Pete Rose Sr. was known by his nickname “Charlie Hustle“….is an American former professional baseball player and manager…..who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 23 years from 1963 to 1986…..while managing in MLB from 1984 to 1989.
As a player, Rose was a switch hitter….who became the all-time MLB leader in hits (4,256)…..games played (3,562)….at-bats (14,053)….singles (3,215)….and outs made (10,328)….as he won three World Series rings….three batting titles….one Most Valuable Player Award….two Gold Gloves….the Rookie of the Year Award in 1963….who also made 17 All-Star appearances at an unequaled five positions….second baseman, left fielder, right fielder, third baseman and first baseman. Rose won both of his Gold Gloves when he was an outfielder, in 1969 and 1970.
In Rose’s last year as a manager and three years after retiring as a player in 1989….Rose was penalized by MLB Commissioner Bart Giamatti with permanent ineligibility from baseball amidst accusations that he gambled on baseball games while he played for and managed the Reds the charges of wrongdoing included claims 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 previously excluding such players by informal agreement among voters. After years of public denial, Rose admitted in 2004 that he bet on baseball and on the Reds. The issue of Rose’s possible reinstatement and election to the Hall of Fame remains contentious throughout baseball….because there are many baseball fans who believe the hits leader of all time deserves to be in the Hall for what he accomplished on the field.
On June 22, 2015, ESPN concluded its own investigation of Rose and determined that he had bet on baseball while still a player-manager from 1984 to 1986. The results of the investigation were made public and revealed the records of bets that Rose had made on baseball. U.S. federal authorities had seized the records from one of Rose’s associates.
Regardless of the feelings of all the “old school baseball pundits”, if we here at ImaSportsphile had a vote for Hall of Fame inductees….we would vote for the greatest hitter of all time.
