Pete Rose, MLB hit king who was banned from baseball for gambling, dies at 83

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Peter Edward Rose, Major League Baseball's all-time hits leader and also a controversial figure, died at the age of 83 on Monday, September 30, evening at his home in Las Vegas. His agent, Ryan Fiterman of Fiterman Sports, confirmed the news, adding that "the family is asking for privacy at this time".

His cause and manner of death has not been revealed.

Known for his relentless play and tireless work ethic, Rose earned the nickname "Charlie Hustle" during his rookie season with the Cincinnati Reds in 1963.

Rose's achievements were ultimately overshadowed by his gambling controversies and the resulting complications that prevented him from being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Who was Pete Edward Rose?

Pete Rose was born in 1941 and grew up in Cincinnati. He was the son of LaVerne and Harry Francis “Pete” Rose, a bank clerk and a semi-pro baseball and football player. He looked up to his father and watched him play football until he stopped in his early 40s. Rose focused on sports to make his father proud.

Pete believed he became a great hitter not because of natural talent but through hard work and practice. His father taught him to hit from both sides of the plate when he was 9. As a professional, he sought advice from great hitters like Hank Aaron and Willie Mays and studied opposing pitchers.

After high school, his uncle, a Cincinnati Reds scout, helped him get a tryout with the Reds, and they signed him to a minor league deal in the summer of 1960. By the end of his first full season in the minors in 1961, he had the second-best batting average in his league at .331. He also ran hard on every play, even when he was walked, which annoyed some opponents, but he didn’t mind.

Pete Rose was one of baseball’s all-time greats—a winning-obsessed dynamo who amassed a staggering 4,256 hits over a remarkable 24-season career. His all-out approach to the game, characterized by head-first slides and relentless running even after being walked, earned him the nickname "Charlie Hustle," initially used in jest but later embraced with admiration.

He was a key player on three World Series champion teams: the formidable "Big Red Machine" with the Reds in 1975 and 1976, and the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980. Throughout his career, he was selected to the National League All-Star team 17 times and received both the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1963 and the Most Valuable Player award in 1973.

Pete Rose banned from baseball for gambling

Although Pete Rose received many accolades during his baseball career, his gambling on his own team ended his managerial prospects and prevented him from receiving baseball’s highest honors. In early 1989, MLB hired a lawyer to investigate reports that he bet on games. 

According to MLB’s Rule 21, anyone who bets on games in which they have a duty will be banned for life. The lawyer, John Dowd, found that Rose had bet on baseball, including games played by the Reds, during 1985 and 1986 when he was both a player and manager, as well as in 1987 when he was just the manager.

In August 1989, Commissioner A Bartlett Giamatti banned Rose from baseball for life but allowed him to apply for reinstatement after one year if he could show he had changed his life, as per CNN.

However, Rose continued to deny betting on baseball for many years. On the day he was banned, he believed he would be back in baseball quickly. In 1991, the Baseball Hall of Fame established a rule that any player on the permanent ineligible list would not appear on its ballot.

It wasn’t until 2004 that Rose publicly admitted to betting on baseball and the Reds, although he denied ever betting against his own team. In his autobiography, 'My Prison Without Bars', he explained that he turned to betting to recapture the thrill of winning. 

He wrote about having a huge appetite and a desire for challenges that never seemed to end. He knew that gambling on games would lead to a permanent ban, so he denied it. These denials and suggestions that he was not fully truthful were damaging to his reputation.

Giamatti died eight days after banning Rose, so he never had the chance to consider reinstatement.

Internet pays tribute to Pete Rose

Many internet users expressed their condolences and shared their views after Pete Rose's death. Additionally, many others reflected on his controversial life alongside his impressive achievements.

One user said, "Charlie hustle, always a hall of famer in my heart. RIP."

The second user shared, "RIP Pete grew up watching u u got me to use the head first slide coach hated it."

A fan said, "RIP Charlie Hustle your one of the all time great rest well sir."

Another shared, "He was one of the greats. I’m sorry he’s gone but no regrets here on his denial to the Hall of Fame. He bet on baseball ⚾️including his own team!"

One individual wrote, "So sad... met him once he was so nice. Very sweet man. RIP 🌹" 

"Sad to hear! 83 years is a long life condolences to his family! We lost one of the greats! Sad he want inducted of the hof before his passing! I guess they will do it now all things considered," a user remarked. 

A netizen added, "Wowwww yes there was controversy but truth be told he was an awesome baseball player can’t take that away from him prayers for his family."

Finally a comment read, "He played the game like no one does today RIP slugger!"

This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online