Over the years, I had a number of personal connections and interactions with Pete Rose. Pete was a longtime friend of the late Bo Foreman. While Pete was the player-manager of the Reds, Bo brought me with him into the Clubhouse after several games. Perhaps the most interesting days was when Bo took me to meet Pete Rose at Churchill Downs on a very rainy day in November of 1983. We were all the guests of the famous race caller, Mike Battaglia, in his suite overlooking the finish line. Another special guest in that suite was Jim Fregosi, then the manager of the Louisville Bats. I was mesmerized that afternoon as I sat at the table and listened to Pete Rose and Jim Fregosi tell one funny baseball story after another, including a number of their interactions with Yogi Berra. I quickly became a lifelong fan of both of them.
During early September of 1985, everyone was on the edge of their seats as the countdown was being made to when Pete Rose would break Ty Cobb’s record and get his 4,192 hit. On the morning of September 11, 1985, I was listening to Steve Kirk, the well-known radio broadcaster on WING-AM, and “Kirkie” announces, “Hey, if you want tickets for tonight’s game, call my friend, Bob Freund.” As it happened, Bob Freund was a friend of mine, and I called him. He immediately asked me to go to the game with him. Our seats were in the 11th row behind the Reds’ dugout, fabulous seats. We had a prime view to see one of baseball’s great historic moments, a memory that I will carry forever.
Everyone is aware of the negative parts in Pete’s life, including tax evasion, betting on baseball, and incurring a lifetime ban from baseball. My partner, Roger Makley, represented Pete during those times. I remember Assistant Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent and investigator John Dowd being in our offices as they led the prosecution of the case against Pete Rose. When their report was finished, they presented it to Bart Giamatti, the affable and gregarious Baseball Commissioner. With the agreement of Pete, Giamatti imposed a lifetime ban on Pete.
Sadly, just nine days later, Bart Giamatti had two massive strokes and died at the age of 51. I have always thought that if Bart Giamatti had lived, he might have reinstated Pete after one or two years. But with his death, Fay Vincent became the Baseball Commissioner and remained his prosecutor, continually opposing any leniency for Pete, even after Pete’s death.
Despite being banned, Pete Rose promoted his own image as the poster bad boy, signing autographs by the hundreds, if not thousands, having a sports booth on the Las Vegas Strip, and even setting up a souvenir shop across the street from the Hall of Fame during its induction ceremonies. Through it all, Pete continued to have that rebellious swagger he had as a teenager in Western Hills, Cincinnati. But like Peter Pan, Peter Rose never grew up. And like Peter Pan, Peter Rose will always be endearing to his fans for his incredible baseball talent and baseball achievements.
Dayton attorney Merle Wilberding is a regular contributor.
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