Phillies to induct Pete Rose into Wall of Fame

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Pete Rose is going into the Phillies Wall of Fame.

The Phillies asked for permission from Major League Baseball to let Pete Rose have a shot at their wall of fame.

The organization left the voting to the fans, and they voted him in.

Barbara Whiteley of Feasterville said, "I am so happy he's being brought on the wall at Citizens. Whooo!"

The hit king also known as Charlie Hustle is coming to the Phillies Wall of Fame.

Pete Rose played on the Phillies from 1979-83, winning a world series with them in 1980.

He later played for the Montreal Expos and Cincinnati Reds.

It was there in 1989 he received a lifetime ban for betting on baseball. He didn't admit it until 2004.

In 2015, Major League Baseball upheld that ban, barring him from the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Phillies Larry Bowa who played with Rose and who is already on the Phils Wall of Fame said, "Hindsight being 20/20, if Pete would have come out earlier and said I made a mistake, he'd probably be in the hall of fame."

The Reds inducted Rose on their wall last year.

Most Phillies fans forgave him a long time ago.

Tim Keebler of Rittenhouse said, "You can't fault the guy for wanting to bet on something he loves."

Buddy Alaimo of Mount Laurel said, "People make mistakes, Michael Vick played here, he made a mistake, people forgave him, people should forgive Pete Rose too."

We found a Mets fan on the fence.

Anthony Trapani of Bethlehem said, "It depends honestly. He was the greatest hitter of all times, but he did break the rules."

But now that the league gave the okay for this accolade, maybe Cooperstown will be next.

I hope the odds are good because he deserves it. He made a mistake, give him a break! Maybe the new commish we have, he'll let him get in," said Whiteley.

Nick Defeo of Northeast Philadelphia said, "By the end of this year, there's going to be an announcement Pete's going to be into the Major League Hall of Fame. You heard it here first."

The induction is August 12, 2017.

Pete Rose released a statement saying the "reason for his success in the city is because the fans embraced him."

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