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Pete Rose, RIP
“Doctors tell me I have the body of a thirty-year-old. I know I have the brain of a fifteen-year-old. If you’ve got both, you can play baseball!” –Pete Rose
The entire baseball world was deeply saddened yesterday to learn of the passing of Pete Rose at age 83 (April 14, 1941-September 30, 2024). Those of us who saw Pete play regularly will never forget the fire and intensity he brought to the game. Love him or hate him, there’s no disagreement he was a great ballplayer — one of the best ever.
Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson are truly two of baseball’s most tragic figures, and there are many similarities between their two cases, besides the fact that they were both great players. Pete’s reputation suffered self-inflicted damage and was forever tarnished by his flagrant violations of one of baseball’s most sacred cows: the prohibition against gambling on games. Joe Jackson was accused of participating in the 1919 plot to throw the World Series. As a result, both received lifetime banishment for their infractions. A case can be made that Jackson was innocent of the charge. But with Pete, there was never any doubt. And the fact that he lied about his involvement for years severely damaged his case for reinstatement when he finally came clean. Pete has another connection to the Black Sox scandal. As did Buck Weaver, he applied many times for reinstatement. Neither were successful.
On this sad occasion, I thought it would be appropriate to repost an essay I wrote about Pete a few years ago. In it, I address his career, his gambling offenses, and my thoughts on his reinstatement and eligibility for the Hall of Fame. I don’t expect you to necessarily agree with me, but I hope you take the time to read it.
Pete Rose Steps to the Plate for the First Time, April 8, 1963!
“Somebody’s gotta’ win and somebody’s gotta’ lose…and I believe in letting the other guy lose!” –Pete Rose
The quote above nicely summarizes the competitive nature of “Charlie Hustle,” Pete Rose. It’s sort of the baseball equivalent of a famous quote from another well-known competitor, General George Patton: “Don’t die for your country. Let the other guy die for his country.” (paraphrasing).
A Historic day
Opening Day, April 8, 1963, was a significant date in major league history, although at the time, no one could possibly have known it. On that date, a young, 21-year-old rookie from Cincinnati strode to the plate for his first major league at-bat. It was the Reds vs. the Pirates at Crosley Field. The second batter in the Reds’ lineup, the kid coaxed a walk off the Pirates’ Opening Day right-handed hurler, Earl Francis. He then scored a run two batters later when Frank Robinson blasted one out of the park. But it was a rather inauspicious beginning for the kid, as he went 0-for-3 in his first game.
The Rook also went for the collar in the next three games and suddenly found himself 0-12, reminiscent of the major league debut Willie Mays twelve years earlier. As Leo Durocher did for Willie, Pete’s manager, Fred Hutchinson, stood by him despite his early-season struggles. Then finally, in Game Four, on April 13, his luck turned. In the bottom of the eighth, after a previous infield out, a hit-by-pitch, and a walk in his first three at-bats, the kid finally came through with a triple, his first major league hit.
When he finally hung up the spikes in 1986, 24 seasons later, this same rookie, who, of course, we know as Pete Rose, had collected 4,256 hits and had retired as the all-time major league career hits leader, breaking the record of 4189 hits set by Ty Cobb.
Pete’s Great Career
Of course, you can’t mention Pete Rose without opening up the controversy about his ban from baseball and his eligibility for the Hall of Fame. Before you make up your mind, here are a few highlights from his great career:
Pete played for the Reds (1963-78), Phillies (1979-83), Expos (1984), and Reds again (1984-86). He managed the Reds from (1984-89). In addition to his 4256 hits, Pete batted .303, with 160 home runs, 746 doubles (National League record), 1,314 RBIs, 2,165 runs (National League Record), and a .375 on-base percentage. He holds major league records for singles (3,215), games played (3,562), plate appearances (15,890), and at-bats (14,053). In 268 post-season at-bats covering 67 games, he hit .321. His 44-game hitting streak in 1978 is second all-time in the modern era to Joe DiMaggio’s 56. Pete holds many other major league records, too numerous to list here.
Pete was a 17-time All-Star, a member of three World Series championships (1975, 1976, 1980), National League Rookie of the Year (1963), World Series MVP (1975), three-time National League batting champion (1968, 1969, 1973), two-time Gold Glove winner (1969, 1970), Silver Slugger Award winner (1981), Roberto Clemente Award winner (1976), and member of major league baseball All-Century team. His #14 has been retired by the Reds and he has been elected to the Reds Hall of Fame.
Should He Be In or Out?
Should his lifetime ban be lifted? Should he be in the Hall of Fame? I say let him in. I guess I’m more of the lenient and forgiving type (just ask my wife and kids!). That’s just my opinion and I certainly don’t expect everyone to agree with me. No doubt Pete broke one of baseball’s sacred rules and then lied about it for 15 years. He deserved punishment. But I think at this stage he’s suffered enough. I think his punishment should have started from the point he finally “came clean,” which was 2004. A ten-to-fifteen-year ban seems like it would have been appropriate. It would be over by now.
Let’s not forget that the offense that got him banned in the first place – betting on baseball – is now a legal activity and has become a multi-million dollar industry, engaged in by tens of thousands of fans. It’s sanctioned and even encouraged by major league baseball itself, with betting venues popping up at numerous major league ballparks. Granted, his offense was made many times worse by the fact that he did it while in uniform, and then lied about it, so his offense warranted significant punishment. But, considering all, I can’t help but see the lingering hypocrisy of the situation.
And let’s also not forget that we’re still recovering from the “steroid era,” an offense that I feel is much worse than anything Pete Rose ever did. None of the offenders – some of whom also have lying under oath on their rap sheet – have ever been banned from the game to my knowledge.
I don’t think keeping the game’s all-time hits leader out of the game and out of the Hall of Fame is good for anyone, especially since his offense is one that is now indulged in legally by thousands of fans. No doubt Pete has paid a steep price for his offenses and self-inflicted wounds. I say let him back in. Again, that’s just my opinion, and I certainly respect the opinion of others who disagree with me.
Gary Livacari
Information: Excerpts edited from Pete Rose Wikipedia page; Stats from Baseball-reference.com
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Nice Job Gary!
Thanks Joe!
The ban was for lifetime. His life is over, put him in.
Unfortunately that’s the same thing that happened to Buck Weaver and Joe Jckson. When they died, nothing changed.
Couldn’t agree with you more, Gary. He added a lot to the game. Everybody was talking about Pete’s accomplishments back in the day – even people who weren’t baseball fans. I know some Yankee scouts who were making sure to be in Cincinnati in July 1978. Nice article about Pete!
Thanks Sue!
I don’t condone Rose’s gambling, although MLB’s hypocrisy on this issue is duly noted. However, I must relate a story from Rose’s rookie season: I was in Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. Few fans went to Phillies games back then so it was easy to go to the park on the day of the game and get a good seat. I sat near the playing field watching Rose and another Red warm up. The ball got away from Rose and rolled toward the stands. A young boy of about 8 or 9 jumped out of the stands, grabbed the ball, and scrambled back to his seat. Of course, that was a no-no. The ushers seized the ball. The kid started to cry. Rose went over to the kid, autographed a ball, and gave it to him. Say what you want about Pete. That was a class move.
Thanks Vince…nice story.
Unfortunately, Pete admitted gambling on his own team. His great records are in the Hall-of-Fame and he should be too but the gambling issue should be mentioned on his plaque. Rose would not be signed in today’s baseball world, he showed no great signs of hitting or power as an amateur, wasn’t particularly fast afoot, and had a mediocre throwing arm. His hustle got him to Hall-of-Fame status and he made more out of his little god-given athletic talent than any other major league player.
Great insights Kevin, thanks!