Pete Rose coming to CEP
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My first reaction when I heard the news was this:
Why?
Well, the reason obviously is Rose is hitting the independent leagues this summer to make some money and drum up sympathy, er, uh, support, from the general public for his banishment from baseball to be overturned. Rose's representatives formally filed paperwork last month with new MLB commissioner Rob Manfred requesting reinstatement.
For $40, fans can purchase an autograph ticket for Rose to sign June 30 during the Wild Things' game against Lake Erie. For $100, you can purchase a VIP package that includes a 100-minute meet and greet with Rose.
And remember, apparently because he is banned from baseball, Rose will only sign Wild Things merchandise. No Cincinnati Reds or MLB gear will be autographed, so make sure you get to the CEP merchandise store early.
Hey, if you want to pay outrageous prices to see a legend up close, then go for it. I have no problem with that. Heck, I just paid a lot more than $100 to see the Rolling Stones from 50 yards away, so I can't criticize anybody for wanting to see a person who had more hits -- the baseball kind, not the rock and roll variety -- than anybody in history.
What did cause me to wonder why Wild Things ownership decided to bring Rose to Washington has nothing to do with Charlie Hustle's betting on baseball, his banishment from the game, his wanting to be in the Hall of Fame or the high price of becoming one of at least a million people across the country to own a Pete Rose autograph. Instead, it had everything to do with Rose being the guy Pittsburgh Pirates fans loved to hate during his playing days. That's why my first reaction to the Rose-to-CEP news was this:
Pete Rose? What, was Francisco Cabrera busy that day? Or Barry Bonds? Or Ken Stabler? Or Bobby Clarke? Or Aroldis Chapman? Or Ray Lewis? Or Alexander Ovechkin? These are the players Pittsburgh sports fans have despised.
This is like having Franco Harris sign autographs in Cleveland. Or Sidney Crosby signing in Philadelphia. Or Goliath signing autographs in David's back yard. There's just something wrong about crossing enemy lines, even after all these years.
Maybe I'm wrong about the dislike for Rose. Maybe I can't get over the fact I grew up in Pirates territory during the Lumber Company and Big Red Machine days but my best friend was -- and still is -- a diehard Reds fans. So Rose's success was always a thorn in my side. Perhaps it's because I am a child of the '70s that this seems so odd. People younger than I probably find nothing wrong with Pete Rose being in Washington.
I can't say anything bad about the way Rose played the game. He played the right way. He played hard, he played to win, he didn't miss games with injuries and the guy could roll out of bed during a winter blizzard and go 2-for-5. What he did on the field, I can totally respect.
I just think there are better options -- many of them current or former Pirates and Steelers -- than Rose to bring to Washington to sign autographs.
If you can't make it CEP June 30, don't feel badly. You can always wait for Bill Belichick Day at the ballpark next year.
posted by Chris Dugan at
7:23 AM
4 Comments:
Rose's nickname was Charley Hussle. I think it has become Charlie the hustler!
Has Stew gone bananas?
Do you really think Stu has any clue about sports history?
Really?
Besides Hall of Famer Rod Carew, I mean.
Hey, put me down for the $100 package. Maybe I'll sleep outside the ballpark gate overnight to be the first in line! Ummm....no.
I will never, for the life of me, understand why any self-respecting adult human being would pay somebody to sign their name. Sure, it's a thrill when you're a kid chasing down a professional athlete for an autograph, but most of us grow up at some point in life.
I'm guessing Rose's presence won't make a whole lot of difference. You could have Rose, fireworks, a bobblehead giveaway, and dollar hot dogs all in one night, and I'm guessing not more than 1200 rear ends will be in the seats. The Pirates are loaded with talent (never thought I'd ever say that), and people are going to spend their baseball dollars there first. The new Pirates' farm team in Morgantown will pull away customers to the south, and Parkway West construction will push away fans from the city and the eastern suburbs. I've even heard recently that there is a major project happening on 70/79 in Washington, anybody care to confirm that? I haven't been there in awhile.
As for Rose himself, what he did during his playing career is deserving enough to be in the Hall. In this day and age of steroids and wife beaters, it's rather silly for banning a guy who gave it all on the field.
There hasn't been one pitch thrown yet at CEP and already the WT are screwing things up. The tickets for the game on May 8th have the wrong starting time on them. Of course, they will blame it on the printer. Another season, same old baloney.
Yes. Stu has gone nutz.
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