Former Cincinnati Reds all-time great Pete Rose is known for being banned from the game of baseball for life in August of 1989 after gambling allegations. His lifetime ban has kept him from being in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and being apart of any MLB organization. However, Rose is a strong believer one day MLB commissioner Bud Selig will lift his lifetime ban.
"I've waited 25 years, but I've done so because I was the one who screwed up. And if I were given a second chance, I would be the happiest guy in the world,” said Rose, reported by ESPN.
After being hired as a third base coach by an independent league in Connecticut recently, Rose has a positive attitude about his lifetime ban being lifted from the MLB. He got the nod from the MLB to be hired as an unofficial manager for the Bluefish, however he stated he would rather be managing instead of being on the field as a third base coach.
"You think I want to be standing in the third-base box with some 240-pound guy swinging at the plate?I don't want this guy hitting a rocket and killing me out there. Where I really want to be is on the bench,” said Rose, according to USA Today.
Rose was one of the best baseball players to ever live. He holds the record for most hits all time with 4,256 and he has 17 all-star game appearances as well. He feels even if he cannot get into the Hall of Fame, players such as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens should get in.
"To me, it's hard to have a Hall of Fame without Bonds or Clemens in it. If people want to argue whether I deserve it, that's fine, but let's give them a chance to argue,'' said Rose, confirmed by USA Today.