From Wikipedia(This was all published at the time that this happened):
In 2004, after years of public denial, Rose admitted to betting on baseball and on, but not against, the Reds.
Rose admitted in 2004 that he did bet on baseball. He thought that this would give him a chance to get back into baseball, but baseball only drove the knife deeper...If there was proof that Rose actually managed in an attempt to throw games in order to win bets, I would support his banishment...To date, I am unaware of any such proof...
Delta Dawn
“Rose admitted in 2004 that he did bet on baseball. He thought that this would give him a chance to get back into baseball, but baseball only drove the knife deeper...If there was proof that Rose actually managed in an attempt to throw games in order to win bets, I would support his banishment...To date, I am unaware of any such proof...”
FROM WIKI
Following the banning of Pete Rose from MLB, the selection rules for the Baseball Hall of Fame were modified to prevent the induction of anyone on Baseball’s permanent suspension list, such as Rose or Shoeless Joe Jackson. Many others have been barred from participation in MLB, but none have Hall of Fame qualifications on the level of Jackson or Rose.
This is proof of what you said they changed the rules just to spite Rose.
STeinbrenner was such an SOB that Dave Winfield choose to be inducted in the HOF as a Padre not a Yankee. Talk about people in Baseball character, and he owned race horses and gambled on them. What makes you think the gambling didn’t spread to baseball. And George was known to call the manager and tell him what to do on the field.
Yes, we know that he lied in the past, the lie was exposed; he agreed to a lifetime ban in exchange for the investigation being called off. So we don’t know what else he has lied about or the extent of what he has covered up.
Let's set aside the fact that betting on his team and going deep into debt with bookies makes him a juicy blackmail target, as well as those who have rightfully pointed out how his gambling can affect his managerial decisions and the integrity of the game. Instead, does the fact that his admission was made in a sensationalized book that he was hawking mean anything? After all, most people who are truly contrite don't try to shamelessly profit off of their acts of contrition.
Also, what is your take on the fact that he brutally slandered John Doud, the lead investigator who authored the report for 15+ years? History has completely vindicated Doud and his report, yet Rose has yet to apologize to him.