Pete Rose: The Fall of a Star Athlete Often referred to by his nickname, “Charlie Hustle,” Pete Rose was one of the greatest players in the history of the Major League Baseball Association. Throughout his professional career, Rose played for the Cincinnati Reds, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Montreal Expos as a stellar athlete. He also set a batting record that is still unbroken to this day (“Peter Rose Biography”). However, Pete Rose, a modern day tragic hero, fell in disgrace from stardom because of his limitless desire to gamble, resulting in his permanent ineligibility to be placed in one of baseball’s most important monuments, the Hall of Fame. His weakness for gambling led to his downfall and, like most tragic heroes, Rose could not see his own faults until it was too late. …show more content…
Rose played both football and baseball at Western Hill High School (“Peter Rose Biography”), but he was barred from sports because of low academic performance. Soon after, he began playing for a local amateur team. Following graduation, he signed a contract with the Cincinnati Reds where his career would ultimately achieve success (“Peter E. Rose”). In the next nine years after his rookie year, Rose was in the top ten nominees for MVP seven times, and eventually won MVP in 1973. His team won the World Series back to back in ‘75 and ‘76. Near the end of his playing career, Rose set the new record of 4,192 hits in 1985. He continued with the Reds as a manager after retiring as a player (“Peter Rose Biography”). Pete Rose became an All-American hero for baseball fans everywhere. It was at this point in his career when his personal actions tarnished his playing