Pete Rose, all-time record holder for hits in Major League Baseball and a three-time World Series winner, has died at the age of 83.
Rose won the World Series with the Cincinnati Reds in 1975 and 1976 before also winning them with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980.
Nicknamed “Charlie Hustle”, he won the National League MVP award in 1973 and was MVP of the 1975 World Series.
He was also selected to the All-Star Game 17 times in 21 seasons – at an unprecedented five different positions on the court and field.
Rose, who also had a brief stint with the Montreal Expos, then took charge of the Reds from 1984 to 1989, the first three years as player-manager.
However, he was banned for life in 1989 for betting on baseball games in which he had been involved as a player or manager – which, controversially, made him permanently ineligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame. the MLB.
In his 2004 autobiography, he admitted to betting on Reds games, but insisted he never bet against his own team.
“Major League Baseball extends its deepest condolences to Pete Rose’s family, his friends of the game and the fans of his hometown of Cincinnati, Philadelphia and beyond, who admired his greatness, his courage and his determination on the field. May he rest in peace,” MLB said in a statement.
Rose accumulated a record 4,256 hits – which MLB defines as a batter hitting the baseball in fair territory and reaching base without doing so via an error or fielder’s choice – and played 3,562 games over the course of of his career, more than any other player.
“Our hearts are deeply saddened by the news of Pete’s passing,” said Bob Castellini, principal owner and managing partner of the Reds.
“He was one of the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen, and every team he played for was better because of him.”
“Pete was a Red through and through. Nobody loved the game more than Pete and nobody loved Pete more than Reds Country. We must never forget what he accomplished.”
After being banned from baseball, Rose also competed in professional wrestling, making memorable appearances at Wrestlemania between 1998 and 2000, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.
