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Controversial MLB legend Pete Rose, all-time leader, dies at 83

Controversial MLB legend Pete Rose, all-time leader, dies at 83

Vaseline 4 days ago

Pete Rose, the all-time leader in being banned from baseball for gambling on the sport, has died at the age of 83, the medical examiner in Clark County, Nevada confirmed to ABC News on Monday.

Rose was found by a family member. The coroner will conduct an investigation to determine the cause and manner of death, but according to ABC News, there are no signs of foul play.

“Charlie Hustle,” as he was known for his ruthless playing style, fell short during his lifetime in his bid to get into the Hall of Fame. Only gambling prevented him from being inducted, as his on-field achievements are undoubtedly 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 lasted 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 seventeen-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 when he chased Joe DiMaggio’s record 56-game hitting streak. He eventually matched the NL mark of 44 games, but that was where it ended.

In a social media post Monday night, the Reds said they were “heartbroken” to learn of Rose’s death.

Even before the gambling scandal broke, Rose was a polarizing figure. His hard style was loved by his team’s fans, but not appreciated by everyone. Nothing captured that dynamic better than the 1970 All-Star Game, when Rose scored the winning run by running over Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse at the plate. Although All-Star Games were taken more seriously then than they are now, many still objected to the play.

But even those who didn’t love him had to admit that Rose was one of the best players ever: a surefire Hall of Famer. But that all unraveled in 1989. MLB investigated rumors that Rose, who managed the Reds, had bet on baseball. John Dowd’s report concluded that Rose had placed bets on baseball games, including on his own team.

After a legal battle in which Rose denied ever betting on baseball, he eventually relented and accepted a lifetime ban from then-commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti. Shortly after the ban took effect, Rose was also convicted of tax evasion and spent several months in prison.

Many believe that Rose accepted the ban in hopes of successfully applying for reinstatement, but that never happened. Although he has applied many times, most recently in 2015, he was rejected each time. The argument against reinstatement often led to the fact that Rose had never admitted wrongdoing. He eventually did so in a 2004 autobiography, in which he admitted to betting on baseball, including Reds games, although he said he never bet against his team.

Baseball made 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.