R.I.P. Pete Rose (14 April 1941 - 30 September 2024)

[Hepcat]

Pete Rose passed away of a heart attack earlier this week. He was nicknamed Charlie Hustle because of his competitive spirit and the way he always played to win. This was fully exemplified in the 1970 All Star Game when he scored the game winning run for the National League:

He was quoted as saying after the game "Nobody told me they changed it to girls' softball between third and home." Contrast Pete Rose's play in the game against the way present day players treat it as a friendly exhibition against their union buddies.



Ty Cobb's career hit record of 4191 had stood for 57 years when Pete Rose broke it in 1985. The irony here is twofold. Pete Rose was the "modern" day player whose competitive drive was most like Ty Cobb's. And if alive Ty Cobb would have been the last person to congratulate Pete Rose for breaking his record. Ty Cobb would have just sneered and spat on the ground with respect to some modern day player breaking his record.