Major League Baseball mourns death of all-time hits leader Pete Rose

On the field, Pete Rose will be remembered as an all-time great. His resume is nearly unparalleled: 17-time All-Star, three-time World Series champion, World Series MVP, National League MVP, NL Rookie of the Year, three-time batting champ and two-time Gold Glove winner.

He became MLB’s all-time leader with 4,256 hits and also is the career leader in games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053) and singles (3,215).

Rose, however, was banned from Major League Baseball in 1989 after accusations that he bet on games when he was managing the Cincinnati Reds. Those accusations, and his later admission to gambling on baseball, has kept him out of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

His play on the field was celebrated Monday night by many across Major League Baseball after they learned of his death. Rose was 83.

“He was one of the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen, and every team he played for was better because of him,” said Bob Castellini, Reds principal owner and managing partner. “Pete was a Red through and through. No one loved the game more than Pete and no one loved Pete more than Reds Country. We must never forget what he accomplished.”

Rose, whose No. 14 was retired by the Reds, was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2016. The team dedicated a statue to him outside Great American Ball Park in 2017.

“Major League Baseball extends its deepest condolences to Pete Rose’s family, his friends across the game, and the fans of his hometown of Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Montreal and beyond who admired his greatness, grit and determination on the field of play. May he rest in peace,” Major League Baseball said in a statement.

In addition to the Reds (1963-78), Rose, nicknamed “Charlie Hustle,” also played for the Phillies (1979-83) and Expos (1984). He then was a player-coach for the Reds from 1984-86 and managed Cincinnati until 1989.

“Pete Rose’s 24-year playing career left an indelible mark on baseball history,” the MLB Players’ Association said. “With his 4,256 career hits and 17 All-Star appearances at an unprecedented five different positions, Rose was a crucial cog in ‘The Big Red Machine’ teams of the 1970s. A National League MVP and Rookie of the Year award added to his legacy. The players’ association offers our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and many fans, especially those in his beloved hometown of Cincinnati.”

Former Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt added: “My heart goes out to his family. I was lucky that I got to play with Pete and to watch him every day. As a teammate, he boosted my confidence, he made me laugh and kept me loose. He taught me to enjoy the game, perhaps the advice that I needed the most.”

Rose began had a brief stint as an analyst with Fox Sports in 2015, working as a guest studio color analyst until midway through the 2017 season.

“He always brought a smile to my face when we worked together at Fox,” said former major leaguer and Fox broadcaster Alex Rodriguez. “He was true original and 1 of 1. Nobody loved baseball more than Pete and I’ll miss him terribly.”

Associated Press contributed.