The debate may rage on, but ESPN’s jury has spoken: Pete Rose deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Baseball’s all-time hits leader, banned for life for allegedly betting on the sport, should be allowed induction at Cooperstown, the jury of ESPN’s mock trial said after hearing three hours of testimony and deliberating for 90 minutes at Harvard Law School. THE CASE For Rose - Baseball’s career leader in hits (4,256), singles (3,215), at-bats (14,053) and games played (3,562). - Awards: NL Rookie of the Year 1963; NL MVP 1973; World Series MVP 1975; NL Gold Glove 1969, 1970. - Titles: World Series (1975-76 with Cincinnati, 1980 with Philadelphia); NL batting (.335 in 1968, .348 in 1969, .338 in 1973). - Seventeen-time National League All-Star at a record five different positions (2B, RF, LF, 3B, 1B). Against Rose - Former federal prosecutor John Dowd uncovered evidence of Rose’s gambling activity, including the placement of bets with bookies tied to organized crime: The Dowd Report. - While denying he bet on baseball, Rose admitted in a 1989 deposition to illegal betting on college and pro basketball and NFL games. - Signed an agreement with commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti on Aug. 23, 1990, in which he was declared permanently ineligible in accordance with Major League Rule 21. - As stated in 3 (E) of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Rules of Election: “Any player on Baseball’s ineligible list shall not be an eligible candidate.”