On the day before his death, Pete Rose posed for photos with friends and members of the Big Red Machine.Rose, who was baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied, has died. He was 83.Stephanie Wheatley, a spokesperson for Clark County in Nevada, confirmed on behalf of the medical examiner that Rose died Monday. Wheatley said his cause and manner of death had not yet been determined.On Sunday, Rose was seen in Nashville, Tennessee posing for photos and signing autographs at the Music City Autograph Show.Members of the Big Red Machine, including Rose, Dave Concepcion, George Foster, Tony Perez and Ken Griffey Sr. were there together. The show organizers shared of photo of all of them posing for a picture.”Amazing that they all got to see each other one last time,” a post read.Speaking with WLWT, ESPN commentator Eduardo Perez – son of member of Big Red Machine member Tony Perez – recalled getting word during Monday’s Braves/Mets doubleheader of Rose’s passing.”When my dad called, he told me ‘The Hit King has just passed. I was just with him yesterday,'” Perez recalled his dad saying. Perez added that he called Rose’s son, Pete Rose Jr., to check in on him.”The one thing that Pete Jr. told me is he was so proud that his dad could spend his last day with his pals, with his buddies.”That’s what he’s hanging on to, that’s what I’m hanging on to, as well,” Perez, who spent much of his childhood around the Rose family, continued.A former teammate of Rose’s, Johnny Bench, echoed how important his meeting old teammates and friends was to Rose.”They had one last picture at the end of the show,” Bench told the Dan Patrick Show Tuesday morning. “I did not get to see him, they had put us on different days just for draws and stuff. My plan was, because everyone was saying he wasn’t looking great, my plan was to text and wish him better health. I think it’s a sad day for all of us, what he meant for me, what he meant for the Big Red Machine.”Organizers of the show said they were happy to have him at all five of their shows. Many took to the comments of the posts being shared, to tell their stories of seeing Rose at the shows.”Got this card signed yesterday and got to shake his hand. He told me to make sure I didn’t ‘smear that card,'” one person said. Another person wrote, “I saw Pete at the show yesterday. I am so glad of this reunion. It’s awesome and a blessing that they had this time together just one more time.”
On the day before his death, Pete Rose posed for photos with friends and members of the Big Red Machine.
Rose, who was baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied, has died. He was 83.
Stephanie Wheatley, a spokesperson for Clark County in Nevada, confirmed on behalf of the medical examiner that Rose died Monday. Wheatley said his cause and manner of death had not yet been determined.
On Sunday, Rose was seen in Nashville, Tennessee posing for photos and signing autographs at the Music City Autograph Show.
Members of the Big Red Machine, including Rose, Dave Concepcion, George Foster, Tony Perez and Ken Griffey Sr. were there together. The show organizers shared of photo of all of them posing for a picture.
“Amazing that they all got to see each other one last time,” a post read.
Speaking with WLWT, ESPN commentator Eduardo Perez – son of member of Big Red Machine member Tony Perez – recalled getting word during Monday’s Braves/Mets doubleheader of Rose’s passing.
“When my dad called, he told me ‘The Hit King has just passed. I was just with him yesterday,'” Perez recalled his dad saying.
Perez added that he called Rose’s son, Pete Rose Jr., to check in on him.
“The one thing that Pete Jr. told me is he was so proud that his dad could spend his last day with his pals, with his buddies.
“That’s what he’s hanging on to, that’s what I’m hanging on to, as well,” Perez, who spent much of his childhood around the Rose family, continued.
A former teammate of Rose’s, Johnny Bench, echoed how important his meeting old teammates and friends was to Rose.
“They had one last picture at the end of the show,” Bench told the Dan Patrick Show Tuesday morning. “I did not get to see him, they had put us on different days just for draws and stuff. My plan was, because everyone was saying he wasn’t looking great, my plan was to text and wish him better health. I think it’s a sad day for all of us, what he meant for me, what he meant for the Big Red Machine.”
Organizers of the show said they were happy to have him at all five of their shows.
Many took to the comments of the posts being shared, to tell their stories of seeing Rose at the shows.
“Got this card signed yesterday and got to shake his hand. He told me to make sure I didn’t ‘smear that card,'” one person said.
Another person wrote, “I saw Pete at the show yesterday. I am so glad of this reunion. It’s awesome and a blessing that they had this time together just one more time.”