Pete Rose, baseball’s most iconic and controversial figure, dies at 83. Here’s why it’s time to put him in the Hall of Fame

Ruben Navarrette : Baseball owes it to the fans and the spirit of the game to honor one of its greatest competitors.

He says Pete Rose's 24-season career spanned from 1963 to 1986 , his record of 4,256 career hits remains unbroken.

Despite his legendary career, Rose’s gambling scandal looms large in any discussion about him.

He was found to have bet on baseball games, including those involving his own team, in 1989 .

When it came to those failings, especially his gambling addiction, he was more defensive than contrite. Rose’s legacy is marred by his controversies and shortcomings. We shouldn’t shy away from acknowledging this. Nevertheless, Pete Rose belongs in the Hall of Fame — not because his actions were excusable but because his legacy on the field is too great to be ignored. Now that Rose’s life on this Earth has come to an end, it’s time for his lifetime ban from baseball to do the same. Put Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame ..