It started on April 8, 1963 for a man nicknamed “Charlie Hustle”. Peter Edward Rose started his MLB career for the Cincinnati Reds. His career would lead him to 4 different MLB teams just to take him back to the Reds as a manager. His last MLB appearance was August 8, 1986 as manager of the Reds. His career stats speak for themselves. He had a 303 batting average, 160 home runs, 1,314 runs batted in, 4,256 career hits, 3,215 singles, 3,562 games played, 14,053 at bats 15,890 plate appearances. not bad stats for his playing career.
2 gold glove awards
17 time All Star 1965, 67-71, 73-82, 85
3 time world series champion 75, 76, 80
World series MVP 1975
NL Rookie of the year 1963
Silver Slugger award 1981
Roberto Clemente Award 1976
3X NL batting Champion 68, 69, 73
MLB All Century Team
In August 1989, 3 years after Rose retired as an active player, he agreed to a permanent ban ineligibility from baseball admist accusations that he gambled on baseball games while playing for and manging the Reds, including claims that he that he bet on his own team. In 1991 the baseball Hall of Fame formally voted to ban those on the “permanently ineligible list” from induction, after excluding such players by informal agreement among voters.
In 2004, after years of public denial, Rose admitted to betting on baseball but not against the Reds.
Now tell me how players such as Mark McGwire who admit to using perfoming enhancing substances can make the hall of fame but a man with as many accolades as Rose can’t. So what he bet against the game, how many other players have done it? look at Michael Jordan in the NBA. He admitted to betting and yet he is still in the NBA Hall of Fame as one of the greatest players.
I think the MLB needs to get priorites straight and do the right thing and induct Pete Rose into the baseball Hall of Fame as he rightfully deserves it.
