Pete Rose, 'Hit King' and All-Star Cincinnati Reds Player and Manager, Dead at 83

Contrast that persona with someone like another sports legend of the same era (although in a different sport), Joe Namath, whose flashy style was just as much a part of his image as Rose's working class, Charlie Hustle demeanor.

What you see is what you get, Pete seemed to be saying. That could have been the reason grandma Lower, my dad's mom, loved Pete Rose; she never missed a game on channel 5 (WLWT-TV), out in Reds Country in Ripley County, Indiana.

I figure some might be interested to know Rose's cause of death, which officials released publicly on Tuesday:

Nevada officials on Tuesday determined MLB legend Pete Rose’s cause of death.

"His cause of death was determined as Hypertensive and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease with a significant condition of Diabetes Mellitus," the Clark County Coroner’s Office said. "The manner of death was natural."

Coincidentally, that's not dissimilar to my father's cause of death. It only makes Pete's death feel more personal.

Reds owner Bob Castellini released a statement after news broke about Pete's death:

"Our hearts are deeply saddened by the news of Pete’s passing. He was one of the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen, and every team he played for was better because of him. Pete was a Red through and through. No one loved the game more than Pete and no one loved Pete more than Reds Country."

Readers might recall that Rose never gave up on his quest to be considered for the MLB Hall of Fame, and penned a plea seeking reinstatement in 2022:

Pete Rose Pens a New Plea to MLB, Seeking Baseball Hall Redemption

And despite being unable to return to the field as a manager or behind the scenes in a team's front office because of the permanent ban, he remained a fan favorite, as so many people remember the greatness of the World Series teams Pete was a part of. Two of his teammates, Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench, were given a standing ovation, along with him, at the last All-Star Game hosted in the Queen City:

Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Barry Larkin, and Johnny Bench were introduced at the 2015 MLB ASG in Cincinnati as the #Reds’ Franchise Four

[🎥 MLB) pic.twitter.com/Oq5cK651rs

— Gingersaurus Rex (@HeyGingersaurus) October 1, 2024

Now, Pete's last missive online was an X post dated Sept. 21st, in which he talked up someone else...his grandson who is named after him, whom he said was carrying on "the Rose legacy" by suiting up for the La Salle college baseball team:

Couldn’t be more proud of my grandson @pjrose14 for being featured in the @PhillyInquirer. Keep hustling with La Salle baseball. The #Rose legacy lives on.

Pete was big on loyalty, and the bigger story in all this is how he spent his last hours on earth. Whatever your opinion of Rose and the Hall of Fame controversy, it will warm your heart--especially if you were a fan of the Big Red Machine--to hear that he spent it among both baseball fans and old friends. I briefly mentioned his Tennessee event on Sunday, Sept. 29 in the obituary (linked above), but now more information and even a keepsake photo has been shared by those closest to the late baseball legend. 

His agent of over 10 years shared this remarkable photo on Pete's official social media accounts, including at X, which inspired me to write this column and make sure other baseball fans would see it:

One last at bat with his teammates before heading home. (9-29-24 Nashville)

It was a true honor and a privilege to be your agent for 10+ years.
Love you forever,
Ryan Fiterman
Fiterman Sports pic.twitter.com/RgGHYgD238

— Pete Rose (@PeteRose_14) October 1, 2024

In a touching in memoriam, Ryan Fiterman wrote:

One last at bat with his teammates before heading home. (9-29-24 Nashville)

It was a true honor and a privilege to be your agent for 10+ years. 

Love you forever, 

Ryan Fiterman

Fiterman Sports

Here's more about the reunion, via the Nashville Tennesseean:

Jason Shepherd appreciated being asked to take a picture of Pete Rose with some of his former Cincinnati Reds teammates Sunday after the Music City sports collectibles and autograph show in Franklin, Tennessee, near Nashville.

Rose, in a wheelchair, was surrounded by Dave Concepcion, George Foster, Tony Perez and Ken Griffey Sr. They left the building together after taking the picture.

It might have been the last picture taken of Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader as well as one of its most controversial figures.

..."Johnny (Bench) was there Saturday but some of Pete's other teammates were there Sunday and they said, 'Hey, let's get together for a picture,' and I was just standing there and was asked to take the picture," said Shepherd, who owns Shep's Cards & Collectibles and served as master of ceremonies at the event. "It was taken right before (Rose) left out the door."

Rose had shown up for every show at the Williamson County Ag Expo since it started in 2020, and Shepherd said Rose was in good spirits on Sunday.

...

"He said his back was hurting but he got to visit with all his Big Red Machine buddies . . . they were laughing and having a good time," Shepherd said. "Pete was great with the fans as he always is. It was always a highlight for him to be able to talk baseball with anybody at any time."

Rose signed about 200 autographs and posed for even more photos with fans.

There's another silver lining, via this story from the local NBC affiliate Grandma used to watch her beloved Reds on (WLWT-TV), on a Republican Ohio state representative, Bill Seitz of Green Township, who represents District 30, co-sponsoring a bill (currently in committee) to boost Pete's chances to get in the Hall of Fame.

He said:

I think when people look around Cincinnati, Pete Rose would be one of the first things that come to mind as the emblem of Cincinnati for all these years.

State Rep. Seitz has the support of longtime Cincinnati sportswriter, Paul Daughtery from the Cincinnati Enquirer:

"Pete made a mistake," acclaimed sports writer Paul Daugherty said. "He compounded it over and over again."

...

"It doesn't make Pete look good — the fact that Pete went 20 years denying that he did something that almost anybody who followed it even remotely closely knew that, yes, he, in fact, did," Daugherty said.

Having said that, Daugherty believes Rose belongs in Cooperstown, especially since baseball has embraced sports betting.

As Castellini said on behalf of the team Pete loved, in his send-off for the Hit King, "We must never forget what he accomplished."

Rest in peace, Pete.

Pete Rose #PeteRose pic.twitter.com/EeqYy3UqHt

— RealBFolks🇺🇲 (@RealBFolks) October 5, 2024