him on the Hall,” said Lenkov.

The Historical Overview Committee will reportedly pick eight names for the Classic Baseball Era Committee. It includes all candidates who had an influence on the game before 1980. However, the decision wouldn’t be finalized until December 2027, when the committee meets next. So, that’s when they will vote. But if all these years have taught the Roses anything, patience eventually gets everything you desire. And that’s the motto his lawyer, Lenkov, is living by until his legendary client gets his

Pete gave his whole life to baseball. Lenkov isn’t letting go of his quest for Pete’s honor just yet.

Pete Rose and the HOF: Things you should know about the process

It’s anything but easy—getting Rose inducted into the Hall of Fame.

First of all, Rose’s candidacy will have to make it through the screening committee. That committee is, of course, the Historical Overview Committee. The decision is entirely in their hands—whether or not Rose’s name will appear on the ballot. But he’s likely to get through this round. After this first step, the Era committee will be voting on him in December 2027. In fact, many have already called the 2027 Classic Era  Committee election ‘The Pete Rose Election.’ It hasn’t yet been announced who will be voting.

Even then, it’s a long process. The committee first holds a long meeting, and that, too, in person. There’s a long discussion about every candidate. When all the necessary discussions are done, the committee proceeds to the voting. It’s so strict that the voters can’t discuss who they are voting for.

As for Rose, he will need 12 out of 16 votes in order to get elected. But who really decides the committee members? It’s the HOF executives, researchers, and some others who collectively decide the members of the committee. But that’s not it. In the end, the board of directors of HOF has the final word.

Now, do you think Rose will be able to get enough votes to get inducted into Cooperstown’s Hall of Fame? He has gotten more hits than anyone, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy for him. However, his lawyer won’t breathe a sigh of relief until he’s done giving Rose the honor he deserves.