LAS VEGAS, NV: MLB hit king Pete Rose passed away Thursday at age 83, the Reds confirmed. Despite being one of the most successful players in MLB history, his difficult legacy as a manager stems from his risk on his team, which ultimately prevented him from being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“Our hearts are deeply saddened by the news of Pete’s passing. 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.” Reds owner Bob Castellini stated in a press release.
Rose, a native of Cincinnati, signed a high school contract with his local team. In 1963, the Reds brought him up. In 157 games during his first campaign, Rose batted.273. He became Cincinnati's regular second baseman and won the National League Rookie of the Year title. One of the most remarkable playing careers in league history began with that.
Rose experienced a sophomore dip before bouncing back with a stellar '65 campaign. With 209 hits, he topped the Major League in batting average (.312/.382/.446). He was selected for his first All-Star team and placed sixth in the MVP voting. That was the first of six seasons in a row that Rose would rank in the top 10 MVP candidates on the Senior Circuit.
The league skewed exceedingly heavily against pitching, but Rose never hit below.300 over the remaining years of the 1960s. In four of the last five years of the decade, he had more than 200 hits. Rose achieved his first two top-five MVP finishes in 1968 and 1969 while winning back-to-back batting crowns. Halfway through that streak, he moved from second base to the corner outfield, where he would earn consecutive Gold Glove nominations in 1969–70 as an outfielder.
Despite how amazing those performances were, Rose really became an all-time great in the next ten years. He was a key player in Cincinnati's emerging dynasty, which would rule the National League in the 1970s. Rose had an MLB-best 205 hits in 1970, when the Big Red Machine won their first pennant.
Rose hit .316 throughout that season. In the World Series, the Orioles defeated the Reds. They missed the playoffs in 1971, but thanks to Rose, Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Tony Pérez, they made it back to the Fall Classic in 1972. They lost to the A's in a seven-game series.
In 1972, Rose led the majors in hits once more. At thirty-two, his 1973 campaign was the strongest of his career. In 752 plate appearances, Rose hit .338/.401/.437 and recorded a career-high 230 hits. In addition to earning his seventh All-Star selection, he earned his third and last batting title and MVP. The Reds became victorious in their division but were eliminated in a closely contested NL Championship Series by the Mets.
Rose stayed in Cincinnati until the conclusion of the 1978 campaign. throughout 1977–1978 he hit .300 and 402 total throughout the two seasons. Rose signed a free agency contract with the Phillies heading into 1979, leaving his hometown club behind. That put an end to a 16-year stint in Cincinnati during which he played in over 2500 games and hit.310 with approximately 3200 hits.
Over the course of five seasons with Philadelphia, where he hit .291 across more than 3200 plate appearances between the ages of 38 and 42, he kept piling up hits and earning All-Star selections. He played for the Phillies on three postseason teams and led the team to its third World Series victory in 1980.
Rose's playing career came to an end in 1986. Along with being the all-time leader in hits, games played (3,562), and plate appearances (15,890), he retired as well. His resilience was astounding. Seven times, Rose had the most plate appearances in the league.
He reached base at least 700 times in 15 different seasons. Despite his tough play that gave him the nickname "Charlie Hustle," Rose virtually never missed a game. This earned him the affection of many supporters while perhaps infuriating those on other teams.
Rose was an obvious candidate for the Hall of Fame at the time of his retirement. He easily would have entered Cooperstown with only the hits crown. In addition, Rose won three titles, was a 17-time All-Star, and had previously been named MVP and Rookie of the Year. With 160 home runs, 2165 runs scored (sixth all-time), 746 doubles, and 1314 RBI, he hit .303/.375/.409. Over the course of his 24-year career, Rose touched base approximately 6000 times, more than any other player.
A shocking finding prevented Rose from being inducted into the Hall of Fame, even though her records and honors will never change. Rose has been involved with the Reds since 1984, serving as a player-manager before ending his playing career.
MLB declared late in the 1989 season that Rose had placed a baseball wager following an investigation. This included wagers on the teams he had been in charge of. While Rose only gambled on Cincinnati to win and there’s no proof he ever tried to rig any games, that’s a breach of MLB’s main rule.
No matter if you believe Pete Rose’s Hall of Fame career should have ended in Cooperstown, Rose’s impact on the game of baseball is undeniable. His lasting print on the game is a beautiful reminder of why baseball is America’s Pastime. It’s easy to reflect on the careers of players, but Rose’s is just that more special. Rose will forever be remembered by the baseball community.
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