Pete Rose, the legendary baseball player who was nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” for his competitive spirit during his games, died at the age of 83 years old on Monday in his home in Las Vegas. His body was found by a family member.
ABC News reports that while the cause of death is still under investigation by a medical examiner, there is no evidence of foul play. Pete Rose, who holds the record for the most hits in Major League Baseball (MLB) history, was a huge figure in the sport, both for his achievements and the controversies that surrounded him.
His career in MLB spanned more than two decades (1963-1986), during which he played for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos.
Rose achieved an unprecedented 4,256 hits, a record that remains unbroken to date. His relentless energy and uncompromising nature on the field earned him his nickname and he quickly became a fan favorite. Besides playing five different positions, he was a 17-time All-Star, a three-time World Series champion, and the 1973 National League MVP.
However, in 1989, Pete Rose was banned from baseball for life after it was discovered that he had bet on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds. This scandal has kept him out of the Baseball Hall of Fame, despite his many accolades. Many have argued that his contributions to the sport should earn him a place in the Hall of Fame but the ban has remained in place.
Nevertheless, even after the controversy, Rose remained popular and continued to make public appearances, sign autographs, and engage with fans. According to ESPN, days before his death, he had attended an autograph show in Nashville with some of us his former teammates.
In a statement, MLB expressed their condolences to Rose’s “family, his friends across the game, and the fans of his hometown of Cincinnati, Philadelphia and beyond who admired his greatness, grit and determination on the field of play.”
Reds principal owner Bob Castellini also shared a tribute to Pete Rose calling him one of the “fiercest competitors the game has ever seen” and a “Red through and through.”