kept out of the hall for gambling

It wasn't just any gambling. He was wagering on his own team while a part of that team.

After the "Black Sox" incident in 1918 or 1919, baseball has come down very hard on any gambling on the game by players and coaches.

Rose also made it worse by continuing to deny that he was gambling in spite of some pretty significant evidence. So much evidence, that he agreed to the ban so that the evidence wouldn't be made public in a trial. It wasn't until 15 years after he was banned from baseball that he finally sort of admitted to the gambling, claiming that when he bet, he always bet on his team to win. But the gambling rule in baseball is quite clear, no gambling on any baseball game by anyone affiliated with a team. Doesn't matter that you're betting on your own team to win

Ultimately, the ball was in Rose's court (to mix sports metaphors). Had he admitted to the gambling and apologized for it, the Hall of Fame ban would likely have been lifted. While he did admit to it, he always contended that it was OK because he didn't bet in a way that he could throw a game and deliberately lose.

Now that he's gone, give it another 5 to 10 years and I suspect calls for him to be in the Hall will finally be acted upon. I think he'll eventually get in the Hall, but it won't be for a while yet.

--Peter