Source: TomDispatch
by Robert Lipsyte
“Thanks to our current misbegotten model of manhood, we are once again arguing about this moral question: Should former Cincinnati Reds player and manager Pete Rose be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame? In a sane time, the proper answer would be: Are you kidding? Maybe many of you reading this couldn’t care less. Unfortunately, you probably should care because the real question in these chaotic times of ours is: What does the Hall of Fame stand for? In the same way, you might now wonder what America stands for and whether, in our moment, Pete Rose (bully, liar, cheat, sexual predator, and fan-favorite superstar athlete) has, in fact, become a sports surrogate for Donald Trump. Back in my sports-writing days for the New York Times, I must admit that I liked Rose for some of the same reasons I liked that other shady character I covered: Trump.” (06/12/25)
https://tomdispatch.com/ending-manhood-in-the-hall-of-shame/