The news of Pete Rose’s passing on Sept. 30 felt like it brought the end of an era.
I grew up hearing about the Big Red Machine and watching clips from the 1975 and 1976 World Series. I was only 3 and 4 years old during those series, but growing up in Cincinnati the stories of those wins were instilled into my childhood by the adults. And growing up on the West Side of Cincinnati meant the stories were about the hometown boy, Pete Rose.
The first time Pete played for the Reds was from 1963 to 1978. I did not go to games when I was that young, but I have memories of going to my grandparents’ house where my grandpa would have the game on the TV with the sound turned down, while listening to Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall on the radio. I learned Pete’s nickname was Charlie Hustle. Little did I know then that he would have another nickname of the Hit King by the time his playing career ended.
While reading tributes on Pete after his death I did some research to find out how he got the nickname Charlie Hustle. I always knew Pete to put maximum effort into every play of a game. So it was no surprise to learn that it was his drive to win that was noticed from the beginning of his career that led to his nickname by other legendary players, Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford, according to Daniel Mader in “The Sporting News.”
After playing for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Montreal Expos, Pete came back to play and manage the hometown team. I was finally old enough that I understood more about the game and had opportunities to attend games at Riverfront Stadium. At that time, I would participate in the Public Library’s summer reading program. When you read so many books you got two tickets to a Reds game. That is when I started going to games with my dad and I was so excited that I would be able to get to see Pete play.
As the 1985 season progressed excitement grew as Pete was getting closer to breaking the MLB hit record. Every time he came up to bat the fans cheered in anticipation, as he would get another hit and be closer to making history. When he was on base, it was always exciting to see one of his famous headfirst slides. It was these games that got me hooked on baseball and on being a lifelong fan of the Reds.
Pete made history on Sept. 11, 1985, when he broke the record and earned the nickname the Hit King with a single that was his 4,192nd hit. I sat in the family room with my family watching the game. It did not take long for history to be made as Pete broke the record in the first inning. I remember the game just stopped as everyone was celebrating. The hometown hero did it! I can only imagine how it would have felt to be there to witness it in person. The atmosphere at the stadium was electric.
When Great American Ballpark opened, I remember going down and looking at the rose garden with the white rose bush in the middle marking where Pete’s record-breaking hit landed. The spot that was once the outfield of Riverfront Stadium was now just outside the Reds Baseball Hall of Fame. Although the rose garden no longer exists, there is still a marker for fans to honor this piece of history.
The first time I went to the Reds Hall of Fame I enjoyed all the exhibits and memorabilia from the Big Red Machine and of Pete Rose. I stood and just admired the three-story wall of 4,256 baseballs, one for each of Pete’s hits during his career in baseball—a record that still stands today and I suspect will for years to come. I have shared the stories with both of my daughters when we have visited the museum through the years. Whether they listen to just amuse me or because they are interested does not really matter. For me it is getting to relive those exciting moments of growing up.
Unfortunately, a few years after Pete made history on the field his story took a negative turn for activities off the field. It is a shame that he is known as much for the scandal of his gambling as he is for being one of the greatest ballplayers of all time. However, for most in Cincinnati he will always be a beloved ballplayer and a legend.
In 2008 I traveled to Las Vegas for the first time with a friend. While we were walking through the shops at Ceasar’s Palace we walked past a sports memorabilia store with a sign out front that Pete Rose was in the shop signing autographs. We walked in and there he was. All my life I have lived in Cincinnati, and I never once ran into Pete. I know people who used to eat at his restaurant across from Western Bowl and tell stories about him stopping by their table and sitting and talking with them for a few minutes and others just seeing him in various places around the city. I had to travel 2,000 miles to see him in person other than from the stands at Riverfront Stadium.
We walked past and said hello and told him we were from Cincinnati. He acknowledged us and said it was nice to see us. I was starstruck. It was a brief encounter but now I have my own personal story to tell.
Teri was a staff writer then Sports Editor for her last two years on Dateline. She is in her 29th year at UMR, a subsidiary of United Healthcare Company. UMR is a third-party administrator who assists employers that have self-funded employee benefits. She is a Capability Manager for the Regulatory Implementation and Process Management team.