An area state representative is going to bat for Cincinnati Reds legend Pete Rose with a piece of legislation that aims to help Rose land a place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Today, the 83-year-old Rose is on a very short list of the greatest baseball players in MLB history not enshrined in the Hall of Fame, along with Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Clemens, who faced voter opposition over steroid cases.
In a vacuum, Rose’s accolades throughout his 24-year career would be more than enough to warrant a place, but he landed himself on the MLB’s permanently ineligible list in 1989 after an investigation into his gambling activities.
Thus, the player with the most hits in MLB history, with three World Series wins under his belt, 17 MLB All star appearances (at five different positions), two Gold Gloves, three batting titles, an MVP award, and a Rookie of the Year honor, has no plaque in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Two Reds fans are hoping to leverage their sway in the Ohio Statehouse to change that, including Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Twp., who said he was in attendance in September 1985 when Rose got his 4,192nd hit and became the sport’s all-time leader. Young has his ticket, poster and t-shirt from that fabled day framed.
