Pete Rose is a member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, but has not been admitted to the Baseball Hall of Fame after his lifetime ban from baseball due to betting on the game. This is an excerpt of the story from Gordon Wittenmyer talking to Rose about his possible reinstatement because of baseball’s changing relationship with gambling.
LAS VEGAS – Pete Rose turned 83 on April 14, which was exactly two months after Cincinnati Reds teammate Don Gullett died, a month after teammate Bill Plummer died, just 10 days after another, Pat Zachry, was gone.
All were in their 70s.
It’s enough to make any man taste his own mortality. For one who played baseball like he thought he might live forever, it clearly haunts his faded hopes for immortality.
“What, are they waiting for me to die?” Rose said.