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 Pete Rose Photo Gallery
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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

“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 first quote above nicely summarizes the competitive philosophy 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

Fifty-nine years ago this week, 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 0-3 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). His manager, Fred Hutchinson, stood by him in spite of his early-season struggles. Then finally, in Game Four, on April 13, his luck turned. In the bottom of the eight, 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 4,255 more 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), the National League Rookie of the Year (1963), a three-time National League batting champion (1968, 1969, 1973), a two-time Gold Glove winner (1969, 1970), a Silver Slugger Award winner (1981), the Roberto Clemente Award winner (1976), and a member of major league baseball All-Century team.

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 cardinal 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 which 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, 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 seeing the lingering hypocrisy of the situation.

And let’s also not forget that we’ve still recovering from the “steroid era,” an offense which I feel is much worse than anything Pete Rose ever did. None of the offenders – some of which also have lying under oath on their rap sheet – have ever been banned from the game to my knowledge.

Those of us who saw Pete Rose play on a regular basis will never forget the fire he brought to the game. Love him or hate him, there’s no disagreement he was a great ballplayer, one of the best ever. 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.

Pete has paid a steep price…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 

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Information: Excerpts edited from Pete rose Wikipedia page; stats from baseball-reference.com