RIP - Pete Rose

Pete Rose, the all-time Hit King, passed away on September 30, 2024 at age 83.

             

 

Rose had attended an autograph show the day prior to his death.

Some stats: 

1963 NL Rookie of the Year 

First "$100,000 singles hitter" 

17-time All-Star, and at 5 different positions 

3-time NL Batting Champ 

1973 NL MVP 

1975 World Series MVP 

3-time World Series champ 

2-time Gold Glove winner (surprisingly enough) 

Career .303 batting average

4,256 career hits 

 

After Rose was banned from baseball, he was initially still eligible for the Hall of Fame. Although not on that first ballot, many writers stated that they were going to write him in anyway (ostensibly giving the fans what they wanted). 

 

The spineless minions running the Hall of Fame quickly scurried about, changing the rules to make him ineligible for induction, rather than letting the voters decide, and having the chips fall where they may. 

 

The Baseball HOF is topped only by the Rock and Roll HOF in terms of shady eligibility and voting practices.

 

Cincinnati Enquirer obituary  

 

Philadelphia Inquirer obituary

 

MLB obituary 

 

Stars of the 1960s: Pete Rose

8th in a series...

NL ROY in 1963.
NL MVP in 1973.
Topped the 200 hit mark 10 times.
Led the NL in hits 7 times.
Led the NL in batting 3 times, including a career-high .348 in 1969.
Led the NL in runs scored 4 times.
Led the NL in games played 4 times.
17-time All-Star (in 24 seasons).
Won the Gold Glove in 1969 and 1970 (surprised?)
Won the Silver Slugger in 1981.
Won 3 World Series ('75, '76, '80).
 

1967 Scrapbook - Larry Jackson

Wait, what? A non-obituary post? 

Here's another installment in an occasional series called "1967 Scrapbook". In 2011 I found a baseball scrapbook I had made in 1967, containing photos that I clipped from the Philadelphia sports pages that summer.


Unfortunately, Larry Jackson's Phillies' career is often summed-up by 2 stories:

1. He was one of 2 veteran pitchers obtained from the Cubs for a young Ferguson Jenkins ('nuff said).
2. He was selected by the Expos in the post-1968 expansion draft, but retired rather than start over with a new team.


Here are some "Larry Jackson moments" from the 1967 season:

On June 2oth, Jackson shutout the Mets 4-0 on a 1-hitter (Tommy Davis getting a leadoff double in the 2nd inning).

On July 7th, Jackson took a throw to the nose in the 6th inning against the Cardinals, while backing up home plate.

On the back of the 3rd photo above, there is a story about Reds' manager Dave Bristol fining batters for not driving in a man on 3rd with less than 2 outs. Pete Rose was the first one fined. There's a hilarious comment about Rose trying to pay his fine with trading stamps!!!