The sports world lost a legend Monday, as Pete Rose, the all-time Major League Baseball hit king, passed away at age 83. He wasn’t perfect, but his accomplishments deserve to be celebrated.
While all the debate right now is whether or not he belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame, which we’ll get to, I first want to talk about what he was able to do on the field. 23 seasons. 17 All-Star selections. An NL MVP. A two-time Gold Glove winner. A three-time batting champion. A three-time World Series champion. The Rookie of the Year. A .303 career batting average. And, of course, 4,256 hits.
There has arguably never been a more pure hitter than Rose. In a league where the saying is “Chicks dig the long ball,” Rose wanted to hit singles. And he did it more effectively than any player before or since.
For as good as he was at the plate, his well-known baserunning style may be just as iconic. “Charlie Hustle” made the head-first slide famous, earning one of sports’ most legendary photographs that circulated on the Internet after his passing Monday. He may not have invented the head-first slide, but he sure did make it famous.
But with all of those great accomplishments, there must also come controversy when discussing Rose. After his playing days were over, though there are rumors that he may have started before, he began gambling on baseball as the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. Though he never bet on his team to lose, he was still gambling not only with money but with the integrity of the game as well. As friend and former teammate Johnny Bench put it Tuesday, Rose not gambling on his team to win every day meant that he was gambling on his team to lose on those days he didn’t bet. Agree or not with his stance, Bench has a point.
And thus, in 1989, Rose was barred for life from baseball. In 1991, the Hall of Fame implemented a rule that would make sure he wouldn’t get in unless an exception was made, which one hasn’t. After such a great career, all that can be thought about is the scandal. And the fact that he never really gave the public apology his detractors sought – as well as the fact that he had previous allegations of misconduct in past relationships that weren’t necessarily handled gracefully – sticks in people’s minds. It muddies the water when talking about one of the best athletes the sport of baseball has ever seen.
Bob Costas said on ESPN Tuesday morning that if a radio host brings up the topic on whether or not Rose should be in the Hall of Fame, the phone lines would rapidly flash in an instant. It’s a hot topic, and there are correct points on both sides. Should he be allowed in with an asterisk since it was never proven that he bet as a player? Or should the Hall of Fame committee hold its ground on protecting the integrity of the game, especially now that gambling is so rampant in today’s climate with ads on TV every time you look.
I go with the former because the player was just so special. I would say to put an asterisk, or a message at the bottom of the plaque, stating that he was banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling as a manager. If Rose had simply retired and walked away from the game for good, he would have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But instead, scandal is all that remains.
While he was alive, I believed that he deserved to be in. But now, even if the Hall of Fame makes an exception and decides to allow him, I don’t think he should go in. Why? Because he should have been inducted while he was still alive, if at all. Don’t just induct him because you feel bad. Doing it for the family is fine, but I can guarantee you that no one wanted Pete Rose to be enshrined more than Pete Rose. Inducting him now would be a moot point.
For all his faults, the player that was Rose deserves to be celebrated. May he rest in peace.
The Pickoff
When I was growing up, my Papa used to always say that for every freshman starting on a team, that equals a loss. If only he knew what was to come for his Alabama Crimson Tide because wide receiver Ryan Williams is an absolute superstar.
It’s now become an ongoing joke that the commentators and analysts always mention his age, 17, but it bears repeating. I’ve never seen someone this young do these types of things on these types of stages. Balling out against Western Kentucky is one thing, but doing so against Georgia on primetime in one of the biggest regular season games of the year? Goodness gracious.
He had one highlight-worthy play earlier in the game Saturday where he initially bobbled a long pass and had to spin his body around to juggle and make a catch. But his catch with 2:26 left on the clock – a key number for Alabama fans who remember Tua Tagovailoa’s famous touchdown pass to Devonta Smith in the national title game way back when – is what left every viewer searching for his or her jaw on the floor.
Play of the Week
That’s right, it’s a double-whammy this week.
Anyway, the Tide, who squandered leads of 28-0 and 30-7, trailed Georgia 34-33. On the very first play from scrimmage following the Bulldogs’ go-ahead score, quarterback Jalen Milroe fired down the sideline for a well-covered Williams. The 17-year-old leaped in the air to make the catch in double coverage, but words won’t do his next move justice. He stopped on a dime and hit a spin move – awfully close to the sideline, I might add – and somehow managed to keep his balance while evading both defenders. Not only that, but he managed to keep running, and he turned on the jets to paydirt for a 75-yard touchdown. I can’t remember ever seeing a better display of body control, speed and athleticism – especially in that moment.
It was one of the great plays you’ll see in college football, and it capped off an incredible game.
