Pete Rose

Pete Rose was MLB's all-time hits leader and a three-time World Series champion whose legacy is complicated by a lifetime ban for gambling.

Peter Edward Rose was born on April 14, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Harry Francis Rose, a semi-professional athlete, and LaVerne Rose, and grew up in the city's Anderson Ferry section playing baseball and football at Western Hills High School. Despite being small for his age, Rose's relentless hustle and work ethic — inherited directly from his father's own competitive, athletic drive — became the defining trait of his career. Rose debuted with his hometown Cincinnati Reds in 1963, winning National League Rookie of the Year, and went on to become the emotional core of the "Big Red Machine" dynasty of the 1970s, earning the nickname "Charlie Hustle" for his headlong, all-out style of play, including his signature habit of sprinting to first base on walks. He won the 1973 NL MVP award and helped Cincinnati win back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. Rose signed a then-record contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1979, helping the team win its first-ever World Series title in 1980 alongside teammate Mike Schmidt. He retired in 1986 as baseball's all-time hits leader, with 4,256 career hits — a record that still stands — having also amassed 17 All-Star selections and three World Series championships. Rose's legacy became permanently complicated in 1989, when MLB banned him for life after an investigation found he had bet on baseball games, including those involving his own team, while managing the Reds. Despite his all-time statistical standing, the ban has kept him out of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rose died on September 30, 2024, at age 83.

Aggressive contact hitter, versatile fielder, hustled on every play

Greatest contact hitter in baseball history, banned from Hall of Fame due to gambling

• MLB all-time hits leader (4,256)
• 3x World Series champion (1975, 1976, 1980)
• NL MVP (1973)
• 17x All-Star