Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader who was banned from baseball for betting on the sport, has died at age 83, the medical examiner in Clark County, Nevada, confirmed to ABC News on Monday.
“Charlie Hustle,” as he was known for his relentless playing style, will fall short in his bid to make the Hall of Fame during his lifetime. Only the gambling prevented him from getting in as his accomplishments on the field are unquestionably Hall of Fame worthy.
Rose’s 4,256 hits are 67 more than Ty Cobb’s career mark for the most in MLB history. Rose also played in the most games and had the most at-bats in history. In a playing career that spanned from 1963 to 1986, Rose won three batting titles and led the league in hits seven times. He was Rookie of the Year in 1963, a 17-time All-Star and the National League MVP in 1973.
His best seasons came as a member of the Cincinnati Reds‘ “Big Red Machine,” which won back-to-back titles in 1975 and 1976. Rose was the World Series MVP in ’75. In 1978, Rose captivated the baseball world as he chased Joe DiMaggio’s record 56-game hitting streak. He eventually tied the NL mark of 44 games, but that’s where it ended.
Even before the gambling scandal broke, Rose was a polarizing figure. His hardnose style was loved by fans of his team but not appreciated by all. Nothing summed that dynamic up more than the 1970 All-Star Game when Rose scored the winning run by barreling over Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse at the plate. Even though All-Star Games then were taken more seriously than they are today, many still took exception to the play.
Even those that didn’t love him, however, had to admit that Rose was one of the best players ever — a surefire Hall of Famer. But that all unraveled in 1989. MLB conducted an investigation into rumors that Rose — who was managing the Reds — had bet on baseball. John Dowd’s report concluded that he had placed wagers on baseball games, including on his own team.
After a legal battle in which Rose denied ever betting on baseball, he finally relented and accepted a lifetime ban from commissioner Bart Giammatti. Shortly after the ban went into effect, Rose was also convicted of tax evasion and spent a number of months in prison.
Many believe Rose accepted the ban in hopes of successfully applying for reinstatement, but that never happened. Though he applied many times, the most recent coming in 2015, he was always rejected. The argument against reinstatement often led with the fact that Rose never admitted wrongdoing. He finally did in a 2004 autobiography, where he admitted to betting on baseball, including Reds games, though he said he never bet against his team.
Baseball did make an exception to the ban in 1999, allowing Rose to take the field as a member of MLB’s All-Century Team in a ceremony at Turner Field.