Pete Rose says he will die as baseball's all-time hit king

MLB all-time hits leader Pete Rose says he will die as baseball's hit king because no one break the record while he is alive

SI Wire | May 12, 2015

Pete Rose says he will die as baseball's all-time hit king /

MLB all-time hits leader Pete Rose made his first appearance as a baseball analyst for Fox Sports 1 on Monday and discussed a variety of subjects, including whether he thinks anyone will break his hits record.

Rose set the record in 1985 and retired with 4,256 hits, 67 more than Hall of Famer Ty Cobb.

"No, I don't want [the record] to be broken," Rose said. "I'm going to die as the hit king, because there's nobody who can beat my record while I'm alive. Once I'm gone, I really don't give a damn if someone beats my record.”

Rose was also asked if baseball should celebrate New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez and his climb up the all-time home run list. Rodriguez is also MLB's active leader in hits with 2,965.

"I don't know if they should celebrate it," Rose said. "I never did quite understand anybody that's going to celebrate something that you become No. 4. I mean, he’s No. 4 on the list. Babe Ruth is No. 3. Hank Aaron is No. 2. Barry Bonds is No. 1. A-Rod, nice going, you hit a lot of home runs, but you're No. 4. I don't want to celebrate being No. 4. That’s like celebrating losing the World Series.”

Power Rankings: Cardinals, Dodgers battle for top spot; Royals up to No. 3

Rose declared Detroit Tigers first baseman and two-time American League Most Valuable Player Miguel Cabrera as the best hitter in the game.

"That guy, you could wake him up on Christmas morning, he'd get you 2-for-4. And probably line out twice,” Rose said.

Rose, 74, is still hoping his lifetime ban from baseball will be overturned. He received the suspension in August 1989 after an investigation by Major League Baseball concluded he had bet on Cincinnati Reds games while managing the team. Rose applied for reinstatement in 1997, but former commissioner Bud Selig never ruled on the matter. Rose applied again after Rob Manfred replaced Selig in January.

GALLERY: RARE PHOTOS OF PETE ROSE

Rare Photos of Pete Rose

Here's a look back at Pete Rose, who made his Major League debut on April 8, 1963. Rose, a switch hitter, is the all-time Major League leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053) and outs (10,328). On Monday, June 22, 2015, ESPN revealed documents that showed Rose bet on baseball games as a player--something that he had always denied.

1965

Pete Rose broke into the big leagues in 1963 and became a star in 1965, when he led the league in hits (209) and at-bats (670), finishing sixth in the NL MVP race.

1968

Rose started the 1968 season with a 22-game hit streak and never slowed down, winning the first of three batting titles with an average of .335.

1972

Pete Rose and Johnny Bench pose in the dugout during spring training in Tampa, Fla.

1972

Rose shows off his trademark hustle during a spring training drill. By the start of the 1972 season, Rose was entering his 10th year with the Reds. He had also established himself as one of the game's best hitters, maintaining an average above .300 for seven straight years.

1975

Rose poses during a SI cover shoot after leading the Reds to a World Series championship.

1975

Rose was the backbone of the Big Red Machine due to his hustle (including head-first slides) and his consistency at the plate.

1976

Rose with Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan of "The Big Red Machine."

1976

Rose shows off his World Series ring outside the Plaza Hotel in New York. The 1976 Reds swept the Yankees 4-0 in the World Series and became the only team since the expansion of the playoffs (in 1969) to go undefeated in the postseason.

1978

Rose is honored at Shea Stadium after breaking the National League record for most consecutive games with a hit (44).

1978

Rose fans clamor for his autograph.

1978

Rose was one of Cincinnati's most popular athletes, as evident by his bulging mailbox at Riverfront Stadium.

1979

In 1979, the Phillies made Rose the highest-paid athlete in team sports when they signed him to a four-year, $3.2 million contract as a free agent. In Philadelphia, Rose joined a core of Larry Bowa, Mike Schmidt and Manny Trillo. The Phillies would go on to win the World Series the following season.

1979

Rose tweaks the chin of six-year-old Mark McGraw as some of the Phillies and their sons got together during a spring training workout at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Fla. From left are Petey Rose, Mark McGraw, Aaron Boone and Brett Boone. Pitcher Tug McGraw (left) and catcher Bob Boone stand above the group.

1979

"Charlie Hustle" in action with the Phillies during a game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

1983

Rose and son Pete Jr. sit in the Phillies dugout. Though the Phillies reached the World Series in 1983, the season was a disappointment for Rose, who batted just .245 and lost his role as everyday starter.

1984

In 1984, Rose was given his release from the Phillies after he refused to accept a reserve role. He was signed to a one-year deal by the Expos.

1984

Rose tries on a Padres hat for size during a portrait session early in the 1984 season.

1984

Despite his advanced age (43), Rose stayed in great shape and was traded to the Reds for infielder Tom Lawless in August 1984. He batted .365 for the remainder of the season.

1984

After being traded to the Reds, Rose took on the role of player-manager and led the team to a 19-22 record the remainder of the season.

1984

Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images

Rose takes notes before a Reds-Dodgers game at Riverfront Stadium.

1985

Rose plays around with his one-year-old son, Tyler, before a game. By 1985, Rose had divorced his first wife (Kaarolyn Englehardt) and married Carol J. Woliung. The pair had Tyler shortly after their marriage.

1985

Rose and Carol Woliung play with Tyler at their home in Cincinnati.

1985

Rose lets the world know that he is No. 1 after connecting for his 4,192nd career base hit, breaking Ty Cobb's all-time record.

1986

Rose chats with Tommy Lasorda before a Reds-Dodgers game at Riverfront Stadium.

1989

Despite his success on the field, Rose is best known for his banishment from baseball for gambling. The ruling came after the 225-page Dowd Report, which showed that Rose bet on Reds game while serving as the team's manager. Rose steadfastly denied these charges until 2004, when he published his autobiography,

My Prison Without Bars,

and confirmed the charges.

1999

Rose found fame in the WWE, where he made several cameos and "feuded" with Kane, wrestling's version of The Big Red Machine. In 2004, Rose was inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame.

1999

Pete Rose tips his cap after being announced to the MLB All-Century team. It was Rose's first appearance at an official baseball event since he was banished from the game in 1988.

2004

Rose autographs his book Pete Rose My Prison Without Bars during an appearance at Bookends Bookstore in Ridgewood, N.J. The publication of the book marked the first time Rose admitted publicly to betting on baseball games and other sports while playing for and managing the Reds.

2005

Rose's quest to gain entry into the Hall of Fame has been an ongoing plotline. In this poster, Pony (a company Rose endorses) asks the question on the minds of many Rose fans.

2005

Rose poses with Carol Woliung and daughter Chea at a concert in in Los Angeles.

2010

Rose, Verne Troyer and Michael Clarke Duncan at Steve Garvey's Celebrity Softball Game for ALS.

2010

Rose with his girlfriend, Playboy model Kiana Kim.

2012

Rose sits in the crowd during the boxing fights, including Andre Ward vs. Chad Dawson, at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, Calif.

2013

Rose tips his cap to the crowd as he walks onto the field during ceremonies honoring the starting eight of the 1975 and '76 World Champion Cincinnati Reds following a game between the Reds and Dodgers in Cincinnati.

2013

Rose hugs former teammate, Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan, as their team is honored in Cincinnati. PETE ROSE: An American Dilemma Book by SI's Kostya Kennedy

- Scooby Axson

Published May 12, 2015

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