DOES PETE ROSE BELONG IN THE HALL OF FAME?
BY ARNIE WEXLER CCGC
There are people in various sport’s halls of fame who are convicted drug addicts and alcoholics, yet compulsive gamblers are unable to get into these halls of fame. In fact, as far as professional sports goes an alcoholic and chemical dependent person can get multiple chances, whereas a gambler can not.I am a recovering compulsive gambler who placed my last bet on April, 10, 1968, and I have been fighting the injustice of how sports, society, and the judicial system deal with compulsive gamblers for the last 44 years. Compulsive gambling is an addiction just like alcoholism and chemical dependency and all three diseases are recognized by the American Psychiatric Association’s D.S.M. Yet, we treat compulsive gambling different then the other two addictions. Society and professional sports treat people with chemical dependency and alcoholism as sick people, yet they look at compulsive gamblers as bad people.
In my years of recovery I have met many compulsive gamblers who have found recovery and become some of society’s most productive people. I do not think that the discussion should be whether or not Pete Rose belongs in the hall of fame. He does! I pray for Pete Rose to find recovery because I know what recovery can do for a person’s life who has an addiction. Some people will believe that Pete Rose doesn’t have an addiction, but I have a copy of a television interview where he says (on the Donahue show 11/8/89), “I didn’t seek help for my gambling problem till the middle of September and I know it’s something I can’t lick by myself. I need help”
