After my brother Dave, he was my first impression of baseball. Dave played for the high school team. My mom hauled my preschool butt to all his games as far back as I can remember. I quickly fell in love with baseball.
What got my attention was the excitement, the drama, and the camaraderie of players and fans. The summer, the dirt, the uniform, the home runs, my grandparents. The roar of the crowd. The dream of playing someday.
Then the Reds.
I was five. The Cincinnati Reds were highlighted by a young hometown rookie named Pete Rose. He became an instant local hero with his aggressive play and fast talk.
He was confident, outspoken, and boastful. But he could always back it up. He was a thrill to watch. He ran everywhere, even when he didn’t have to. He ran to first on a walk, and on and off the field at the end of the inning.
Every Cincinnati kid wanted to be like the “Cincinnati Kid.” We all wanted #14 on our uniforms. We played hard. We dove into the bases. We hustled just like “Charlie Hustle.”
He won National League Rookie of the Year. In ensuing seasons, he began to accumulate impressive numbers. Batting championships, All-Star Game selections. By 1970 he gained worldwide attention.
Cincinnati hosted the All-Star Game in their newly opened Riverfront Stadium, and the Reds were in the hunt for the playoffs. And of course, Pete was in the lineup for the National League.
The All-Star Game is traditionally a showcase of the game’s best talent, an exhibition game. It doesn’t count. Tell that to Pete Rose. Every game counts. He was there to win.
In the collision heard round the world, Rose barreled into Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse to win the game in extra innings. The Cincinnati Reds’ hero was now the hero of the National League.
I’ll never forget the endless jumping up and down in our TV room, 12 years old, and absolutely nuts over what I just saw! The play was controversial, and is still talked about today. But it was so Pete Rose. He won again!
The Reds went on to the World Series that year, and in the next 10 years, they made the post season six times and won the World Series twice. Largely due to Pete Rose.
When he left the Reds in ’79 it was hard to come to terms with. How could Pete Rose play for somebody else? But he did, and he won another World Series with the Phillies in 1980. He just kept winning.
When he came back to Cincinnati in ’84 it was a joyous day for thousands of Reds fans. He would play and manage the team so he could work toward the ultimate record: Ty Cobb’s 4,191 hits.
On September 11, 1985, it happened. At Riverfront Stadium in front of the hometown fans, he became the Hit King. A record he holds to this day. He ended up with 4,256 hits, far more than anyone. Ever.
His statistics are far more extensive than I will list here. Just know if you Google him, you will be astounded at how many records he holds. There’s nobody that touches him. He was the best.
But it goes way beyond the numbers. The attitude, the passion, the work ethic, the impact. His love for the game and influence not only affected the way baseball is played, but it made a huge impression on millions of baseball fans.
Including this Cincinnati Kid.