Pete Rose, the polarizing all- time major league hits leader who was permanently banned from the game for gambling, has died. He was 83.
I remember him best from the lead up to breaking Ty Cobbs record, when I read a book on him and, oddly enough, felt rather protective of old Cobb and resentful of the record. Silliness. It was a well deserved accomplishment.
Of course he's known best for that MLB ban, and I fully endorse it. He knew the rules, and there was no bigger no- no in the game. He only bet on his team to win, yeah, but he was the manager. Baseball is a marathon, and who knows how many times, as manager, he sacrificed tomorrow for a win today because he had money on the outcome.
Now, I might have been in favor of a pardon as the years wore on, were it not for the fact that he was never remorseful and his story changed over and over.
All the same, he was a fantastic player, truly one of the greats. I wouldn't object, at least right now, to a posthumous HOF induction.
RIP
