In honor of the All-Star game, commissioner of baseball and owner of the Milwaukee Brewers Bud Selig took the opportunity to show once again how completely unfit he is to lead our nation’s pastime.

Selig, at a reception honoring the 100 players placed on the ballot for the All-Century team, announced that he would not be accepting Pete Rose’s request for reinstatement to the game that Rose gave so much to in his years with the Cincinnati Reds.

Rose, who smacked 4,256 hits during his illustrious career and is arguably one of the best to ever swing the bat, was banned from baseball in August of 1989 by then commissioner Bart Giamatti for betting on major league baseball games when he was a player and a coach for the Reds.

What Rose did was offensive.

Gambling and sports simply do not mix — especially in a sport like baseball, which has been historically plagued with pay-offs and run-shaving which mar the reputation of the game.

You must treat any broach of gambling into the game to an iron fist.

But compared to players like Steve Howe, a mediocre pitcher who was found in violation of MLB’s drug policy at least five times and was still allowed to play, is what Rose did all that bad?

Sure, he bet on a few games, but it has never been proven that he bet on any contests in which he was involved.

Certainly baseball hurts more when men like Darryl Strawberry get third and fourth chances, and Charlie Hustle is reduced to pandering autographs at card shows.

Rose’s complete banishment from the game that was his life for decades has made him stoop so low as to dress up like the Famous Chicken and be comic relief at professional wrestling events.

What Rose did was wrong, and he deserved the punishment he received.

But Selig needs to lighten up and realize Rose has been punished enough.

Selig should lift the banishment and allow Pete Rose into the Hall of Fame because Rose has served his time.