PETE ROSE...THE HIT KING

PETE "CHARLIE HUSTLE" ROSE

Peter Edward Rose was born on April 14, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He grew up in nearby Anderson Ferry. His dad, Harry, was known as "Big Pete". He had been a boxer & a semi-pro football player, & Pete credited him as the model for what would become his intense, hard charging style. After playing football & baseball at Western Hills High School, Pete signed with the hometown Cincinnati Reds.

 Nicknamed "Charlie Hustle" by All-Star Yankees pitcher, Whitey Ford, Pete made his major league debut in 1963 & went on to win the National League Rookie of the Year award. In the coming years, the switch hitter would establish himself as one of the best players in baseball. Rose surpassed 200 hits for the first of a record 10 times in 1965, notched batting titles in 1968 & 1969, & won Gold Gloves for his outfield defense in 1969 & 1970. He rubbed some people the wrong way with his intensity. He separated Cleveland Indians catcher, Ray Fosse's shoulder in a home plate collision during the 1973 All-Star game, & sparked a brawl with his hard slide into Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson during the 1973 playoffs. But there was no denying his greatness that same season, Pete won his third batting title & was named the NL Most Valuable Player.

Rose starred for the "Big Red Machine" Cincinnati teams that won back to back World Series championships in 1975 & 1976, & set an NL record with a 44-game hit streak in 1978. Traded to the Philadelphia Phillies after that season, he helped them win their first World Series in franchise history in 1980. Pete spent half of a season with the Montreal Expos in 1984, then returned to Cincinnati as player-manager. On September 11, 1985, he recorded career hit No. 4,192 to break the 57 year old record held by baseball great Ty Cobb. Pete ended his playing career after the 1986 season with 4,256 total hits, & held the all time records with 3,562 games played & 14,053 at bats.

 

Pete continued to serve as manager of the Reds, but after suspicions arose about his gambling habits, the Commissioner's office hired former Justice Department prosecutor John Dowd to launch an investigation. Dowd uncovered evidence that Rose had bet on baseball games & on August 23, 1989, Commissioner Bart Giamatti suspended Rose from baseball for life. He landed in more trouble the following year, earning a five month sentence in a Federal correctional institution for tax evasion. Pete applied for reinstatement to baseball in 1997 & after years of denying the charges, he finally admitted to betting on games just before the release of his 2004 autobiography, My Prison Without Bars. The Hit King remains in exile from the sport & he regularly signs autographs at a Las Vegas memorabilia store & makes television/radio appearances as he waits for his chance at redemption.

WHY PETE ROSE SHOULD BE IN HALL OF FAME

Pete Rose was placed on Baseball's ineligible list in 1989 when Commissioner of Baseball A. Bartlett Giamatti decided that Rose had bet on baseball games, including games involving his own team, the Cincinnati Reds. The agreement specifically stated that Rose was confirming nor denying he had gambled on baseball. However, Pete Rose wrote in his book " My Prison Without Bars", that he admitted to Commissioner Bud Selig that he indeed gambled on baseball & his team, but that they would win not lose. There are rumors though, that personally Giamatti was out to get Rose. During Giamatti's stint as the National League President he suspended Rose for 30 days for shoving an umpire. During the suspension, behind the scenes, Rose blasted Giamatti throughout the baseball community. This stung Giamatti & made him never relinquish his decision. There also has been talk that before stepping down & turning over the Commisioner of MLB to Bud Selig, that Giamatti privately told Selig to never lift the ban on Rose.

 Major Leagues Baseball Committee will have to vote Pete Rose in. To get in Rose will need 75% of votes from the 65 member committee. Though some are on record saying that they will not vote for him, a lot of high profile Hall of Famer's do want him in & will give him their vote. Hank Aaron is one of those voices saying recently, "I would certainly like to see him in....He belongs in, really. His career is one that he needs to be right here in the middle of all of this”. If players such as Aaron respect what he did in the game, shouldn’t the Commissioner? 

 

 There is no real evidence or proof that Rose bet against the Reds when he was their manager. Yes, he has admitted to gambling on baseball over 52 games for an average of $10,000 per game. However, he has said that he always bet that the Red's would win the game, not lose. There is no choice but to take him at his word. Remember...without proof in this "great" nation of ours, you can not just presume someone is guilty.

STEROIDS...You probably guessed this was coming. Yes, steroids or using illegal performance enhancing drugs is cheating. When players such as McGwire, Ortiz, A-Rod, or Ramirez say things such as, it never helped me hit better or I used it to recover from an injury, they are lying & cheating the game. In my opinion, this steroid issue is way worse than gambling. Many players who used steroids will eventually become Hall of Famers. What can baseball do? Ban an entire generation of players from getting in the Hall of Fame...no that’s not going to happen. Baseball is not going to stop having induction ceremonies. They are going to have to induct some of these players. This makes gambling seem a little tame, wouldn't you think?

 This is by far the most obvious reason why Pete Rose should be a member of the Hall of Fame. If you are still not convinced sit back, relax & check out the numbers he put up in his amazing career. Rose played from 1963-1986. In that amazingly long time span, showing his longevity, he had 14,053 at Bats...2,165 Runs Scored...1,314 RBI's...160 Home Runs... .303 Life Time Batting Average... .375 Life Time On Base Percentage...Two Gold Glove Awards...Three Batting Titles...Rookie of the Year Award...MVP Award...Three World Series Championships...17 All-Star appearances...5 different positions... & 4,256 hits! The numbers are amazing & so was his career. It's time for Pete Rose to be a Hall of Fame.