Letter from Ted Potrikus

Rose Belongs in the Hall

“The Freeman’s Journal” and Charlie Vascellaro last week gave page one credence to the not unfathomable idea that Major League Baseball caved on Pete Rose’s lifetime ban owing to strongarm tactics from President Donald Trump. Top-of-the-fold feature placement with a pair of high-resolution photos “courtesy of Andy Levine, head of sales, Trump National Golf Club Hudson Valley” suggests to the reader the story was a pitch from Mr. Levine, replete with the promise of a picture of the president autographing his Rose-endorsement baseball like it was one of his ubiquitous executive orders.

Mr. Vascellaro’s analysis drives home that idea, observing “current Commissioner Rob Manfred, who denied Rose’s two previous applications” for reinstatement, changed his mind “three weeks after meeting with President Trump at the White House on April 17” and lifted the ban to reinstate Mr. Rose and his eligibility for Hall of Fame immortality.