NEW YORK -- Baseball is in no rush to call a meeting of Hall of Famers to talk about Charlie Hustle.

A meeting between Hall of Famers and commissioner Bud Selig to discuss Pete Rose had been postponed at the request of baseball officials.

The Hall had been contacting its 58 living members about a possible gathering in Los Angeles on Jan. 17. But Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating office, asked the Hall on Friday to delay the session.

Hall spokesman Jeff Idelson said Monday that the meeting would not take place, but would not go into the reasons, and DuPuy declined comment.

The meeting is likely to be scheduled for the first two weeks of February, a baseball official said on the condition of anonymity, and no action on Rose is likely to take place before the meeting with Hall members.

Rose, the career hits leader, agreed to a lifetime ban from baseball in August 1989 following an investigation of his gambling. Because of the ban, he cannot appear on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Rose applied for reinstatement in September 1997 but Selig hasn't ruled on it. After years of saying he saw no reason to change the ban Rose agreed to with commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti, Selig allowed DuPuy to negotiate with Rose's agent, Warren Morris, during the past year.

Selig and Rose met in Milwaukee on Nov. 25, and Rose issued a statement earlier this month confirming the talks, saying "we have been provided the forum to discuss all of the issues with Major League Baseball."

DuPuy met with Hall chairwoman Jane Forbes Clark, Hall president Dale Petroskey and Hall vice chairman Joe Morgan on Dec. 18, and an update on the Rose talks was part of the briefing.

Baseball officials want Rose to admit that he bet on baseball -- which he has repeatedly denied, as part of any reinstatement agreement. Morgan, who was involved in setting up the Selig-Rose meeting, has said his former teammate has "got to come clean" if there was to be an agreement.

John Dowd, who headed the Rose inquiry for baseball, wrote a report that detailed 412 baseball wagers between April 8 and July 5, 1987, including 52 on Cincinnati to win. Dowd cited evidence that included betting slips alleged to be in Rose's handwriting, and telephone and bank records.

The Cincinnati Reds, the team Rose spent most of his career with and later managed, would like him to be reinstated by the start of the season, which would allow him to participate in the opening ceremonies of the Great American Ball Park.

Bob Feller has been opposed to Rose's ban, and other Hall of Famers have said it should be considered if Rose admits what baseball said he did.