November 10, 2024 at 01:54 PM ET
CINCINNATI — Thousands of fans flocked to Great American Ball Park despite persistent rain Sunday to honor Pete Rose, baseball’s career hitting leader who died Sept. 30 at age 83.
The 14-hour visit, in honor of Rose’s jersey number, was arranged by the Cincinnati Reds in collaboration with Rose’s daughters, Vaughn and Cara, who shared hugs, stories and even some tears with fans.
“We wanted to do something like that,” Reds Hall of Fame executive Rick Walls said. “You can see by the turnout that this means a lot to the people here. It’s a moving experience.”
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Known as “Charlie Hustle” for his unbridled passion for the game, Rose was the engine behind Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine” clubs that won back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976.
Rose, a 17-time All-Star, has played on three World Series winners. He was the National League MVP in 1973 and the World Series MVP two years later. He holds the major league record for games played (3,562) and plate appearances (15,890). But none came close to his 4,256 strikeouts, surpassing his champion Ty Cobb’s mark of 4,191.
Rose agreed to a permanent ban from Major League Baseball in 1989 after an MLB investigation determined that he had bet on Reds games from 1985 to 1987 while playing for and managing the team. Two years later, the Hall of Fame barred players on its permanent roster who were ineligible from the Hall of Fame ballot.
Despite his indiscretions away from the diamond, fans arrived as early as 4 a.m. Sunday to pay tribute to Rose, slowly passing an urn containing his ashes and a table displaying his bright red Hall of Fame induction jacket and other memorabilia while a highlight video of his career played. Shining on the video boards in the lobby.
Fans left flowers and other mementos at the Rose statue located outside the stadium’s main entrance.
“He was a guy who I thought would live forever,” said Bob Augsburger, a longtime Reds fan. “When I heard the news, it was obviously sad. Baseball had lost its greatest ambassador.”
“We are deeply moved by the overwhelming love and support from the people of Cincinnati, the entire baseball community, and fans around the world as we mourn the loss of our beloved father, grandfather, and brother, Pete,” Fawn Rose said in a statement. rose.”
The Reds plan to honor Rose on “Pete Rose Day” when they play the Chicago White Sox on May 14, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:14 p.m., also honoring No. 14.
