At the age of 83, Pete Rose has passed away, as a family member of Rose informed Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci on Monday.
Rose was a 17-time All-Star and held multiple records in Major League Baseball during his 24 years career which began in 1963. He retired with the most career hits in MLB history (4,256), as well as being the all-time leader in singles (3,215), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053), and plate appearances (15,890). He claimed three batting crowns, two Gold Gloves and was M.V.P of the National League in 1973. He clinched the World Series titles with the Cincinnati Reds in the years 1975 and ’76 once again with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980.
Rose was a player manager for the Reds for two seasons and in 1987 he took over the role and responsibility full time. He was at the helm of the team until August 1989 when the events of his career took a dramatic twist.
On August 24, 1989, owing to media scrutiny, a prolonged period of investigation, Rose underwent a psychological evaluation and accepted the offer of a lifetime ban from participating in baseball due to an allegation that he had wagered on matches while playing for, and managing the Reds. He was even accused of betting on his own side. In 1991, the management of the Baseball Hall of Fame decided that all players and any other individuals who were on the permanent ineligible list should never be voted for induction into the Hall; only this rule prevented Rose from being voted in.
In 2004 it was confirmed that Rose had, some years before, acknowledged gambling on baseball games where previously he had denied any such action, and in this case, he revealed he placed those bets with bookies for Reds games up to five times a week during his management of the team, 1987. He stated that he had never placed a bet against the team.
There are still many developments around Rose’s lifetime ban that have led many to despise him in the baseball world, for he appealed his status more than once over the years and even sought reinstatement.
