Photo: DON EMMERT / AFP / Getty Images
Major League Baseball's hit king, Pete Rose, is dead at the age of 83. Nicknamed "Charlie Hustle" for his aggressive base-running and head-first slides, Rose was banned from the sport after it was determined he bet on games.
Rose grew up in Cincinnati and was encouraged by his parents to play sports. He began his professional career in 1960 with the Class-D Geneva Redlegs, before jumping to the majors in 1963. He would become the Reds' regular second baseman, but was accomplished at several other positions during his career. Following the '63 campaign, he was named the National League Rookie of the Year. Teamed with players like Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez, Rose headlined the "Big Red Machine" that won back-to-back World Series in 1975 and '76.
Rose would sign has a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1979 and help deliver a World Series title in 1980. Rose also played briefly for the Montreal Expos before returning to the Cincinnati Reds as a player-manager. It was during his second stint with the Reds he broke Ty Cobb's all-time major league hit record. He singled in a game against San Diego in 1985, passing Cobb with hit number 41-hundred-92. Rose's playing days ended in 1986, but he would continue as the Reds manager until 1989.
Rose, who gambled heavily in the 1980s, was investigated by MLB following reports he had bet on baseball during his time as Reds manager. According to the Dowd Report, Rose bet on 52 games in 1987. Two years later, Commissioner Bart Giamatti [[ jih-MAH-tee ]] announced Rose had been banned permanently from the game. Rose accepted the ban and years later, admitted in his autobiography that he bet on baseball, including Reds games.
While Rose would never be elected to the Hall of Fame, he certainly has the credentials. He ended up with a major league record 42-hundred-56 base hits and also played in the most games and had the most at-bats in history. He won three batting titles, was a 17-time All-Star and was the National League MVP in 1973.
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