Pete Rose was an enigma. There were two distinct sides to him. On the one hand, he was a highly skilled baseball player, arguably one of the best of his generation. He played the game with a passion that few could match, and his accomplishments, both individually and as part of a team, speak for themselves.
On the other hand, he disrespected the game he loved by breaking the most sacred rule, the rule that goes to the very integrity of the game. He bet on baseball games, even on his own team. When he was caught, he compounded the crime by denying it. As a result, baseball commissioner Bart Giamatti suspended him decreed him to be ineligible for the Hall of Fame for life.
Eventually, he admitted the transgression, but when commissioner Bud Selig asked him why he did it, he replied “I didn’t think I’d get caught.” As a result of his actions and his vehement denials he has remained ineligible for the HOF. More on this later.
Peter Edward Rose was born on April 14, 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio. At Western Hills High School in Cincinnati, he excelled in both baseball and football. Upon graduation he was not a highly regarded prospect but fortuitously one of his uncles was a “Bird Dog” scout for the Cincinnati Reds. He convinced the Reds to take a chance on Pete.
Rose progressed rapidly through the minors, and in three years he made the majors. He was a star from the beginning. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1963.
Rose was known for his hustling and aggressive playing style. He was the first player I can remember who sprinted to first base when he was “walked.” Most every other player jogs to the base. This characteristic earned him the amusing nickname “Charlie Hustle.”
Rose played 24 years in the Majors for three teams – the Cincinnati Reds, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Montreal Expos. He also managed the Reds for five years (1984-1989). However, he is best known for his tenure with the Reds. He was an integral part of the “Big Red Machine” teams, which dominated the NL during the mid-1970s. The team featured Hall of Famers such as Joe Morgan, Tony Perez and Johnny Bench plus Rose, and won the World Series in 1975 and 1976. He was a switch hitter and one of the most prolific ever. His lifetime batting average was .303, which was good but not among the all-time leaders.
However, Rose holds numerous MLB records, as well as a bunch of NL and switch-hitting records, too many to name them all here. They include:
- Rookie of the Year (1963)
- 17 times an All-Star.
- An All-Star at five different positions (1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, left field and right field).
- Three-time NL batting champion (1968, 1969, & 1973)
- Three times a World Series champion (1975, 1976 and 1980).
- NL MVP (1973).
- World Series MVP (1975).
- Two Gold Glove Awards (1969 & 1970).
- Silver Slugger Award (1981).
- MLB All-Century Team
For all his positive achievements Rose’s playing career was marred by two incidents, which were a direct result of his aggressive style of play:
- In Game Three of the 1973 NL Championship Series with the NY Mets he got into a fight with Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson, which incited a bench-clearing brawl. Harrelson was a very popular player, so Mets fans commenced to throwing debris at Rose. The Reds manager, Sparky Anderson pulled his team off the field until order was restored. Generally, Rose was perceived as the instigator and the villain, at least in NY.
- During the 1970 All-Star game he barreled violently into catcher Ray Fosse while trying to score bowling him over and separating his shoulder. It was a brutal hit directly onto Fosse’s right (throwing) shoulder. While homeplate collisions were common (unlike now), many observers thought the hit was excessive since the All-Star game was essentially an exhibition game. Fosse always said he had “never [been] hit like that before,” and Rose “never apologized.” Rose was unapologetic. His explanation was “I’ve got to do everything I can to score there.” Again, Rose was the bad guy. Fosse played several more years, but he was never the same player.
As I said, the big stain on Rose’s baseball career was that he bet on baseball games. This is considered to be the worst transgression, because it damages the very integrity of the game. Nothing can be allowed to cause the fans to doubt the integrity of the sport. This attitude dates back to the infamous Chicago Black Sox scandal in which eight Chicago White Sox players were found to have conspired to “throw” the 1919 World Series. Even though the case against some of the players was weak, all eight were banned for life. This set the precedent with respect to gambling on the sport. No warnings. No suspensions. Lifetime ban.
Rose was definitely guilty. At first, he denied it, but MLB had conclusive, overwhelming evidence. Rose was banned for life. Moreover, he is permanently ineligible for the Hall of Fame, although he has managed to earn a living from his notoriety as a former player by selling his autograph at card shows and the like for a fee. He can often be found at Cooperstown during the week of HOF inductions.
Rose’s personal life was characterized by controversy. He was married twice, divorced twice, and fathered four children one of which, Petey, had a brief MLB career. He was accused of statuary rape of a 14-year-old girl. Rose didn’t deny it, but he claimed he didn’t know the girl was a minor. The case was settled out of court and dismissed.
CONCLUSION
Many of Rose’s fans had hoped that he would somehow become eligible for the HOF before he died. While it’s true that in the intervening years MLB’s attitude toward gambling has changed that has not helped Rose’s cause. MLB now actually advertises sports betting parlors, but that applies to the general public, not to players or other persons connected to the game. Some may see that as a distinction without a difference, but it is what it is.
Pete Rose passed away on September 30, 2024. He remains a controversial figure. He also remains ineligible for the HOF.
We Built It Blog by Larry Jacob 