Baseball legend Pete Rose dies at the age of 83

New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) Pete Rose, baseball's all-time leader in hits, dies at the age of 83, at the Clark County medical examiner in Nevada.

Rose, known as "Charlie Hustle" passed with the distinction of being both Major League Baseball's (MLB) all-time hits leader 4,256 career hits, a record that still stands, and on its permanently ineligible list for betting on Cincinnati Reds games.

"The Reds are heartbroken to learn of the passing of baseball legend Pete Rose," the Cincinnati Reds said in a post on X.

"Major League Baseball extends its deepest condolences to Pete Rose’s family, his friends across the game, and the fans of his hometown of Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Montreal and beyond who admired his greatness, grit and determination on the field of play. May he rest in peace," MLB said in a statement.

A Cincinnati native who became a franchise icon for the Reds, Rose is the club's all-time leader in games (2,722), plate appearances (12,344), runs (1,741), hits (3,358), singles (2,490), doubles (601) and walks (1,210). Over his 24-year career that spanned from 1963-86 and saw him also play for the Phillies and Expos, Rose collected 4,256 hits.

“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. We must never forget what he accomplished," said Bob Castellini, Reds principal owner and managing partner.

Rose's career spanned from 1963 to 1986, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds, where he was a key part of the "Big Red Machine" that won back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976.

He also won three batting titles (1968, '69 & '73), one National League Most Valuable Player Award (1973), two Gold Glove Awards (1969, ’70), NL Rookie of the Year Award (1963) and 1975 World Series MVP. In 1999, Rose was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

A 17-time All-Star, Rose also clinched a third championship with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980. He retired with a .303 lifetime average, winning three batting titles.

Despite his on-field success, Rose's legacy was marred by a gambling scandal. In 1989, he was banned from baseball for life after it was revealed that he had bet on games while managing the Reds. Though he denied the allegations for years, Rose admitted in 2004 that he had gambled on baseball, though never against his team.

Rose was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2016 and his iconic No. 14 was retired the same year. His statue outside Great American Ball Park was dedicated in 2017.

Rose's passing was mourned by many in the baseball world. Former New York Yankee Wade Boggs wrote, “Words can't describe how I feel right now. My idol and friend. You’ll be dearly missed.”

--IANS

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