MLB ends ban, Hall of Fame door opens for members of 1919 Black Sox
In a stunning reversal of decades-long policy, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced today a sweeping decision to remove deceased players, including the legendary Shoeless Joe Jackson, from the permanently ineligible list. This historic move effectively ends MLB’s lifetime ban upon a player’s death, opening the door for potential posthumous Hall of Fame consideration for Jackson as well as his other teammates, including Eddie Cicotte and Buck Weaver. Manfred also released the all-time hit king, Pete Rose, from the list and stated that a deceased individual no longer threatens the game’s integrity.
The ban on Jackson stemmed from the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal when commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banished him and seven other Chicago White Sox teammates for allegedly fixing the World Series. Even after the ruling, Jackson always maintained his innocence, and his on-field performance during the Series — including a .375 batting average and the only home run — has long fueled debate about his Hall of Fame worthiness. For decades, Shoeless Joe’s exceptional .356 career batting average, the fourth-highest in MLB history, has been a point of fervent discussion among fans and historians advocating for his enshrinement in Cooperstown.
This landmark decision reignites the possibility of Shoeless Joe Jackson finally receiving baseball’s highest honor. While the Hall of Fame’s board previously ruled against considering permanently ineligible players, Manfred’s removal of Jackson from that list clears a significant hurdle.
The earliest Jackson could be considered for induction by the Hall’s Classic Baseball Era Committee is the summer of 2028. This news will undoubtedly bring renewed hope to the legions of fans who believe Shoeless Joe’s extraordinary talent deserves recognition in the hallowed halls of baseball history.