(JustPatriots.com)- Pete Rose, who was banned from Major League Baseball in the late 1980s for betting on the sport, is going to be a part of celebrations for one of his former teams.
In early August, the Philadelphia Phillies plan to hold a celebration for their World Series championships team from 1980, and Rose is expected to be in attendance at the team’s Citizens Bank Park.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported recently that if Rose does indeed attend, it’ll be the first time he makes an appearance at a game for the Phillies since he was banned in 1989.
One of Rose’s former teammates with the Phillies, Larry Bowa, said during the team’s game broadcast on Saturday night that Rose would be appearing with his other teammates during the celebration. The Phillies then confirmed that report later on.
In addition to playing for the Phillies from 1979 to 1983, Rose played for the Cincinnati Reds from 1963 through 1978 and then with the Montreal Expos in 1984. Late in the 1984 season, the Expos traded Rose to the Reds again, and he became the player-manager for the team.
Rose has been a part of three World Series championship teams, including the 1973 Reds team on which he won the National League MVP award. During his career, he made 17 All-Star games, won the batting title three times and is even the sports all-time leader in hits.
However, he is not in the National Baseball Hall of Fame because of his total ban from the sport for betting on baseball — and the Reds — while he was the player-manager.
In recent years, though, Rose has been allowed to attend some celebrations from some of his teams. The Reds were allowed to retire Rose’s number back in 2016 after receiving special permission from MLB to do so. The next year, they also unveiled a statue of him that now stands outside the team’s Great American Ball Park.
The celebration of the 1980 World Series championship Phillies team was supposed to be held two years ago — which would’ve marked the 40th anniversary of the title team. However, the coronavirus pandemic delayed that by two years.
Now, after a long wait, the Phillies will be able to celebrate one of the most popular clubs in franchise history. The festivities will take place between August 4 and August 7, and two of the team’s members, pitcher Ron Reed and outfield Bake McBride, will also be inducted into the Phillies’ Wall of Fame.
Other star players from that team expected to attend include Mike Schmidt, Garry Maddox, Dick Ruthven, Del Unser, Manny Trillo, Greg Luzinski, Greg Gross, Larry Chistenson, Steve Carlton, Bowa, Bob Boone and Warren Brusstar.
Rose, though, will undoubtedly be one of the most popular names who will be attending the celebration, not just for his actions on the field but for those off the field that made him a household name outside of die-hard baseball fans.
