Pete Rose, another vet dies
Pete Rose
One of the greatest Major League Baseball players of all time has passed away at the age of 83. Cause of death is not immediately available. Rose is of course best remembered not for holding a slew of records (that will probably never be outdone) and being one of the most versatile players, but for his horribly ill-advised betting activities while coaching. It earned him a lifetime ban from the MLB, and has thus far kept him from even being considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
While Rose was picked up on a pro ball contract right out of high school, being born in 1941, he was coming of age at a time when many men were drafted. He served for six years in the Army Reserve. At least for a time, he served as a cook, which allowed him to show up in the pre-dawn hours to prepare breakfast, and then get out of his drill weekend in time to go play an afternoon/evening game for the Reds.
Rose’s records include;
Major League records:
- Most career at-bats – 14,053
- Most career plate appearances – 15,890
- Most career hits – 4,256
- Most career singles – 3,215
- Most career times on base – 5,929
- Most career outs – 10,328
- Most career games played – 3,562
- Most career winning games played – 1,972
- Only player to play at least 500 games at five different positions – 1B (939), LF (671), 3B (634), 2B (628), RF (595)
- Most career runs by a switch hitter – 2,165
- Most career doubles by a switch hitter – 746
- Most career walks by a switch hitter – 1,566
- Most career total bases by a switch hitter – 5,752
- Most seasons of 200 or more hits – 10 (shared)
- Most consecutive seasons of 100 or more hits – 23
- Most consecutive seasons with 600 or more at-bats – 13 (1968–1980) (shared)
- Most seasons with 600 at-bats – 17
- Most seasons with 150 or more games played – 17
- Most seasons with 100 or more games played – 23
National League records:
- Most years played – 24
- Most consecutive years played – 24
- Most career runs – 2,165
- Most career doubles – 746
- Most career games with 5 or more hits – 10
- Modern (post-1900) NL record for longest consecutive-game hitting streak NL – 44
- Modern record for most hitting streaks of 20 or more consecutive games – 7
Category: Veterans in the news
He may have started as a Red, but Charlie Hustle was a Phillie through and through…
Saw Charlie Hustle play a time or 12 when he was with the local Minor League Macon Peaches. Even as a young lad, I could tell that he really enjoyed the game. His “gambling” may have been against the “rules” at that time, but personally I think that denying him a place in the HoF leaves a hole in the record book. YMMV
Rest Easy, Good Sir.
It’s still against the rules and still carries a lifetime ban if you bet on any game on which you have a duty to perform. Betting on games without a duty to perform is a one year ban.
Rose did both, although allegedly he never bet against his team. However, not betting against your team doesn’t mean that you aren’t subject to cheating, say by shaving points or some other means. This was pre-digital world day so we will likely never know if he cheated or not, but that was the quandary.
All that being said now that he has gone on to his great reward they should let him in the HoF, just with some serious caveats.
He should go because, well his ban has expired.
Pete Rose was a childhood hero. I personally hold him and Johnny Bench responsible for a good portion of my daily aches and pains as an adult, especially my shredded right shoulder after spending hours practicing throwing to second from the crouch. Had an old mattress propped against the garage wall and a marked spot 127 feet away. Emulated Rose’s baserunning style, what I lacked in speed I made up for in aggressiveness. He’ll be missed. I won’t defend hos gambling actions, but I’ll always believe his punishment was far too severe.