I was at Wrigley Field the day Pete Rose got the hit that tied him with Ty Cobb. It was a special day for all baseball fans and I was thrilled to see his accomplishment. Later, Rose tarnished that day for me and all baseball fans by his gambling and lying. He placed bets on baseball games and then lied about it. He cheated on his taxes, and, with his public record, one can only imagine what his private behavior was like.
There is no question Rose was a great baseball player. There is no question Rose has Hall of Fame credentials. However, there is also no question that Rose is one of those people who lived his life believing that the rules applied to everybody else but him–even today. He will always be “Charlie Hustle” but he should never be reinstated by baseball.
