Pete Rose, a Baseball Hero
It seems as if Bud Selig and Major League Baseballl might finally be coming to their senses. Sportscenter reported this morning that Bud Selig might finally be nearing a decision to reinstate Pete Rose.
It seems to me that Pete Rose represents the biggest folly in baseball history. There has never been anyone play the game harder than Pete Rose. No one has ever done more with lesser talent. He was a winner. He demanded 100% from himself and in turn demanded it of everyone else around him. If a runner needed to be moved over, he got him over. Runner on third less that 2 outs; that run got in. The Big Red Machine could be renamed the Pete Rose Machine.
He and Sparky Anderson accepted nothing less than the best.
Pete Rose never juiced up, never took HGH, never took a play off, never cheated the game he loved so much. He played the game clean and came out as baseball’s best hitter ever.
However, Pete Rose has served a 20 year ban. A 20 year sentence for betting on baseball. Let me be clear! Betting on the game was wrong. But to ban him and take him away from the game he gave so much to for 20 years, is an outrage. It is a disaster. He played the game 100% clean yet served a 20 year ban when steroid users are only getting a slap on the wrist 50 game suspension.
Commisioner Selig, think about this situation. Pete Rose deserves a front and center plaque in baseball’s hall of fame.
Pete Rose gave baseball and its fans years of excitment and dedication, and baseball has given him nothing back. Administering such a harsh punishment to Pete Rose while giving steroid users little more than a slap on the wrist ought to be seen as a dark spot in baseball’s history.
He taught so many of us how to play the game and was a role model for so many as he was a self made player. Rose gave anything to win. He like others is human and made a mistake, but he gave his life for baseball and would have never cheated the game like some players today.
Mr. Selig, you have a chance to right this disaster and take a stand. To me and many other baseball fans: PETE ROSE IS BASEBALL!!! Let’s get him in the hall of fame!!
And This One Belongs To The Reds 
Rose not being in the Hall of Fame really is a joke. How steroid users are allowed to continue playing while Pete Rose is banned from baseball is beyond me. He bet on his team to win every single night so he was only hurting himself. He needs to be reinstated.
http://moneyball.mlblogs.com/
Good post. While I don’t really have an opinion one way or the other on the actual Pete Rose issue — I whole-heartedly agree that there is a double-standard with the players who have tested positive for steroids, in comparison. If players linked with steroids are allowed to be given consideration for the Hall of Fame, it would only be fair for Rose to be as well.
~AZ
http://azinneck.mlblogs.com
I love your blog especially this article on Peter Edward Rose, aka Charlie Hustle…. given to him by I believe Mickey Mantle when Pete Rose climbed an outfield wall in his first game to try and grab a Mantle home run that went about 480 feet.
One thing I do not agree with you on is your defense of Dusty Baker. He has a tendency to leave starting pitchers in longer than necessary and has also proven to stick with position players over salary instead of over performance. Taveras, Encarnacion, Hernandez, Gonzalez, Arroyo to note. Arroyo needed to miss a start during his extremely bad struggle and yet Dusty continued on with a play through it attitude. Dusty’s management of the outfield situation has also been less than stellar. Making Johnny Gomes essentially a backup/part time player is a bad idea all the way around. Dusty benched him twice this season while wielding a hot bat. I’m not saying that Dusty is all evil. I like the fact that of recent note he has moved Taveras more often to the #2 and Taveras has responded in a positive fashion. I also like the way Dusty has used Hairston Jr. this year.
I like your observation and comparison of Votto to Perez. I think Votto will be a consistent .300 hitter with his fast bat and the way he hits with his waist moment instead of moving his shoulders (pete rose was famous for this if you watch footage of pete he moved his hips into the pitch instead of adjusting his arms).
Well keep up the blogging and hopefully you’ll get a full time permanent link on the Reds website.
I want to commend you on a fine article – Very Impressive. I’ve been a Pete Rose fan – he’s my all-time favorite ballplayer by far – since October 1970. I was only 7 years old then.
I was amazed as Mr. Rose seemed to get better with age – at least he refused to slow down to age until he got to Philadelphia. Still, Charlie Hustle helped lead the Phils to their first World Championship in their 98-year existence – at the time. Of course, the Phils have only won another World Series since then – in 2008.
As much as it pains me to say, however – and I HOPE Pete Rose gets reinstated in order to be in the Baseball HOF (Hall of Fame) – – Mr. Rose hurt Mr. Rose in his gambling on the game. Pete knew better, but thought he wouldn’t get caught – his own admission.
Mr. Rose lied about the gambling, and kept that up for 14 years. Imagine how you and I would be viewed for lying about something to do with our jobs, reputation, family name, and more.
Yes, Pete Rose has been banned from MLB now for 20 years – he got a Lifetime Ban, so anything the Commissioner of MLB does to make this shorter is a gift.
Understand – I’ve gotten authgraphs from the man, and saw him in action at Riverfront in 1973, 75, and 77. I later saw him in Atlanta while playing for the Phils in 1982, and finally, I saw Rose in his final months as Player-Manager for the Reds when they played Atlanta in 1986. Pete Rose was ALWAYS exciting to watch on the field. Actually, he always claimed to give 110% – he always believed his best opponents gave 100% already, so his 110% could be enough to WIN.
Still, for all his popularity – TOPPS released an entire card collection honoring him in 1986, and MLB made Baseball Fever commercials honoring Rose alone – played in early-to-mid 1980s – Rose LOST his Baseball Ambassador status because of…Pete Rose.
Rose gave Bud Selig and Hall Of Famers plenty of ammo to deny him being inducted into Cooperstown. And Commissioner Selig has, in my opinion, failed to have a man’s backbone in saying “YES” or “NO” to Pete’s reinstatement request from back in 1997. It stays in perpetual “review.”
That being said, as a Major in the U.S. Army – and now 45 years old (46 in a couple of months), with teenage sons of my own, and my wife of 20 years, I HOPE to live to see the day that MLB is kind hearted and merciful enough to allow Pete Rose back into MLB – NOT as a Manager – – Rose lost the right to reclaim that job; he should never be in a position to run a team again.
As far as Rose getting into MLB, and eventually in the HOF, I hope Mr. Rose lives to see that day, too. Until then, his arrogance and lack of remorse – not to mention tacky deals for his memorabilia – $30-40.00 (+) for a baseball with his penning “I’m sorry I bet on Baseball” doesn’t help…
By the way, I grew up hearing that Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford first called Rose “Charlie Hustle” upon seeing him run to 1B on a bases on balls. The outfield story is nice, and I heard Mantle talk about it, BUT Rose played 2B until 1967.
I’m WAY overdue to write on my blog – “Getting Back To Fun Again.” Lately, it looks like NO fun in Cincy – writing about the Sunday, 19 July win against the Brewers – – I was in town to see this and get pictures – – coming ASAP.
Take care, and God bless you and yours…and GOD BLESS AMERICA!