For 14 years, Pete Rose has tried to lead the public to believe that he never bet on Major League Baseball games. Now he's coming clean.

He will officially do this in a book, "My Prison Without Bars," scheduled to be released Thursday. The former Cincinnati Red will tell the world he bet on baseball games - but never against his own team. He will confess to doing this four or five times a week and he will tell us he never thought he would get caught.

A media blitz has preceded the release, leading the American public to believe this is shocking news. Well, it isn't.

For 14 years, Rose has been banned from Major League Baseball. For 14 years, fans have debated whether or not baseball should reinstate the all-time hits leader and make him eligible for the Hall of Fame. Ironically, Rose's revelation will take place two days after the 2004 Hall of Fame inductees are announced.

Rose said it is time for the truth. It is time to accept responsibility. It is time to confess his sins.

Why did he wait 14 years? Is it because that was his uniform number? Other than this explanation, I see little logic in Rose's delay in admitting his guilt.

Pete Rose is no angel. For almost a decade and a half, he lied to ex-teammates, fans and supporters. He tried to make it appear that baseball was the villain and he was the victim.

He lied without regret, without remorse and without reason. For those reasons, it is difficult to feel sorry for him. After all, his "Prison Without Bars" was created by him.

Most of us figured Rose was lying all along. Some of his biggest fans likely believed every word he said, but the majority of the public saw through his lies.

Even though Pete Rose has given baseball the proverbial black eye, he belongs in the Hall of Fame. I wouldn't lobby for baseball to allow him to manage or hold any position with a professional baseball club ever again, but what he accomplished on the field is reason enough to enshrine him along side the greatest players in the history of the game. I would suggest, however, that a notation be placed at his exhibit saying he was banned for baseball for 14 years for his gambling problems.

It's just hard for me to fathom that MLB and other sports give drug offenders numerous chances to redeem themselves, but if you gamble, you're gone for life. Being a big Cincinnati Reds fan, I'm disappointed in Pete Rose the man, but Pete Rose the baseball player will be one of my all-time favorites.

Most baseball fans want him back. They want him in the Hall of Fame. Baseball should accept his confession and take him back. It's just a shame he lied to so many people for so many years.

Shawn Doyle is managing editor of The Ironton Tribune. He can be reached at (740) 532-1445, extension 19 or via e-mail at shawn. doyle@irontontribune.com