Pete Rose Dead

 Baseball superstar Pete Rose is dead at 83.  Rose, baseball's all-time hit leader was a Hall Of Famer in every sense of the word.  

Rose was on three World Series winning teams and was baseball's last playing managers.

His 1989 banishment from the game due to his alleged betting on baseball has prevented his induction into Cooperstown. 

Baseball reinstates Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson, making them Hall...

Without any warning at all, history, while not changed, is being altered. 

Perhaps, the most polarizing baseball issue of all time is whether the ban could be lifted on Pete Rose, who is accused of betting on baseball including on games involving his own team.  

The other was the Black Sox Scandal of 1919, where members of the Chicago White Sox are accused of throwing the World Series for favor from gamblers.  

The Black Sox Scandal almost ruined baseball.  The accused received a permanent ban from baseball, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, an immensely talented, but seemingly naive player. 

Yesterday (Tuesday, May 13th, 2025), the ban on Rose and the accused in the Black Sox scandal, was rescinded by Commissioner Rob Manfred.  

Three All Time Greats Leave Us In 2024

So long to three of the best baseball players in my lifetime all in 2024.  

Willie Mays (middle), at the time, the oldest living Hall Of Famer died in June.  Mays was perhaps my most favorite player.

Pete Rose ,(top picture), baseball's all-time leader in career hits.  Rose was banned for life from MLB, creating a debate on whether he should be in the Hall Of Fame.  A debate that will never probably never end. 

Rickey Henderson (bottom picture), perhaps the most shocking passing died Saturday December 20th.  Henderson holds the season record for stealing bases and is the career leader. Henderson was 65.

These three players brought excitement and new fans into baseball during their careers.  They will all be missed 

 

The Mitchell Report--My Thoughts

I looked through the Mitchell Report and really found very little in the way of surprises. I had not thought of Roger Clemens, I have never been a fan of Clemens and even less of a fan when he threw the barrel of a broken bat at Mike Piazza. I think if we condemn the players, we need to also condemn the trainers, the managers and even the players not mentioned who may even have been non-users for their silence.
I was happy to see who was missing from the report, Edgar Martinez, who is one person that I had the chance to work with, who I look up to as one of the class acts of sports. No mention at all of John Olerud, Dan Wilson or Jay Buhner.
I think much of this problem lies at the hands of Baseball going years with just an acting commissioner. Bud Selig was an almost invisible "acting" commissioner for years. I think that there no longer is ruling law in baseball.
In 1989, Commissioner Bart Giamatti suspended Baseball Icon Pete Rose, the weight of the move may have cost Giamatti his life as he died 8 days later from a heart attack. The point is that players implicated need to be dealt with.

Two Legendary Coaches From LA Pac 8 Universities

 

When I began following college sports in the mid to late 1960s, two legendary coaches, both named "John" were in the middle of continuing dynasties.  Both for LA Pac 8 (currently 12) teams. 

UCLA's John Wooden (above) was known as the Wizard Of Westwood (the LA neighborhood that boasts the school), a cerebral coach, who rarely changed his expression, Wooden led the Bruins to 10 NCAA championships in 12 years.    Two of his great players are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lew Alcindor) and Bill Walton. 

USC's John McKay (lower picture) captured 8 conference titles, with 5 Rose Bowl wins.  McKay also had 4 national titles.  His marquee players included OJ Simpson and Mike Garrett.  Another USC legend, Marcus Allen, would play for John Robinson, who took over the program after McKay moved on to the NFL. 

Throughout the decades, UCLA would be the basketball team to beat and USC would be known for its football.  Almost like there was a sign on the LA freeway, basketball players this way, football players, that way. 

Of course, Seattle Seahawk coach Pete Carroll is widely credited for restoring USC's football dynasty. 

Now, we have learned that both LA schools are leaving the Pac 12.  For a WSU fan like myself, there is an air of uncertainty of what will happen next.