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On September 30^th of last year Cincinnati and Ohio’s biggest icon drew his last breath. A man that would seemingly live forever had passed. Pete Rose will easily go down in baseball history as one of the most controversial icons the sports world has ever seen.

Nobody reached base more than Rose in baseball history. By the time Rose’s 25-year career ended as a player he had amassed 4,256 base hits. The biggest of which came on 9-11-85 when hit number 4,192 would surpass previous all time hit leader Ty Cobb.

It’s hard to think of anyone but Pete Rose when you think of a variety of topics. The image of Rose diving into 3^rd base is a moment frozen in time. There is a statue in front of Great American Ball Park dedicated in 2017 capturing the moment did his legendary slide.

Rose wouldn’t have been Rose without controversy. The Cincinnati legend had a number of controversies during his time on the field. You want to  talk fist fight?..Pete’s ur guy. Rose had a famous fight with Mets second baseman Bud Harrelson in the 1973 playoffs after a hard slide. You want to talk collisions? Rose tops the list on that one, also. In the 1970 All Star game Cleveland Indians catcher Ray Fosse thought he was just going to catch a routine assist from an outfielder and tag out a baserunner in a close play. Little did Fosse  know he would get run over in a big collision, drop the ball, break a bone in his shoulder, and never be the same player again because of the injury. This was all compliments of Reds #14 Pete Rose and his drive to win at any cost.

The biggest controversy with Rose in winning at any cost is what got him kicked out of the game of baseball. Rose’s thirst for winning cost him everything. The former Western Hills Mustang was kicked out and banned from baseball. In August of 1989, Pete Rose accepted a ban from baseball that would cost him everything he held so dear in the sport. For years Rose denied he bet on baseball until his 2004 autobiography ‘My prison without bars’ came out. Rose finally admitted he not only bet on baseball, but bet on the Reds. Unfortunately for the Cincinnati legend, the admission was not enough to convince the MLB suits to allow him back into the sport.

Rose would go on to have several days honoring him. He would routinely be a staple of baseball card shows and autograph signings until his death. Will Baseball finally forgive the Cincinnati native and allow him back in the sport post humously?..Beats me. My money says they will. It may be several years away though. He may  have been officially banned from the sport but it never seemed he ever really left it. Rose could always be seen at Reds and Phillies games.  During his career, Rose would play with the Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos before coming back to the Reds to be a player/manager. On May 14^th the Reds will honor the 17-time All-Star with his own day. Everyone in attendance will get a replica Pete Rose Jersey. A fitting day for a legend, according to MLB, but not worthy of the Hall of Fame because of gambling.