Other Crap

Forget the bets; was Charlie Hustle an all-time great?

Three indisputable good things you can say about Pete Rose:

• With the exception of Ty Cobb, nobody ever wanted to win more than Charlie Hustle.
  
• If not for the gambling, he would certainly have a plaque at Cooperstown.
  
• Nobody in the history of baseball, perhaps in the history of professional sports, ever got such an impressive career out of such ordinary abilities. Nobody would mistake his physical gifts for Mantle's. If Mantle and Bo Jackson represent the Odin and Thor of Baseball's Asgard, Rose is its Loki, compensating for a lack of lightning and thunder by making the most of cunning and persistence.
  

Would I let him in the Hall if I were commissioner? Sure. If he has $16.50, he can buy a ticket. No, wait, he's 68 now. That means he can get in for eleven bucks with the senior discount. I would have spotted him a free ticket, but you just know he'd autograph it and sell it on eBay.

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By the way, here's my theory about why Rose is not in the Hall:

When he retired from the game as the all-time hits leader, he told one of his buddies that he wasn't sure if he would get elected.

His friend said, "Dude, you're a lock. An all-star at five different positions? More hits than Ty Freakin' Cobb? There's ALMOST nothing that could keep you out. Put up a million, and I'll give you 10-1 odds you get in."

"Done."