Inside The Reds

Watch: Pete Rose Shared Interesting Thoughts on Hall of Fame Before He Died

Wow.

James Rapien

Pete Rose waves to his fans during the unveiling of a bronze statue dedicated to him at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, June 17, 2017.
Pete Rose waves to his fans during the unveiling of a bronze statue dedicated to him at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, June 17, 2017. / Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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CINCINNATI — Reds legend Pete Rose died on Monday. The MLB Hit King still isn't in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Will that change now that he's dead?

The 17-time All-Star, thee-time World Series Champion and National League MVP answered that question in an interview before he passed.

"I don't see much sense in putting me on the ballot after I die," Rose said. "For a player to go into his or her Hall of Fame, it's more or less for your family and it's more or less for your fan base. And I'm big on both of those things right there. Most of the people that rooted for me my whole career would love to see me in the Hall of Fame as a living player, not as someone that's 10-feet under. I always thought about that—what good would it do my family if they put me in the Hall of Fame after I die? I can't think of anything good about that."

Rose was banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling on the Cincinnati Reds when he was managing the team. The National Baseball Hall of Fame made him ineligible for induction and off the ballot in 1991—his first year eligible.

Initially, Rose denied the allegations, but ultimately admitted to betting on the Reds. Regardless, he finished his career with 4,256 hits, which is not only the most in MLB history, but it's a record that could (and should) stand for a long, long time. Watch the clip of Rose below:

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James Rapien
JAMES RAPIEN

James Rapien is the publisher of Bengals, Reds and Bearcats On SI. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati and has spent a decade covering Cincinnati sports. He's the author of Enter The Jungle, a book about the history of the Cincinnati Bengals. Prior to joining SI, Rapien was a host and producer at 700 WLW and ESPN 1530 in Cincinnati.

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