Pete Rose, left, with Amanda and Marty Brennaman. (Facebook Photo)
Sometimes I really cannot pick a favorite player in a particular sport that I have watched play. However, I never had that trouble with Major League Baseball.
For me, it has always been Pete Rose and always will be.
That’s why it hurt Monday when I learned that Rose died Monday at age 83.
The longtime Cincinnati Red was the career hits leader with 4,256. Only Rose and Ty Cobb (4,191) ever surpassed 4,000 hits. He also holds the record for games played (3,562), plate appearances (15,890) and at-bats (14,053). He won three batting titles and two Gold Gloves. He was the National League MVP in 1973.
He played 16 years for the Reds and was a key cog in the Big Red Machine that won the World Series in 1975 and 1976. I probably went to 40 games those two years and loved watching Rose play and he was a delight to talk to before or after games.
He won a third World Series during his five years with Philadelphia and then played briefly with Montreal before returning to Cincy to finish his career as a player and manager.
Rose managed the Reds for seven years and won two division titles and had a 412-373 overall record.
Rose was banned from baseball in 1989 after an investigation determined he had bet on baseball, including on his own team. He was never allowed into the Hall of Fame after agreeing to a lifetime ban from baseball even though no one can argue that he is one of the greatest players ever to play and his numbers backed that up.
Rick Robey, a starter on UK’s 1978 national championship basketball team, had an emotional social media post on Rose: “My good friend Pete Rose passed away today! RIP. As far as I’m concerned he is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”
Preach it Rick Robey because I agree and so do many, many more.
Former Reds radio play-by-play announcer Marty Brennaman probably knew Rose as well as anyone and for years I loved having him sharing behind the scenes stories about Rose.
“Thank you all for the calls and texts to my phone and to Marty’s. It’s truly overwhelming how many we have heard from. Marty just can’t talk about losing one of his best friends right now. We love Pete and I know he loved us. He said it after every phone call with Marty,” Amanda Ingram Brennaman, Marty’s wife, posted on Facebook Monday. “We decided the best thing to do is just issue a statement from Marty.”
The statement was: “I really don’t know what to say. I can’t believe he is gone. My two best baseball friends gone. First Joe Morgan and now Pete. Right now, it’s hard for me to come to grips with it”.
Thom Brennaman, Marty’s son, was around Rose as a youngster and again as the Reds play-by-play announcer while Rose was the manager.
He issued this statement: “I had the pleasure of meeting Pete Rose when I was 10 years old in Tampa. He was the same to me as a kid as he was when I announced his games. And never turned his back on a friend when my career was in taters. He was just an awesome guy to be around.”
I always felt the same way. Was Rose perfect? No. But who is? However, he’s not only been a Hall of Famer to me, Robey and many others for years, but he’s also a player I admired for the way he played the game and loved for the memories he gave me.
7 Responses
Yes indeed he’s Hall of Famer in my book as well. He earn his money the why he played the game and you don’t see that in todays game. RIP Pete Reds fan here
The Hall of Fame has less meaning because it doesn’t include Pete Rose.
He truly loved playing the game, and he played it the way it was meant
to be played. Also my favorite player. Would have loved to see Ty Cobb
play.
How is Barry bonds and mark McGuire in the hof but Pete isnt. My grandpa is as a big cincy fan. So I grew up going to the ball park. Pete rose only bet on them to win. So its not like he was throwing games on purpose. Its a shame he isn’t in the hof.
Michael Jordan bet on the bulls to win too. Its been proven and made bets during the game with opposing players.
It was one of the early injustices done to an individual when the nasty commissioner banned the incredible, the great, the one-of-a-kind Pete “Mr Hustle” Rose!!!
1 of the most COMPLETE players in history. 1 of the most entertaining players in history.
If a meter capable of measuring players with the biggest hearts for their team, Pete would have broken the scale when it topped 100%
Sports teams may be a lot more entertaining because players would put forth more effort if they bet to win their own game!!! So many lethargic efforts in every sport because so many don’t have 10% the heart, love & fire for their team & sport!
Pete set the curve, the standard for baseball greatness.
Drug users (the mind destroying addictive kind), wife-beaters, criminals of all sorts are quickly allowed to play after a brief insignificant suspension, & be “qualified” to be on the HOF ballot.
I grew up 50 miles from the Reds stadium & saw some games.
Some power hungry thug may be able to keep a name out of a record (HOF) but they cannot keep Pete Rose out of history!! He made history & it can’t be erased!!!
A next door neighbor/ very good friend (about 15 years ago) played as an infield utility man with Pete, Bench & the other greats. He had only the best words when telling about Pete Rose!
RIP Pete!
Pete Rose is my favorite baseball player. Don’t think anyone will take his place.
Who wants a signed photo of Pete Rose for $40? Id love to give it a good home.