Pete Rose Dead at 83

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warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
12,260
18,161
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
Pete found out he wasn't bigger than the game and that actions do indeed have consequences. A truly great player and a tragically flawed human being. He might have fared better if he hadn't lied to Baseball and, all of us for so long.

Horning and Karras played the scene correctly and contritely. Both now in the NFL HOF.
 
Last edited:
Dec 6, 2019
4,958
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Dixieland
To who? He apparently satisfied MLB with his explanations.

Ohtani didn't bet on baseball. It was his interpreter who stole his money and bet without Ohtani's knowledge.


I reckon his explanation was enough. It's enough for me... I don't care if they bet on baseball anyway. As long as they're not betting against their own team, and throwing the game.

Pete denied it too... That wasn't enough to keep 'em off of him. He even went to federal prison... For tax crimes related to the gambling.

Ohtani may not have been betting on baseball, but his right hand man was, and with his money.

I couldn't help but wonder what Pete thought of the Ohtani thing.

Ohtani is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and I'm glad that scandal worked out for him.

I hate what happend to Pete Rose, though.
 
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Roach1

Lifer
Nov 25, 2023
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Germany
When I was a kid we went to Cincinnati often to watch the Reds play. I remember my mother had a pic of us kids with Pete, Johnny Bench and others on Crosley Field. RIP Pete.
 
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danimalia

Lifer
Sep 2, 2015
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Yeah... The thing with Pete Rose is, I never saw him play, so I have no nostalgia for the player. I was just familiar with the man, which was... lacking. First, he lied for years about gambling about baseball. At a certain point, Bud Selig even threw him a lifeline at the urging of guys like Mike Schmidt and Joe Morgan. Pete would have to come clean, quit the casino appearances, and show he could stay on the straight and narrow for a bit. But that wasn't good enough for him. When he eventually copped to betting on baseball, he did it as a for-profit venture in the form of a book. He never really fully came clean about the totality of his betting and its potential consequences. We've also since learned some pretty sordid stuff in addition to the gambling while playing/managing in MLB, namely the allegation he had a relationship with a 14 year old girl when he was married and in his mid-late 30s... I mean, I've done some scummy things myself and had my own corruptions, but the thing with Pete is that he never seemed to show any remorse or attempts at contrition. As Warren said, he basically believed because he was Pete Rose, and he'd taken advantage of all the amenities over the years, he just thought he was bigger than the game and baseball needed him more than he needed baseball. Only he could have answered if he thought that was the right mindset for him in the end....

I just realized I spent about 300 years slamming the man in an obituary post. I would probably feel different if I had the context of his playing career in my mind (watch me justify Barry Bonds when he passes!)... In the grand scheme of things, he wasn't a monster, but being banned from baseball isn't exactly history's worst punishment either. For the record, I always supported him being in the Hall of Fame, but only as a player, and with no future connection to baseball games where he might have a stake in the outcome. There's no shortage of questionable men in the Hall of Fame, of course.
 
Apr 26, 2012
3,571
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Washington State
Pete was one hell of a player that gave his all on the field, and was a great baseball mind. His conversations about hitting were great to listen to. He had some great ball stories as well.

It's unfortunate that he's not in the HOF. Even though the HOF could put him in if they chose to do so, however, they're "respecting the wishes" of the late commissioner Bart Giamatti. Though Giamatti only suspended Pete from Major League Baseball, and the Baseball Hall of Fame is its own separate entity, but again they're respecting the wishes of Giamatti, and all commissioners since have done the same thing.

What's irritating to me is you have a guy that bet on baseball and other sports, and was banned for it. Which I understand, but in the last several years every sports show, big game, etc. is sponsored by Draft Kings, FanDuel, ESPNBet, and a hundred other sports books or betting app. Apparently betting on sports is bad for the players but its great the shows, and the different sports leagues that get money from said sports books. It's just dumb.
 
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warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
12,260
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Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
Apparently betting on sports is bad for the players but its great the shows, and the different sports leagues that get money from said sports books. It's just dumb.
What's the connection between legalized betting and a player specifically forbidden from betting by his league? Apples and oranges! You are conflating the issue, Rose's inability to follow the rules and his lengthy denial of his outrageous behavior. If he'd immediately owned up to his behavior, contritely asked for understanding, and forgiveness, he'd be in the Hall of Fame. It's all on him and his ego. He simply felt he was above the rules, too important to worry about such. He simply wasn't very smart or, honest with the the fans. Perhaps most importantly, he showed no respect for the game.
 

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,799
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"Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,
But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out."
- Ernest Lawrence Thayer
 
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Apr 26, 2012
3,571
7,865
Washington State
What's the connection between legalized betting and a player specifically forbidden from betting by his league? Apples and oranges! You are conflating the issue, Rose's inability to follow the rules and his lengthy denial of his outrageous behavior. If he'd immediately owned up to his behavior, contritely asked for understanding, and forgiveness, he'd be in the Hall of Fame. It's all on him and his ego. He simply felt he was above the rules, too important to worry about such. He simply wasn't very smart or, honest with the the fans. Perhaps most importantly, he showed no respect for the game.
I would agree that he took the wrong approach to the situation, and yes, he should have owned up to it immediately. Unfortunately, he didn't which caused Giamatti to ban him. I would disagree that he didn't respect the game, as he loved the game, the game was his life, but he clearly made some poor choices.

The connection is that each sport tells their players/personal they can't bet on any sports (not just their sport), but at the same time the game they're playing in or the league they're in is sponsored by a sports book or betting app. The league is promoting the heck out of these sports books/apps but then expect the players/personnel to not take part. It's like shoving a candy bar in a kids face, setting it on the counter and then telling the kid to not eat it. I think its dumb.

Clearly, we cannot have players/personnel betting on games, but at the same time I think it's poor judgement by the leagues to have these sports books/ betting apps be the sponsors. That's just my opinion.
 
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