MLB hit king Pete Rose passed away today at age 83, the Reds confirmed. One of the most accomplished players in MLB history, his decision to gamble on his team as a manager leaves behind a complicated legacy that has ultimately kept him out of the Hall of Fame.
“Our hearts are deeply saddened by the news of Pete’s passing,” Reds owner Bob Castellini said in a press release. “He was one of the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen, and every team he played for was better because of him. Pete was a Red through and through. No one loved the game more than Pete and no one loved Pete more than Reds Country. We must never forget what he accomplished.”
A Cincinnati native, Rose signed with his hometown team out of high school. The Reds called him up in 1963. Rose hit .273 while appearing in 157 games during his debut season. He won the NL Rookie of the Year award while establishing himself as Cincinnati’s everyday second baseman. That kicked off one of the most illustrious playing careers in league history.
Rose suffered through a sophomore slump but rebounded with a strong ’65 season. He led MLB with 209 hits while running a .312/.382/.446 line. He earned his first All-Star selection and a sixth-place finish in MVP balloting. That was the first of six straight seasons in which Rose would appear among the Senior Circuit’s top 10 in MVP voting.
Throughout the rest of the 1960s, Rose never hit below .300 despite the league skewing extremely favorably for pitching. He topped 200 hits in four of the final five years of the decade. Rose won consecutive batting titles in 1968 and ’69, securing his first two top-five MVP finishes in the process. He moved off second base to the corner outfield midway through that run and would secure consecutive Gold Glove nods as an outfielder in 1969-70.
Excellent as those performances were, Rose truly broke out as an all-time great in the following decade. He was an integral part of the budding dynasty in Cincinnati that would dominate the National League during the 1970s. The Big Red Machine won their first pennant in 1970, a season in which Rose hit .316 with an MLB-best 205 hits. The Reds were bounced by the Orioles in the World Series. After missing the playoffs in ’71, they returned to the Fall Classic in 1972 behind Rose and Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Pérez. They dropped a seven-game set to the A’s.
Rose again led the majors in hits in ’72. His 1973 campaign, at age 32, was the best of his career. Rose tallied a personal-high 230 hits while hitting .338/.401/.437 over 752 plate appearances. He won his third and final batting title, secured his seventh All-Star nod and won the MVP. The Reds won another division title but were knocked out by the Mets in a closely fought NL Championship Series.
The switch-hitter’s production tailed off somewhat in ’74, although he led the majors with 45 doubles and earned another All-Star selection. The Reds won 98 games but missed the postseason thanks to a 102-win showing from the division-leading Dodgers before the introduction of the Wild Card. Cincinnati returned to the playoffs with a 108-win season in ’75. They swept the Pirates in the NLCS, setting up a showdown with the Red Sox that’d go down as one of the greatest series in MLB history.
Carlton Fisk’s heroics in Game 6 pushed that Series — which had five one-run contests — to a deserved seventh game. The Reds came back from three runs down in the decider, scoring four times in the final four innings to win 4-3 at Fenway. Rose tied the game with a two-out RBI single in the seventh before Morgan drove home the winner in the ninth. Rose’s .370/.485/.481 slash earned him World Series MVP honors.
The Reds returned to the Fall Classic following a 102-win regular season the next year. This one was a lot less of a nail biter, as Cincinnati swept the Phillies and Yankees en route to a dominant repeat. Rose didn’t hit well in that World Series but had an MLB-best 215 to earn a fourth place MVP finish in the regular season.
Rose remained in Cincinnati through the end of the ’78 season. He combined for 402 hits between 1977-78 while topping .300 in both seasons. Rose left his hometown club to sign a free agent deal with the Phillies going into ’79. That ended a 16-year run in Cincinnati, over which he hit .310 with nearly 3200 hits in more than 2500 games. He continued racking up hits and All-Star appearances over five seasons with Philadelphia, where he hit .291 across over 3200 plate appearances during his age 38-42 seasons. He was part of three playoff teams with the Phils and won his third World Series on the 1980 club.
The Expos signed Rose for the 1984 season. While his stint in Montreal was brief and generally unproductive, he picked up his 4000th career hit that April. Rose joined Ty Cobb as the only players to cross the 4000-hit threshold. A return to Cincinnati set the stage for Rose to pass Cobb’s mark of 4189 career knocks. He did just that late in the ’85 campaign with a single off San Diego’s Eric Show.
Rose finished his playing days in 1986. He retired not only as the all-time leader in hits but also games played (3,562) and plate appearances (15,890). His durability was staggering. Rose led the league in plate appearances seven times. He had 15 seasons in which he came to the plate at least 700 times. Rose almost never missed a game despite the hard-nosed playing style that earned him his “Charlie Hustle” moniker — a reputation that endeared him to plenty of fans while no doubt earning the ire of those of other teams.
At the time of his retirement, Rose was a surefire Hall of Famer. The hits crown alone would have gotten him into Cooperstown with ease. Rose was also a 17-time All-Star, a former Rookie of the Year and MVP, and a three-time champion. He hit .303/.375/.409 with 160 home runs, 2165 runs scored (sixth all time), 746 doubles and 1314 RBI. No player got on base more often than Rose, who reached nearly 6000 times over his 24-year run.
While those records and accolades will never change, Rose’s seemingly inevitable Hall of Fame induction was halted by a bombshell revelation. Rose had acted as a player-manager with the Reds beginning in 1984 and continued to manage after his retirement from playing. Late in the ’89 season, MLB announced that an investigation determined Rose had bet on baseball. That included bets on the teams which he’d been managing. While Rose only bet on Cincinnati to win and there’s no indication he ever tried to fix any games, that’s a violation of MLB’s biggest rule.
A finding that a player or coach had bet on games in which their team was involved — whether to win or lose — warrants a lifetime ban. (That remains the case today and came back into play this past June when MLB banned Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano for life for placing bets on the Pirates while he was a member of the team in 2023.) In 1991, the Hall of Fame announced a policy that any person who had been hit with a lifetime suspension by MLB was ineligible for induction. Rose never got on the ballot.
Getting into the Hall clearly would have meant a lot to Rose, who unsuccessfully pushed for reinstatement in the decades following his suspension. That continued well into Rob Manfred’s tenure as commissioner. Manfred, maintaining that betting on baseball warrants a true lifetime ban, rejected Rose’s appeals. The commissioner did not directly weigh in on the Hall of Fame’s policy against considering induction for those on the ineligible list. With neither the league nor the Hall budging, Rose was and remains ineligible for Hall of Fame consideration.
Rose remained tangentially involved with the game as a media personality. He worked as an analyst for Fox Sports between 2015-17. His tenure with Fox came to an end after a woman alleged in a court filing that Rose had had sexual relations with her while she was a minor in the 1970s. The allegations surfaced well after the statute of limitations for criminal action had passed and Rose was never charged. Rose filed a defamation suit against former MLB investigator John Dowd, who first publicly alleged in 2015 that Rose had relations with underage girls during the 70s. The suit was dropped by mutual agreement in 2017.
Rose’s worthiness for the Hall of Fame has been a divisive topic among fans for decades. What is indisputable is that he was one of the most iconic figures in baseball history. His hit record will probably stand the test of time, as league batting averages have dropped sharply with the proliferation of strikeouts and velocity. Rose was among the best players of the 1960s and 70s and an instrumental figure on a Big Red Machine team stacked with Hall of Fame talent that won multiple championships. MLBTR sends our condolences to his family, loved ones, friends and former teammates.
TMZ Sports was first to report Rose’s death. Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Rest in Paradise Pete Rose and Dikembe Mutombo
thickiedon
And Kris Kristofferson
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Holy f*** celebrity deaths always come in 3s.
pt57
I’m pretty sure way more than 3 people died recently.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Yes of course. But it seems like celebrity deaths come in 3s though.
DashaToushu
@Log
nbcnews.com/healthmain/celebrities-dont-really-die…
“there’s not even a real “rule” to the Rule of Threes. “There’s no rule! Is it six hours? Six days? Three weeks? What constitutes a celebrity? How big do you have to be?” Because if we’re talking A-listers all the way down to C- and D-listers, he says, “they die by the dozens every week!””
LordD99
I find they always come in tens. And then the next ten begins.
DashaToushu
@Lord
Weird, I’ve found that it follows Fibonacci’s sequence sequence
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Maggie Smith passed away as well on Sept 27th.
GaryWarriorsRedSoxx
And John Ashton Beverly Hills Cop
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Damn. More sad news after the other. He looked terrible in health wise in Beverly Hills Cop 4.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Wait, there was a 4th?
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Yeah. Netflix release. It was decent. Way better than the 3rd one. A lot of cameos. Including Surg.
acrease77
Straight to Netflix but not bad at all. More in the tone of 1 and 2. 3 sucked.
luca brasi
Maggie Smith was a class act. Pete Rose was not.
solaris602
Lest we forget the passing of Mercury Morris last week at 77
letitbelowenstein
Didn’t know about Dikembe.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Yeah this morning from brain cancer. 🙁
Very Barry
R.I.P.
Pads Fans
Pedophiles do not belong in paradise. There is another place that they get to go to.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
That may he true but no matter who it is. I always say Rest in Paradise.
Blue Baron
Logjammer: Unless, of course, paradise isn’t a real thing.
The dead aren’t really resting since they’re not going to wake up, and they’re in the ground decomposing into worm food. They’re not anywhere else.
Rationality and reality aren’t always pleasant, but they’re positive things.
paddyo furnichuh
I don’t have a JD, but pretty sure “rapist” is the more accurate term.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Our 2 former and current presidents brains have also passed away…
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
I refuse to give Trump that title. Anytime he comes up in whatever kind of way. I’ll just say Head of State. But never the “P” in the title for him.
Unclemike1525
I always tried to see Pete as 2 different people. Player Pete and Manager Pete. I thought the player should have gotten into the Hall but I guess if you take the whole person together he should be out. He was a POS as a human being but has the most hits in baseball. Well I doubt it matters to him or anybody else anymore.
Cat Mando
He bet as a Player/Manager
Eighty Raw
Wishing paradise for a rapist sure is a choice
Rsox
R.I.P. Pete
Saint Nick
RIP Legend. Should be in the Hall.
avenger65
Saint Nick: He will be now.
For Love of the Game
But too late for him to enjoy it, sadly.
Pads Fans
Rose agreed to a permanent ban from MLB and the HOF will not enshrine anyone that is permanently banned by MLB. Case closed.
bdvl83
Pads Fan can’t think independently or constructively. But.. Let’s Go Goose!!! That’s What’s In!!!!
stevenam
Pretty sure it’s a “lifetime” ban, not “permanent”. Assuming I’m right, he should now be eligible and elected to the HOF. Not a day sooner.
Blue Baron
stevenam: If and now vs later don’t matter to him now.
KingKen
No, it’s a permanent ban. That’s why Shoeless Joe isn’t in there either or anyone else from the Black Sox.
Johnny Angel
Now that agreement is null and void. The greatest hitter the game has ever seen can now take his rightfully earned placed in the Hof. The haters can bury themselves along with Charlie Hustles agreement. R.I.P. Pete.
Eighty Raw
Pete Rose at age 32 had sexual relations with a 14-year-old
ba2929
Well his lifetime ban just ended so he’s technically eligible for the Hall of Fame now
Clofreesz
It’s permanent. Not lifetime. Even when Rose is dead, I don’t think he’ll ever be back.
Johnny Angel
Semantics. Stop hating. Hof .
CardsFan57
Joe Jackson is still not in.
avenger65
Not being in the HOF doesn’t really matter. I’m just glad I had the privilege of watching him play.
paddyo furnichuh
You got to watch Shoeless Joe play?
Wow avenger-what’s your secret? A salad and sip of red wine a day?
Clofreesz
Shoeless Joe? I thought he hated that nickname.
Bauer? But I Hardly Know Her!
Wanna bet?
Cat Mando
Note the last 2 words….it isn’t and never has been “lifetime”
Rule 21d
(2) Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon
any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared
permanently ineligible.
Dustyslambchops23
Rule 21d now sponsored by Bet365
Bart Harley Jarvis
I read somewhere it’s possible to remain a tiece of ship beyond the grave.
Blue Baron
ba2929: He doesn’t care now.
drprofsps
RIP, sad he will not be around to collect his HOF plaque!!!
Dumpster Divin Theo
Hard to collect a plaque when you dont ever get in.
bdvl83
When you realize Holier than thou arbitrary bestowments aren’t the be-all end-all.
Dumpster Divin Theo
True that, Papis in, but not A-Rod? Might as well be the Rock and Roll hall.
redsredsreds
RIP Charlie Hustle
Degaz
RIP Hit King….now go kick Giamatti’s ass!
HopefulTwinsFan
I’m absolutely devastated that he didn’t get to see himself restored to the MLB and enshrined in the Hall before his death. Absolute legend. We hope that you will rightfully get your spot in the Hall soon, Pete.
Dice 66
Yes Yes Yes!! F…. Rob Manford! Ban is A…ss! Hope Bart Geamonti,Fay Vincent burn!!
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
I hope whomever replaces Manfred’s id10t a** unbans him. It will be bittersweet but he’s finally came clean (not sure when) but I’m glad he came clean before he passed away
avenger65
Hopeful: It doesn’t matter whether he’s in the hall or not. We all know he’s right up there with Ty Cobb and Joe Jackson. He’ll always be revered even while baseball (and all other sports) promotes gambling.
Cat Mando
And shall we overlook his affair with a 14 year old girl too?
His excuse…I thought she was 16.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Cat Mando
I agree with you. The underaged girl is worse than the gambling.
But I think you have issues posting this so many times on the day of his death unless you are related to the underaged girl. You have posted the same thing half a dozen times. Give it a rest for a week.
Cat Mando
When so many praise someone who broke the only rule posted in evert single club house since the 1920s. A rule he saw thousands of times and snubbed his nose at and people defend it…No.
When the guy was a married 30-something , doing a 14-15 year old and uses that lame excuse because 16 was the age of consent in OH at the time. When he only saw her in OH because he knew taking her over state lines was a fed offense…. No.
Just because he passed away does not change fact. Would you feel the same if had been your daughter?
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Cat Mando
I would wait a couple days following his passing rather than lower myself. These are knowledge readers, they know the story. You are saying this for yourself, not to change minds.
DMiles5149
Just make sure you don’t ever forget how much of a hero you truly are.
Cat Mando
Knowledge readers all of them? Really? Explain the great number who said….now that he is gone the ban is over?
Explain the number who have posted…I never knew about the ephebophile thing.
You can believe what you like…that I am doing it for myself but it is no different than explaining to someone that the Earth is not flat and covered by a dome.
You also have the choice to skip over what I post and not reply…or are you doing that for yourself.
So….if someone had “r@ped” your daughter and others were praising him you “would wait a couple days following his passing rather than lower myself.”. Sorry, that is lowering the life/love of your daughter.
I have said me piece in the back and forth…won’t be continuing our back and forth on my end. Have a nice day.
NYCityRiddler
@Hopeful, I couldn’t have said it better myself. It’s a shame, a damn shame. Period.
Eighty Raw
He’s a rapist
Gmen777
Okay MLB you got what you wanted now do what’s right and put him in the hall where he belongs! RIP Charlie Hustle
Joe says...
What does MLB have to do with it? The HOF is privately owned and MLB has no say in who gets in and who doesn’t.
Fever Pitch Guy
Joe – Exactly.
I was really hoping this wouldn’t devolve into a thread about his not being in the HOF.
Let’s take this time to celebrate his accomplishments and the way he played the game, forever Charlie Hustle.
RIP Mr. Rose ….. thoughts and prayers to your loved ones.
Pads Fans
The HOF will not enshrine anyone permanently banned from MLB and Rose agreed to his permanent ban.
deepseamonster32
Hall of Fame tomorrow!
Cat Mando
Rule 21d
(2) Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon
any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared
permanently ineligible.
Shall we overlook his affair with a 14 year old girl too?
His excuse…I thought she was 16.
I Believe We Can Win
Put him in the hall where he rightfully belongs.
desertdawg
Should have done that 10 years ago, MLB blew it.
Card AG
What happened 10 years ago that it should have been done then?
paddyo furnichuh
Was that about the time the news broke about the minor who Rose allegedly (likely) had a sexual relationship with? Quick search has it closer to 2017
letitbelowenstein
They have cheaters in there, but no Pete. I lost faith in the Hall ages ago. It’s a joke now with guys like Harold Baines in there.
paddyo furnichuh
If you read the story and details, Rose likely cheated on his wife, one time with a the 14 year old.
Though cheating was the lesser of the alleged misdeeds.
Cat Mando
Shall we overlook his affair with a 14 year old girl too?
His excuse…I thought she was 16.
Ronk325
It’s a damn shame the man never got his HOF enshrinement while still alive. Lifting his ban and finally allowing him in is the least Manfraud could do now
Bobcastelliniscat
What is a shame is he was so arrogant that he didn’t think rules applied to him. Spoiler alert: they did.
TheMan 3
show me one superstar that isn’t arrogant
stymeedone
Barry Sanders
Cat Mando
Shall we overlook his affair with a 14 year old girl too?
His excuse…I thought she was 16.
Fever Pitch Guy
Man – Mookie Betts.
Now can we please get back to paying our respects to Mr. Rose
Longtimecoming
Barry Bonds says, “what?”
Cam
Lifting the ban would mean re-opening the investigation, which Pete wanted to avoid. There’s a reason he agreed to the ban even after it was discovered he bet on games.
Still, HoF BS aside (which will make up the majority of this post, not the guys actual accomplishments), RIP Pete.
MPrck
What a rotten dirty shame, they kept him out of the hall. Anyone who watched him play knows the truth of that. Despicable ! .RIP . IT WAS A JOY TO WATCH YOU.,
showmebb
It’s not a shame; he agreed to the ban.
Bobcastelliniscat
Agree. Pete broke the rules. He deserved the ban. I hope it is never lifted.
mlb fan
“Deserved the ban”…For me, Pete Rose was baseball for an awfully long time, but his legacy and history has always been complex, intricate, controversial and complicated.
Pete misplayed his hand numerous times when he could’ve had the ban lifted or shortened. He broke some of MLB’s most time honored and cherished rules. But, all of that really doesn’t matter now.
Pete’s now in a better place and he’ll have to now answer to a much higher authority than MLB. Love him or hate him if you like, but I’ll always be a fan of the man known as “Charlie Hustle”. R.I.P Pete Rose.
tangerinepony
Then you are a complete moron!! He’s one of the BEST players of all time! Recognize that!! He’s paid his debt for over 30 years
mlb fan
@Tangerinepony..”Complete moron”…Some of us are trying to pay our last respects to Pete Rose and you’re here acting a complete fool and calling people “moron”.
Who’s really the “moron”?..Your username suggests you have a lot of growing up to do and are most likely under 14 years old.
TheMan 3
if a convicted felon can run for the presidency, Rose should be enshrined in the Hall of Fame
mlb fan
“Convicted felon can run”..I thought you beat that embezzlement, theft and domestic violence case and you never told me you were considering running for President.
stymeedone
Maybe we should have as high a standard for president. Maybe we should be asking why a convicted felon should be even considered for the office. He wouldn’t be considered for most other jobs.
But Lets get this back to Pete. He was a hellova player! Always gave his most on the field. Hit line drives to all fields and would take the extra base. Unfortunately, he made some mistakes. RIP.
Gwynning
He agreed to Bart’s ban on the condition they revisit the terms “soon” as Bart wasn’t in good health at the time. Alas, Bart passed before said meeting could take place. It was speculated that the “permanent” ban would be rescinded, but here we are… so many years later. Regardless, rip.
mlb fan
“rotten dirty shame..they kept him out of the Hall”…There’s this weird thing called “accountability” and as a HUGE fan of “Charlie Hustle”, it must be said that Pete Rose kept himself out of the Hall of Fame.
Without the numerous off field controversies and sideshows, Pete Rose is a first ballot HOF LOCK.
thickiedon
MLB fan, what happened to “Some of us are trying to pay our last respects…”?
Heed thine own advice
bmp010
RIP. Glad he passed in Vegas, the place he seemed to love most. Put him in the HOF
TheStevilEmpire1
RIP Charlie Hustle. Baseball’s most polarized figure and complicated legacies.
He was banned from baseball for life, now his ban is lifted. He should still be elected to the HOF as a player.
Pads Fans
It was and is a permanent ban that he agreed to. If he had admitted he bet on baseball, he might have got in after death. Might.
Cat Mando
It isn’t and never was a “lifetime” ban, TheStevilEmpire1.
Rule 21d
(2) Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon
any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared
permanently ineligible.
Shall we overlook his affair with a 14 year old girl too?
His excuse…I thought she was 16.
Eighty Raw
R*pe of a 14-year-old
YankeesBleacherCreature
RIP Charlie Hustle!
kgcubs
Aloha folks. Wow, Mr Hustle has left us. I sure hope if the mlb can cover/protect a certain former Angel and his gambling situation that the ban on Rose can be lifted. He deserves to be in the HOF. RIP Mr. Hustle Rose. Mahalo
Gwynning
A hui ho! Aloha
UncleJesse
I agree 100%, kgcubs. That “international superstar with the $700 million dollar contract and deferred money” was able to have his interpreter take the fall for him and you already know Manfred could not lose his worldwide cash cow from Japan.
But yes, Pete Rose deserved to be in the HOF.
B-rocker
@Jesse
Deal in facts not bs. You have no idea what you are talking about.
UncleJesse
“B-rocker” – Why are you passionately defending an individual who will never know who you are? You could have just muted and kept scrolling but you obviously have an emotional attachment to another grown man who has a $700 million dollar contract. That’s weak mental behavior. Do yourself a favor…take a deep breath, calm down, relax and stop getting emotional over other people stating their views on professional athletes online. Find purpose in your life. Have a good day.
DashaToushu
@UncleJ
Why are you passionately attacking an individual who will never know who you are? You could have just muted and kept scrolling but you obviously have an emotional attachment to another grown man who has a $700 million dollar contract. That’s weak mental behavior. Do yourself a favor…take a deep breath, calm down, relax and stop getting emotional over other people stating their views on professional athletes online
UncleJesse
B-rocker now on his alt account (DashaToushu) seething with rage. Makes sense.
B-rocker
Where is this “emotion” etc to which you refer. I simply pointed out you don’t know wtf you are talking about. You are obviously in another world. It’s common today for people to churn out bs masquerading as fact. You’re just one more of that ilk.
B-rocker
Ok troll buh bye
southi
Charlie Hustle. Man what a hard nosed ball player. Very intense on the field.
Some loved him and others hated him. There wasn’t much in between.
He wasn’t a great person, but I still think the game is diminished by his absence.
IHLgulls
I agreed with his lifetime ban. I also agree that he should now be enshrined. R.I.P.
citizen
Alex Rodriguez gets 1 year + year ban for steroids now mlb on fox thinks he’s a great cue card analyst.
Pads Fans
It is a permanent ban, not a lifetime ban.
mlb fan
R.I.P Pete Rose aka “Charlie Hustle”.
warnbeeb
I hope he knew almost all of us knew he was a Hall of Famer. RIP.
Yanks4life22
To think a pedophile went his entire life without facing any consequences is sad enough. To see people celebrating him is even sadder.
Van Lingle Mungo
Glad someone else said it.
PhilliesBob1980
Well said sir.
Datashark
I had to look it up, I never heard that before, I guess technicality let him off.
i believe we can lose
Exactly. And yet we have the idiots on here saying Giamatti & Vincent should burn in hell. Nope. Rose was a POS human being. May “Chuckie Run Fast to First After A Walk” rot in hell.
Datashark
There are many bad humans in HOF, I think that Pete Rose lifestyle was not of moral character and should never be modeled after.
Keeping within limits of game though he was a legend.
off the field he was a dirty rat but there have been many rats selected to HOF – he may be king of all rats though throwing in the pedo thing.
sgord03
He admitted to being with someone who was at most 16 while he was in his 30s and the only reason he ‘thought she was 16’ at the time was because of the age of consent in Ohio. Thats not a bad rat. That’s a monster. Can’t think of anyone I know with a daughter who would want them at 16 to date a 30 plus year old….
Jdt8312
RIP Pete. My condolences to the Rose family.
SkenesandSlopes
Baseball has lost a legend. Played the game hard.
Clofreesz
Wow. What a complicated life for this man.
He was one of my favorite players growing up. He gave this game such joy that it made baseball look fun again. I will always remember his runs to first base and his headfirst slides. But he loved the game too much.
Rest easy, Hit King!
olmtiant
He played the game RIGHT.. enough said..
Datashark
I agree but he should have let up a bit at that all-star game.
TigersLoveCinnamon
Is that you ray fosse?
Gwynning
Even Ray Fosse wouldn’t know, Tiger!
greg1
Sad to hear that Charlie Hustle is gone. Any dude who runs over a catcher in an All-Star game could play for me any day.
I guess the bright light is he’ll likely be elected into the HOF by the Vets committee now. I’m so annoyed that he didn’t get a chance to be elected while he was alive. Last I checked, betting on baseball didn’t get him 4,256 hits, being a great hitter did.
Bobcastelliniscat
He is ineligible for the Hall of Fame. He is permanently ineligible. The suspension survives his death. He was a miserable human being betting on baseball was the least of his transgressions. I am a life long Red’s fan. I hope he is never inducted into the HoF.
greg1
I understand that he may not have been a good human being, but all you need to do is look at the guy who he took the hits record from (Cobb) to see a disgusting human being.
Admitted racist, intentionally ran over a child with his car, admitted to trying to end other guy’s careers. The list goes on, and he was a charter member of the HOF.
To quote Leo Durocher, manager of the Giants and Dodgers, and bulldog player, “I would sign Hitler to play 2nd base for me if it would help us win the pennant”.
It’s not just these two guys either, there are horrible human beings in every major league’s HOF. I don’t care what kind of person they are, all I care about is that they were a good enough player/coach/broadcaster/etc. that they deserve to be enshrined into the their HOF.
TigersLoveCinnamon
@greg He was a pedophile. Justify that
DashaToushu
@greg
“I don’t care what kind of person they are, all I care about is that they were a good enough player/coach/broadcaster/etc. that they deserve to be enshrined into the their HOF.”
And other people care about more than that. That seems like a defensible position.
Pads Fans
3 of the voting rules for enshrinement in the HOF are about CHARACTER. Not about skills on the field.
Cobb was NOT a racist. That has been proven to be BS. Pretty much EVERYTHING in the book you are trying to quote has been proven to be BS or embellished.
Rose AGREED to a permanent ban from MLB in order for MLB to close the investigation into his gambling on baseball. We KNOW for certain that he broke the only MLB rule that is in every clubhouse. There was certainly more to it or Rose would not have agreed to permanently never be able to be a part of baseball again and never be enshrined in the HOF.
greg1
I’m not justifying that, just like I am not justifying Ty Cobb intentionally running over a child, Rogers Hornsby’s admitting his membership in the KKK, Ray Lewis beating the wholly heck out of woman, etc.
Fine if you don’t want Rose in, but be ready to kick out Landis, Hornsby, Cobb, Durocher (womanizer), all the 1970-1980’s coke heads, and more, as they were all terrible human beings as well.
greg1
You’re right, everyone has their own moral code and tolerances. Personally, I can separate the player from the Human Being, some people can’t.
Eighty Raw
Cobb was actually for integration. And was a far superior human to Rose
gold masters
Kirstofferson, fake death
Kurt Russell is the host actor for the myth, Kris Kristofferson
Kurt Russell was also host, for the alter Patrick swayze, another fake death
citizen
Kristofferson only faked his death in Convoy.
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
I am saddened by this..As person….he was troubled but still….100%….he should be in the Hall of Fame..!!!!!
Gwynning
RIP Petey
Van Lingle Mungo
Rest in hell pedophile.
Yanks4life22
Glad you said it too. There is a special place in hell for guys like Pete Rose. It just amazes me how people turn a blind eye to his heinous crimes.
Gwynning
He’s dead, guys. What more do you want from him? I didn’t like his character, but c’mon… time to let it all go.
Van Lingle Mungo
Tell that to his victim(s).
Datashark
HOF, Like one of many got to see him in Las Vegas when he resided just outside of Luxor – I actually got to spend 20m talking sports with him.. He was not all that nice to my kid, but he played the game hard and I got a photo with him and my family + signature
positively_broad_st
I lived near Dayton when Pete came back to Cincinnati to manage and play for the Reds. His return galvanized the fan base and the team. I was fortunate to attend Opening Day 1985. Pete hit second and did his patented head first slide on a double in the first inning. His energy was off the charts. Anybody who evaluates Pete Rose, the baseball player, solely on his stats (which are pretty ridiculous, even as a compiler), then you never saw the man play. Pete Rose was a field general throughout his career. A difference maker. A winner.
Pete Rose, the man, was truly flawed. I went from loving him to despising him once I saw him hawking his autograph on a sidewalk in Cooperstown on induction day in 2000, mere minutes after his fellow Reds Tony Perez, Sparky Anderson, and Marty Brenneman were inducted. That’s when I knew that he was lying about his baseball gambling, knew that he was self-centered and greedy; knew that he only cared about himself. Pete just couldn’t let them have their day. He wanted some more spotlight and money.
I’m on the fence about whether the player should get into the HOF, but I’ll never think well of the person. That being said, I hope he’s at peace.
R.I.P. Hit King, aka Charlie Hustle…
CravenMoorehead
Rest In Power, Hit King. Sad day for baseball.
Old York
Guy played the game with more passion than all the players in the league currently. Too bad we treat players like pampered babies nowadays.
Primitive Screwhead
Call him by his full name, Statutory Rapist Pete Rose.
Inner-circle Hall of Infamy.
Kash Considerations
You’re aptly named as well!
Van Lingle Mungo
Guess you’re ok with pedophilia. Good to know.
TAKERDBACKS
Such a shame should have got in the Hall
Mustard Tiger
People who bet on baseball while playing or managing (or both in Pete’s case) do not belong in the Hall of Fame. Ever. He was a great player but he crossed the line that calls for the baseball version of the death penalty.
UncleJesse
Let us also not forget his “underage” relationship….
Yikes!
Old York
@Mustard Tiger
But as long as one testifies in court that one accepted a bribe to throw the World Series, they can be admitted to the Hall of Fame.
citizen
Now will Rose get into the hall of Fame? Charlie hustle.
Foreget all this .242 is a great batting average these days but player had great exit velocity.
He won 3 World Series. probably threw a few games. Dead people can’t gamble. Something to bet on?
Primitive Screwhead
Not a lifetime ban, a *permanent* ban. He doesn’t ever get in, as things stand now.
Datashark
.242?! who are you talking about Rose has a lifetime .303 average – if he didnt hang on the last two years it would be even higher. I never saw him walk to firstbase on a walk
DashaToushu
@data
“.242?! who are you talking about Rose has a lifetime .303 average ”
Reread what they wrote
“Foreget all this .242 is a great batting average these days”
hiflew
RIP Charlie Hustle
Now back to the postseason sponsored by Bet365, DraftKings, and FanDuel.
warnbeeb
While he should be, he won’t be inducted into the HOF. He will forever be this era’s Shoeless Joe.
3 finger split
Great player but he will NEVER get into the HOF but if he does then so should Shoeless Joe Jackson.
Datashark
Shoeless should be in regardless its a travesty about him.
buddydeal
Giants fire Farhan Zaidi but Reds don’t fire Krall!? Unserious org. R.I.P Hit King
frugalfarhan
Pete played the game the right way and if he was half as good at wagering he would have been in the hall when he retired
MikeBSoxFan
Put him in the HOF this year and be done with it. He had the stats long before the gambling allegations.
Primitive Screwhead
He also screwed little kids.
hiflew
He wasn’t screwing “little kids” It was supposedly a 16 year old girl In 1973, that kind of thing was thought of differently than in 2024. It’s not a great thing to have done, but not even illegal in most places at the time. Don’t make it sound like he was prowling the playgrounds or something.
case
Wander Franco, is that you?
Primitive Screwhead
You missed the stories about him having 12-13 year old girls delivered to him at spring training.
And when he was screwing a 15-year-old, he was 30. Don’t defend this guy.
hiflew
The man is dead and this happened 50 years ago. Maybe you should let it go.
Cat Mando
So if some married 30-something was doing your 14-15 year old daughter (his excuse was he thought she was 16) what would be the time frame for you letting it go, hiflew? Just wondering.
all in the suit that you wear
RIP
upsidedowncake
Well, you know what they say: “Fail to follow the rules every step of the way in life, or suffer permanent consequences that follow you until your death, even if you die in a year where MLB made hundreds of millions of dollars from the revenues of online sportsbooks.” Words, I think, we can all live by.
Pads Fans
All time great player. Among the all time worst persons in MLB. Not just the gambling on baseball games and the lying about it for decades. His pedophilia is even worse.
Maybe if you had come clean and repented even a little you would be enshrined in the HOF. Now it will never happen.
Hope you get what you have coming in the hereafter Pete. You certainly earned whatever stripes you have to bear.
DashaToushu
Fantastic player
He made less fantastic choices as a person, it seems.
I have no opinion on whether he should get into the HoF or not.
blueblood1217
RIP Pete A definite Hall of Famer regardless that baseball hasn’t put him in
KingTiger
RIP Pete. You played the game between the lines the way it was supposed to be played. As for the HoF, this changes nothing. Put him in the day AFTER Shoeless Joe.
Flanster
Didn’t really care for him as a person, but as an all-time great MLB player, I believe he absolutely belongs in the Hall of Fame
damancash
Should have been in the Hall of Fame Years ago
DarrenDreifortsContract
RIP to the greatest hitter of all time. It’s a tragedy that he’s still not in the hall of fame.
mad1
Hardly, MLB was correct in keeping him out
Cat Mando
There are very few rankings that even put him in the top 15 let alone the greatest and that is not even considering the gambling and being an ephebophile
Eighty Raw
Mickey Tettleton has a higher career wRC+; that scumbag was overrated and now he is dead
OhioDodger
HOF or not, he will always be the “Hit King”.
Pickle_Britches
And That means Bonds will always be the HR king.
explodet
Looks like that lifetime ban is finally over.
Cat Mando
It isn’t and never was a “lifetime” ban.
Rule 21d
(2) Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon
any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared
permanently ineligible.
Shall we overlook his affair with a 14 year old girl too?
His excuse…I thought she was 16.
bobbyvwannabe
Buddy Harrelson is waiting for you, Pete.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Or Woody
letitbelowenstein
Pete played the game the way it was meant to be played and gave the fans their money’s worth. RIP, Pete.
mlb fan
“The game the way it was meant”..Pete Rose only had one speed and that was 110%+, often even running full speed on the way to 1st base after a routine walk. In person(or on tv) fans always got their money’s worth watching Pete Rose.
Niekro floater
RIP Charlie Hustle
Ezall98
Reinstate him now that he’s passed away so he can take his rightful place in the HOF please. Manfred do the right thing!!
Primitive Screwhead
What other pedophiles do you want to enshrine in the hall?
TribeFan88
RIP, Pete!
Pickle_Britches
I mean he wasn’t out all night drinking and beating his wife. Give the dude some credit
Cat Mando
He wasn’t home with his wife because he was having an affair with a 14-15 year old while the wife was home with the kids….His excuse…I thought she was 16. Straight up ephebophile.
Butter Biscuits
Will MLB celebrate him during the playoffs?
wvpirate
R.I.P Pete. Your play on the held will never be matched. Loved watching you play.
Badfinger
A lot of people sure love criminals these days.
ib6ub9
RIP Pete. Welcome to the HOF.
Cat Mando
Why?
GarryHarris
I began sharing these All Star rookie teams to draw attention to some lesser known players. However, after Babe Ruth, Pete Rose is the most well known player in MLB.
1963 Rookie All Stars (Mine)
C HOU John Bateman
C DET Bill Freehan
1N CHW Pete Ward
2B CIN Pete Rose
3B CLE Max Alvis
SS MLN Denis Menke
LF MIN Jimmie Hall
CF CLE Vic Davalillo
RF CIN Tommy Harper
UT PIT Bob Bailey
UT NYM Ron Hunt
SP CHW Gary Peters*
SP NYY Al Downing*
SP PHI Ray Culp
SP DET Mickey Lolich*
SP BAL Dave McNally*
RP MIN Garry Roggenburk*
RP STL Ron Taylor
RP PIT Tommie Sisk
RP LAA Julio Navarro
RP PHI John Boozer
Pickle_Britches
If he accepted a lifetime ban obviously he didn’t want them to investigate into further years and potentially expose more corruption.. betting against your own team is equivalent to being a snitch lol.
Melchez17
Put him in the Hall of Fame… the lifetime ban has ended.
Giants78
Agree! RIP Charlie Hustle.
Cat Mando
Melche…
It isn’t and never was a “lifetime” ban.
Rule 21d
(2) Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon
any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared
permanently ineligible.
Shall we overlook his affair with a 14 year old girl too?
His excuse…I thought she was 16. Straight up ephebophile
Slibb
Incredibly sad to see this much support for a sexual predator.
Blackpink in the area
You would think the pop up ads i am seeing would be for sports betting.
MattStats5
What a complicated legacy. Once of the greatest ever broke the golden rule. Integrity matters. He belongs on baseball’s Mount Rushmore, but definitely not in the Hall of Fame.
halloffamernobodycares
Not complicated at all. He’s a Hall of Fame player. Period.
PutPeteinthehall
I’ve always said he belongs in the hall as a player. However also did not belong in baseball after his gambling became known.
raulp
Sad news, I still had hopes that in some way they’d leave the ban on him before passing away. RIP Pete, you’ll always be the greatest.
tigerdoc616
Pete Rose is on the permanently ineligible list. That doesn’t end with his death, and Manfred did address that when Rose last applied for reinstatement in 2022. HOF changed the rules after Rose accepted his ban that anyone on that list remains ineligible for the HOF. So Rose remains ineligible for the HOF even in death. The only way he would become eligible for the HOF is for MLB to remove him from the permanently ineligible list or the HOF to change its rules again. Neither is likely to happen anytime soon.
His playing career is certainly worthy of the HOF. But he bet on baseball as a manager and that is clearly against the rules. Even now with MLB more in bed with gambling than ever players are not able to bet on the game. Rose violated the trust of the game and all of its players, coaches etc. And it wasn’t just a one time thing. He did it over and over and over again. The Dowd report was pretty damning, which is why he accepted his ban, they had him dead to rights. He mistakenly thought that if he didn’t fight it and accepted his punishment, that MLB would eventually reinstate him.
People will compare what Rose did to the steroid issue, but they are not the same thing. Apples to oranges so to speak. This is not to say steroids are not bad, they are. But steroid users still have to go out and perform. Betting on baseball also comes with the specter of fixing a game which damages the integrity of the game in ways that steroid use cannot. So stop it with the steroid comparisons. NOTHING excuses what Rose did. He did so knowing it was against the rules. He accepted the punishment.
halloffamernobodycares
We all know he’s a Hall of Famer. Let the politicians politic.
When the Hall of Fame became and if/then induction process, it lost its luster with me. You may think differently, but I think either you’re a first ballot Hall of Famer or you’re not. Always have felt this way. When you’re comparing stats to “prove” you belong based on other people already being in there, it gets watered down and meaningless.
Meh. Rose definitely a Hall of Famer. Everyone knows that.
dasit
1980 with the phillies was imho his finest hour. his at-bat against ryan in game 5 of the nlcs is legendary, as well as his catch in WS game 6. mike schmidt said rose was the greatest teammate he ever had
Attystephenadams
RIP Pete Rose. Your accomplishments on the field are well documented and worthy of recognition. IMHO the HOF is for a deserving few, and character counts. He was certainly a character, but not one that belongs in the HOF. I recognize that there are others enshrined in the Hall who were not good men, but that does not excuse Pete’s actions. He knew the rules, he broke the most serious one, and he voluntarily agreed to the permanent ban. He deserves to be a pariah, and should never be admitted. His records will still stand in spite of that.
3768902
He’ll get in next summer now, right?
Cat Mando
Nope….It isn’t and never was a “lifetime” ban.
Rule 21d
(2) Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon
any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared
permanently ineligible.
Shall we overlook his affair with a 14 year old girl too?
His excuse…I thought she was 16. Straight up ephebophile
Windowpane
A terrible human being.
Billg7987
One of the greats. Though I think his gambling issues should forever keep him out of the MLB Hall of Fame brought to you by DraftKings because by putting him in the MLB Hall of Fame brought to you by DraftKings we will forever condone and even encourage gambling in our fair sport.
New New Buccoprojectory
RIP Pete condolences to his family.
Maybe the baseball gods will put the man in the HOF where he belongs
Twins_guyTJZ
Now talk about the underage girls that he molested during his 30s and older. The man was a trash human being.
New New Buccoprojectory
It’s a sad day when anyone dies that the trolls slither out of the woods. Then say the most ignorant things about Pete Rose.
Beware of karma
Attystephenadams
Oh, and BTW, Buddy Harrelson has been waiting for this day since 1973 to finish things…hope you’re ready for him, because he sure got the better of you that day!
diehardfantd
Pete Rose is one of the greatest baseball players and his record of 4256 hits would require a player to play more than 21 years of 200 hits seasons in order to catch him which I don’t believe will ever happened rest in peace Pete rose it was fun watching you play
Bobby smac9
Read the Dowd report
This one belongs to the Reds
I could write a book about my memories of the Reds in the 70s.
It really hit me hard when I heard Pete died and was only 83. Another player from my youth gone.
But more than that, I remembered him as a great ballplayer before the rest came down. Whatever you may think of the man himself, and he was admittedly his own worst enemy at times, he was a hell of a ballplayer, on pure grit, because the talent was achieved through hard work.
A great example of what someone with not all the natural talent in the world can achieve, if you work hard at it.
This one belongs to the Reds
Rest in peace, Pete. Maybe you’ll finally find some peace now.
Niekro floater
Even if he was betting on his own team to win, it effects how he managed. Soto starting on mound gave em best odds of winning, he started Soto 18 times on short rest that season, year before he only pitched on less than 4 days rest 7 times. Ruined soto. Pete was out for Pete. RIP
Mercenary.Freddie.Freeman
Maybe know that Pete is deceased he will be put where he belongs (HOF).