Donald Trump just dropped a bombshell about Pete Rose that put MLB on notice
Baseball has always been a game of redemption, of second chances, of legends who rise from humble beginnings to become immortal. Yet somehow, the sport denied its all-time hits leader the ultimate honor he deserved. [...]
I am pro Trump about many different things. However I think that President Trump is jumping the gun about Pete Rose! I had the displeasure of meeting him at a sports show in South Florida where I had a paid 10X20 space for my business. I was right next to the two most famous ice hockey players of all time! Wayne Gretzky and Guy Lafleur and we hung out and talked together during the quieter times during the show. These two pro hockey players were both really nice regular guys and they were giving out FREE autographs to hundreds of people during the show and so were the other sports stars in the show that were ALL GETTING PAID TO BE THERE! Pete Rose was just across from me and I watched him demand money from little kids and everyone else for his autograph that Idealized him as a baseball star. If these kids and adults didn’t have the money he would just blow them off with a lousy attitude! I watched this happen for hours while looking at the bewildered faces especially on those little kids that could not afford to get his autograph! I then walked up to his booth and told him how crappy he was to do this to his own baseball fans since he was already getting paid good money from all the other businesses that paid for their booth space! He was a total jerk to me and acted out in a threatening way! I replied to him by telling him that he was showing how unprofessional he truly was and if wanted to become more famous he could step down out of his booth and meet me face to face! Everyone was watching and he decided to turn away from me! I then walked away to go back to my business booth! Wayne Gretzky and Guy Lafleur both watched this and agreed with me about how unprofessional he was to his own fans at this show. This is the Pete Rose I got to know very quickly and I truly feel that he is NOT deserving to be in the Baseball Hall Of Fame by his multiple negative actions throughout his life no matter how good a ballplayer he was even if he is now passed away!
Sport Shows has absolutely no bearing on electing any sports athlete to any Hall of Fame! We are not talking about personalities, we are talking about Pete Rose abilities on the playing field. Have you ever heard about Ty Cobb, he wasn’t very nice even on the field. There are a number of other MBL players, today and retired players, that charged fans, adults and kids, for their autographs. Some of them are’t very nice either.
Sports heroes are also expected to be Community Leaders…
Pete must have changed over the years then. When I was a kid I met some of the Reds at the Holiday Inn near the Astrodome in Houston where they were playing a series against the Astros. I remember Pete, Sparky Anderson and George Foster being friendly and willing to sign autographs for we kids who were there in the lobby. I also remember that Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan had an attitude like Pete Rose apparently had at that sports show. Living not very far from Houston, my favorite team was the Astros, but the previous year the Reds had played the Athletics in the World Series and both teams were loaded with stars. Catfish Hunter was my favorite player on the A’s. I’d have really been disappointed to try to get his autograph if he’d have wanted to charge me for it or would have had an attitude about it.
Even join it makes me even madder at the MLB for waiting until he is dead! Putting him in now is right just as it would have been while he livedlll
I agree that he was a jerk most of the time, but his record is about being a ball player. What he did should be recognized. Love him or hate him.
I agree with you. What he did with the betting may have been wrong however I still think his records need to be recognized by admitting to the Hall. Betting on your own team is not a crime in my book. Kids and adults alike do it all the time on the ball field, basketball court and golf courses. Money may not have exchanged hands in all cases but the action was there. Give Mr. Hustle the recognition he earned and deserves.
The fact that Pete Rose was a jerk is no reason for him to be denied admission into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is about what you did on the field, not on whether you were a nice guy. Since he is dead he will not gain any pleasure in being admitted making his having been a jerk a poor excuse to oppose him being admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
Babe Ruth was selected to the Baseball HOF. He is considered the baseball’s best player ever. Or perhaps, one of the best. However, according to history books’s writers after the games he would go to New York’s night club and drank alcohol in excess.
Again, according to his Biography he was always intoxicated even during games.
I don’t see anything wrong with that because the New York Yankees management were supposed to supervise him.
Now, the prohibtion era was from 1929 to 1934 when the 18th ammendment was ratified.
The Babe played from 1929-1939 which means that The Babe was breaking Federal Law and probably New York Yankees rules and regulation. No actions were taken against him.
Now, my point is that, for me, the best player ever in the history of Major League Baseball, Pete Rose, was suspended FOR LIFE for betting in baseball games. Always betting that his team would win. He broke the rules and he deserved to be punished.
However, suspended for life without possibility of been able to be reinstalled and be in the HOF, I believe it was a personal matter from the Baseball Commisioner.
The Babe commited a constitutional crime and broke New York Yankees’ rules and regulations and what happened? He was selected 1st ballot to the national Hof.
I hope someday he will have his plaque hanging on the wall of Cooperstown.