Sports
Reflections on Pete Rose, the Hall of Fame and the spot where his plaque will never hang
I know exactly where Pete Rose’s Hall of Fame plaque should have been hanging — for the past three decades.
You’d have found it in the middle of a powerhouse cluster in the plaque gallery — nestled in between the plaques of Tom Seaver and Reggie Jackson. Among others.
Thousands of baseball fans would have gawked at it by now. I can still imagine them, reading that plaque and trying to comprehend that more than 23,000 men have played in Major League Baseball — and Pete Rose got more hits than any of them.
But that’s what could have and should have happened, in a What-If World in which the Hit King was known only for those 4,256 hits and not for … well, so much else.
For three decades, it has saddened me to gaze at that spot on the wall in Cooperstown, N.Y., and reflect on why Rose’s plaque was missing from this Land of the Legends. And on Monday, that sadness only grew, as the news spread that Rose had died, at age 83.
I’ve said and written many times that Pete Rose was the saddest baseball story I ever covered. Now let me explain where that sadness comes from. Like so many others who knew him, it comes from the inescapable thought that his story shouldn’t have ended this way.
Pete Rose was so good at baseball. But more than that, it was so much fun to watch him play baseball. He was a daily fireball of dust and dirt, line drives and headfirst bellyflops, quips and quotes that made you laugh out loud.
He was a Rookie of the Year at 22, an MVP at 32 and still the league leader in hits at 40. The Pete Rose Show was something, all right.
He got a hit in 44 games in a row. He passed Stan Musial to set the all-time National League record for hits. He passed Ty Cobb to lead the whole continent in hits. He was a walking, talking, baseball history museum. And he knew everything about everything that anyone could possibly have stuffed inside that museum.
He was the most magnetic baseball figure of my lifetime. And I don’t say that casually. I’ve thought about this for years. We couldn’t stop watching Pete Rose any time he set foot on a baseball field. We couldn’t stop talking about him when he stepped off that baseball field.
He had an infectious smile. He sprinted to first base after all 1,566 walks. He could turn on his nightclub act and entertain you any time that came in handy. He could make himself the center of the baseball universe. He was the most powerful presence in every room he ever entered.
If only we’d spent the last few decades talking about that guy.
But once the truth began to seep out about that other world Rose lived in, it would never be the same. If only there had never been such a thing as gambling. If only the Hit King hadn’t gravitated toward so many of the unsavory figures in that other world. If only he hadn’t left so many other troubling allegations in his wake, particularly involving his treatment of women. If only …
If only he’d understood that he wasn’t bulletproof. If only he’d taken it all more seriously when the commissioner, Bart Giamatti, asked to talk with him about these gambling allegations the commissioner’s office had caught wind of. If only that had been a wake-up call … instead of the impetus for the suspension that would define Pete Rose for the rest of his life.
It’s now 35 years since I sat in that ballroom in New York where Giamatti announced that he was banning “Mr. Rose” for life for gambling on his own team. I’ll never forget the murmur that rippled through that room as the commissioner uttered those words on Aug. 24, 1989. How could this be happening – Pete Rose’s career ending not on a ballfield but in a ballroom?
That felt all wrong — but not because Giamatti’s decision was wrong. Because the man he was suspending had made so many wrong turns and so many wrong decisions that he brought that fate on himself.
Except it turned out that was not the end of the story. Over the next 15 years or so, Rose had his chances maybe not to get reinstated and work in baseball, but to at least get himself onto a Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. Of course, you know how that worked out.
He had so many chances to save himself. But whatever it was he needed to do to make that happen, it felt as though he did the opposite. Over and over and over again.
Pete Rose connects for his 4,192 career hit to surpass Ty Cobb as baseball’s Hit King. (Bettmann / Getty Images)
In 2002, his friends, Mike Schmidt and Joe Morgan, arranged a secret meeting between Rose and Bud Selig, then the commissioner of baseball. The Hit King had to know he would never have a greater opportunity than this one.
Selig spelled out what baseball expected of him if the league was even going to consider adjusting his life sentence. Rose would need to stop gambling — all the gambling. He would need to stop hanging out at all those casinos and racetracks.
And finally, there was this: He would need to hold a press conference — to admit to his “crime,” to admit that yes, he’d bet on baseball, to apologize to everyone he’d betrayed and to promise none of this would ever happen again. They shook hands. And then …
Rose walked out of that meeting and headed directly for an appearance at a sports book in Las Vegas. The commissioner and those around him were furious. Rose’s fate was sealed forever that day. It’s hard to argue it was anyone’s fault except his own.
I’ve known since then exactly how this saga was going to end. I’ve known since then that Pete Rose’s Induction Day in Cooperstown would never arrive. I’ve known since then that there would always be that spot in the gallery where his plaque would never hang. I’ve known since then that I’d be writing this column, on the day he died.
But knowing this was coming doesn’t make it any less sad.
Can you feel that sadness and yet understand that no one was more responsible for how this ended than Rose himself? I believe you can. Why can’t both things be true? I think it’s possible — even sensible — to have two sets of Pete Rose memories.
The hits, the hustle, the records, the indelible moments, the laughs, the fun that flowed from watching the Hit King play baseball — I’m not banning those for life. I’ll think of them forever and smile.
But the turn the rest of his life took — why would I not look at that with sadness? I think about what should have been, and I wish he’d done so many things differently.
It’s strange to think now that he was suspended “for life” by Giamatti. And now that the “lifetime” part of his suspension no longer applies, does that mean that someday, there could be a door the league might open to allow Pete Rose a place in the Hall?
Why not? It never made sense to me that the Hall of Fame wouldn’t find some sort of way to honor the man who got more hits than anybody who ever stood in a batter’s box.
Why isn’t it possible to celebrate all the hits while honestly acknowledging the other side of the story? Why can’t his plaque do both? That’s what I’d do if I was the “Plaque Czar.”
But you know and I know that’s not what will happen. I’ve met many writers who feel as though Rose served his time, so if he ever appeared on our ballot, they’d vote for Pete Rose, the Hit King, even if they had issues with Pete Rose, the Bet King. But it’s a waste of time even to think about that. There’s a better chance of Taylor Swift appearing on our ballot than there is of Rose ever appearing on the writers’ ballot.
And even if Rob Manfred or some future commissioner were ever to change his mind, what version of any veterans committee would ever elect him? Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens found out two years ago that their door is still slammed shut. So why would we think Rose would be any different?
Could Pete Rose end up in Cooperstown? At the moment, it’s difficult to see a pathway. (Getty Images)
And now that he’s gone, it could never carry the same meaning anyway. I’ve always wondered what Pete Rose’s Induction Day would have looked like. Haven’t you? How many baseball fans would have spread out on those Cooperstown hills to hear that speech?
What would he have said that day? What would the other Hall of Famers have said about him? How many would have found something else to do that weekend? It would have been an Induction Day unlike any other — one we would have talked about for decades.
Just like the Hit King himself.
It’s going to take a little while for this to sink in. For as long as I’ve been covering baseball, there has always been Peter Edward Rose to make our lives far more interesting. He was always there, any time we needed a column topic on a slow day. And everyone who knew him had a story to tell.
Now there’s one thing I know for sure. I’ll never forget the life and times of Pete Rose — but especially when I walk through the halls of Cooperstown and stare at that spot where his plaque should hang.
Required reading
(Top photo of Pete Rose in 1984: George Gojkovich / Getty Images)
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Russell Wilson and Sean Payton spent just one NFL season together, but tension lingered after a rocky year.
And it appears the tension that built up from that tumultuous stretch continues to linger.
Wilson’s interview on the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, recorded before last month’s Super Bowl between Seattle and New England, recently resurfaced.
In the interview, Wilson doubled down on his October comment labeling Payton “classless,” saying he felt slighted by his former coach’s remarks.
Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos talks to quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium Aug. 11, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
“[When] you’ve been on the same side or this and that, and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean, right?” said Wilson, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks as Payton did coaching for the New Orleans Saints.
“I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but to take a shot, I don’t like. I don’t think it’s necessary, you know, I mean, especially when I’m not even on your own team anymore. So, for me, there’s a point in time where you have to, I’ve realized, I’ve stayed quiet for so long. There’s a there’s a time and place where I’m not.
“I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion, too, and, you know, I’ve beaten Sean, too. You know, like we’ve been on the same place and the same thing. And so, it’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”
Sean Payton and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos during an a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High Nov. 19, 2023, in Denver, Colo. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
After a rocky one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, Wilson joined the New York Giants last offseason. However, he was relegated to a backup role after just three games.
Rookie Jaxson Dart quickly showed promise once he had the chance to start, but his season was briefly derailed by injury. Jameis Winston — not Wilson — stepped in for Dart in a handful of games. Dart threw three touchdowns in a Week 7 matchup with the Broncos, nearly pulling off an upset in what was eventually a close loss.
After the game, Payton said Dart provided a “spark” to the Giants’ offense.
“I was talking to [Giants owner] John Mara not too long ago, and I said, ‘We were hoping that that change would have happened long after our game,’” Payton said.
The New York Giants’ Russell Wilson attempts to escape a sack by Dallas Cowboys defensive end James Houston (53) in the first half of a game Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Payton also said the Broncos would have faced less of a challenge had Wilson been under center.
“Classless … but not surprised,” Wilson responded in a social media post. “Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later though the media.”
Despite last season’s struggles and chatter about his football future, Wilson does not appear ready to call it quits in 2026.
“I wanna play a few more years for sure,” he said. “I think, for me, I’ve always had the vision of getting to 40, at least. I think the game is different. Quarterbacks, we get hit. It’s not, you know, we get hit hard, but … there’s certain rules. I mean, back in the day when I started, bro, it was you just get [clobbered].
“I mean, so I feel like the game allows you to, you know, live a little longer, I guess. I feel healthy. I feel great. But I think, more than anything else is, do you love the game? Do you love studying? Do you love the passion for it all? Do you love the process? Do you love the practice? Do you love — everybody loves the winning part of it, but it’s process. There’s a journey that you got to be obsessed with. And that part I’m obsessed with.”
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The early rounds of the BNP Paribas Open began Wednesday, with top seeds slated to start play Friday during the 12-day ATP and WTPA Master 1000 tournament.
A busy stretch of the tennis season reaches another gear at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the second largest outdoor tennis stadium in the world.
While many consider it the “fifth Grand Slam” because of its elite player field, amenities and equal prize money for men and women, professionals acknowledge the tournament is part of a stressful stretch on the tennis calendar.
Indian Wells is followed by the Miami Open, another two-week Master 1000 tournament. The tour stops are known as the “Sunshine Double.”
Some players made the short trip from Indian Wells to Las Vegas this past weekend to participate in the MGM Grand Slam, an exhibition designed to help players ramp up for back-to-back tournaments.
American Reilly Opelka, a 6-foot–11 pro, said managing fatigue after a series of tournaments before hitting Indian Wells has altered his practice and play in exhibition matches, including a loss to 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca in Las Vegas.
“Normally in any kind of competition, you get excited and play with a pressure point … but you don’t feel this when you are practicing,” Opelka said.
“I was trying to feel like this a few days ago while practicing with … [Tommy Paul,] but instead we got tired and hungry. … That usually doesn’t happen. We just decided to stop and go to eat somewhere.”
Paul said despite the decision to cut practice short, he feels fresh for the upcoming events.
“I started the year pretty well and for Americans, we are excited for the Sunshine Double,” Paul said.
Casper Rudd lost to Opelka during the first round of the Las Vegas exhibition. The Norwegian also lost a week ago during the first round of the Acapulco Open, falling to Chinese qualifier Yibing Wu in straight sets.
Rudd said he felt “extremely tired” after the Australian Open in January.
Rancho Palo Verdes resident Taylor Fritz, ranked No. 7 in the world, said the best way to prepare yourself for grueling tour schedule is “putting [in] the time, work and repetition.”
“… Be there, be focused on the quality that you are doing,” said Fritz, a 28-year-old who won the Indian Wells title in 2022.
While some players are guarding against burnout, others struggled to even reach California. Some players who live in Dubai, including Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, have to contend with closed airspace triggered by the U.S. and Israel bombing Iran.
The ATP announced Wednesday that, “the vast majority of players who were in Dubai have successfully departed today on selected flights.”
Sports
Law firm fighting for women’s sports in SCOTUS battle comments on ruling possibly impacting SJSU trans lawsuit
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A law firm leading the charge in the ongoing Supreme Court case over trans athletes in women’s sports has responded after a federal judge suggested the case’s ruling could impact a separate case involving a similar issue.
Colorado District Judge Kato Crews deferred ruling in motions to dismiss former San Jose State volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser’s lawsuit against the California State University (CSU) system until after a ruling in the B.P.J. v. West Virginia Supreme Court case, which is expected to come in June.
Slusser filed the lawsuit against representatives of her school and the Mountain West Conference in fall 2024 after she allegedly was made to share bedrooms and changing spaces with trans teammate Blaire Fleming for a whole season without being informed that Fleming is a biological male.
Meanwhile, the B.P.J. case went to the Supreme Court after a trans teen sued West Virginia to block the state’s law that prevents males from competing in girls’ high school sports.
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is the primary law firm defending West Virginia in that case at the Supreme Court, and has now responded to news that Slusser’s lawsuit could be affected by the SCOTUS ruling.
“We hope the ruling from the Supreme Court will affirm that Title IX was designed to guarantee equal opportunity for women, not to let male athletes displace women and girl in competition. It is crucial that sports be separated by sex for not only the equal opportunity of women but for safety and privacy. Title IX should protect women’s right to compete in their own sports. Allowing men to compete in the female category reverses 50 years of advancement for women,” ADF Vice President of Litigation Strategies Jonathan Scruggs said.
Slusser’s attorney, Bill Bock of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports, expects a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the legal defense representing West Virginia, thus helping his case.
(Left) Brooke Slusser (10) of the San Jose State Spartans serves the ball during the first set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Oct. 19, 2024. (Right) Blaire Fleming #3 of the San Jose State Spartans looks on during the third set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. ( Andrew Wevers/Getty Images; Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
“We’re looking forward to the case going forward,” Bock told Fox News Digital.
“I believe that the court is going to find that Title IX operates on the basis of biological sex, without regard to an assumed or professed gender, and so just like the congress and the members of congress that passed Title IX in 1972, allowed this specifically provided for in the regulations that there had to be separate men’s and women’s teams based on biological sex, I think the court is going to see that is the original meaning of the statute and apply it in that way, and I think it’s going to be a big win in women’s sports.”
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared prepared to rule in favor of West Virginia after oral arguments on Jan. 13.
Slusser spoke on the steps of the Supreme Court on Jan. 13 while oral arguments took place inside, sharing her experience with a divided crowd of opposing protesters.
With Fleming on its roster, SJSU reached the 2024 conference final by virtue of a forfeit by Boise State in the semifinal round. SJSU lost in the final to Colorado State.
Slusser went on to develop an eating disorder due to the anxiety and trauma from the scandal and dropped out of her classes the following semester. The eating disorder became so severe, that Slusser said she lost her menstrual cycle for nine months. Her decision to drop her classes resulted in the loss of her scholarship, and her parents said they had to foot the bill out of pocket for an unfinished final semester of college.
President Donald Trump’s Department of Education determined in January that SJSU violated Title IX in its handling of the situation involving Fleming, and has given the university an ultimatum to agree to a series of resolutions or face a referral to the Department of Justice.
Among the department’s findings, it determined that a female athlete discovered that the trans student allegedly conspired to have a member of an opposing team spike her in the face during a match. ED claims that “SJSU did not investigate the conspiracy, but later subjected the female athlete to a Title IX complaint for ‘misgendering’ the male athlete in online videos and interviews.”
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SJSU trans player Blaire Fleming and teammate Brooke Slusser went to a magic show and had Thanksgiving together in Las Vegas despite an ongoing lawsuit over Fleming being transgender. (Thien-An Truong/San Jose State Athletics)
SJSU Athletic Director Jeff Konya told Fox News Digital in a July interview that he was satisfied with how the university handled the situation involving Fleming.
“I think everybody acted in the best possible way they could, given the circumstances,” Konya said.
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