Gambling in Baseball A Risky Road to Redemption

In today’s episode, Dan Riley explores the growing concern about gambling in baseball. While some see the potential reinstatement of banned players as a move toward redemption, others fear it could signal that gambling is harmless.By reopening the door to legendary but controversial figures, Major League Baseball may blur the line between forgiveness and accountability.

There’s a risk that players—or fans—could interpret this shift as a softening stance on betting. And gambling in baseball, as history has shown, carries real-life consequences—like addiction, financial ruin, and compromised integrity.Dan cautions that this decision, though perhaps well-meaning, could blow up in the league’s face.

As the conversation around gambling in baseball resurfaces, the league must tread carefully. The past offers plenty of warning signs—and ignoring them may cost more than the sport is willing to pay.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Dan Riley for Sports Talk. According to reports,
major League Baseball is reinstating Pete Rose and Joe Jackson
for the Hall of Fame. This is a big mistake
by the Commissioner's office because it may trick players into
thinking there's no harm in betting. That couldn't be more false.

(00:27):
For decades, sports leagues in America demonized betting, especially Major
League Baseball MLB had a reason to the Black Sox
scandal in nineteen eighteen nearly killed pro baseball in this country.

(00:51):
One baseball player betting is one too many, because he
could wind up in debt to the wrong people, or
if it's with a betting app, he could get arrested
for failure to pay back its debts. For the record,

(01:11):
it was a betting junkie who introduced the black socks
to Arnold Rothstein in nineteen eighteen. I think we all
know how that turned out after watching the movie Eight
Man Out. Leagues send former and current FBI officials to

(01:36):
tell their referees and players to stay away from gambling
every year. It's for good reason. Even if you aren't
fixing games, you'll wind up addicted or in debt to somebody.
Then you'll fall out of the pan and into the fire.

(01:57):
That's why Pete Rose was banned for the rest of
his life. To begin with, Pete's gambling could put him
in debt to a mob affiliated bookie, and he could
be told to lose games on purpose to help the
book he get his cash back. In the late two thousands,

(02:27):
Sean Patrick Griffin, a criminal justice professor at the Citadel,
wrote a book discussing his research into the Tim Donegy scandal.
Aside from exposing Doneghie as a liar only pretending the
Feds have confirmed his claims, the book revealed how one
referee got addicted to betting and destroy the NBA's reputation

(02:51):
in the process. The same thing happened in nineteen eighteen
to baseball. Meanwhile, amidst all the talk about the war
on drugs, the hard truth is that illegal drugs like
crack are tested for a reason in sports. Because they

(03:13):
are illegal, they can be used as leverage against a
player to get them to fix a game. Leagues like
Major League Baseball are terrified of this. It's because of
all these anti game fixing measures. That is why it's

(03:34):
concerning to me to see baseball allowing Joe Jackson and
Pete Rose into the Hall of Fame. It sends an
inaccurate message about betting. There's no consequence there, indeed is
attracting the wrong people. Gambling has consequences, and major League

(04:04):
Baseball has made a big mistake allowing these two men
into the Hall Fame. Hopefully they won't pay for it.
This is Dan Riley for Sports Talk. Thank you so
much for tuning in and so long