 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."