The Hit King

     There isn’t much to say about Pete Rose that hasn’t already been said. But there is one small piece of Pete’s story that happened here in Fairfax in June 1981.

    Back in the day, country music radio station WUBE fielded a slow-pitch softball team that played for charity. The team was formed in 1978 by former Reds bullpen catcher Gary Waits and the proceeds from admission charges were normally split between the Ruth Lyons Children’s Christmas Fund and the opposing team’s organization. Retired major league athletes, including former Reds, Bengals, and Royals players joined local celebrities in these games. There was a group of regular WUBE players, but there were usually special guests as well. Some of the local celebrities who played for the All-Stars at some point were Anthony Munoz, Dave Lapham, Oscar Robertson, Bob Braun, Jim O’Toole, Fred Norman, Johnny Bench, and Pete Rose.

    To very quickly recap Pete Rose’s career to this point, after 16 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Rose became a free agent and signed a four-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. As the 1981 season began, Rose was approaching Stan Musial’s National League hits record of 3,630. On Wednesday June 10, the Phillies faced the Houston Astros and future Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan. Over 57,000 fans packed Veterans’ Stadium, Stan the Man was there to offer his congratulations, and 3,631 balloons were ready to be released when Rose got the record-breaking hit. In his first at-bat on a 2-1 count, Rose hit a single to center field, tying Musial’s record. But the record-breaking hit wouldn’t happen that night. Ryan (being Nolan Ryan) struck out Rose in his next three at-bats.

    As of the June 10 game, Rose had a 14-game hitting streak, was the National League season leader in hits, and was tied for the National League all-time hits record. He was looking forward to his next game on Friday June 12, when the Phillies would face the Atlanta Braves and another future Hall of Fame pitcher, Gaylord Perry. That game was never played, though, because Major League Baseball players went on strike that day. Pete packed up and headed for Cincinnati where he believed he would be best able stay in shape for the resumption of the season. And that is how Pete Rose, though no longer a Cincinnati Red, became available to play in a charity softball game in Fairfax during the baseball season.

    The Fairfax Youth Organization (FYO) coaches had played the WUBE All-Stars on three previous occasions and, from what I have been told, had won all three games. So, on June 17, 1981, the FYO coaches again played the WUBE All-Stars on the lower field at Fairfax School. Pete Rose was apparently expected because a parking space had been reserved for him. A couple of people recall him pulling in, driving his red Maserati . . . or maybe it was a Porsche. Anyway, Pete had a sweet ride.

    The Cincinnati Enquirer estimated that 500 spectators attended the game. During batting practice, one of them yelled “Traitor!” to Rose for jumping ship from the Reds to the Phillies. However, many more fans welcomed Rose and approached him for autographs.

    Among those who joined Rose on the WUBE All-Stars that day were his brother Dave, and his former Reds teammates Fred Norman, Jim O’Toole, and Gerry Arrigo.

    Now, the uninitiated might think that a charity slow pitch softball game might not have much significance to Pete Rose. Those of us who watched Pete play know that all competition was significant to him.  The Enquirer described his first at-bat as follows:

 . . . When he batted first in the first inning, he swung at the first pitch. Rose hit the ball sharply at the pitcher, who wore No. 16 with “Squatty” on his back, and Squatty stabbed the ball on one bounce and robbed the great hitter. Rose, the hustler, didn’t run to first. He stared down Squatty.

    I have learned that Squatty was the late Ed Brinson, who was normally the catcher. Personally, I would prefer having Pete stare me down as a pitcher, rather than barrel into me as a catcher (as experienced by Ray Fosse in the 1970 Major League All-Star Game).

    On his next plate appearance, Rose hit a line drive to center field, which was caught.

    Controversy seems to follow Pete Rose and this game was no exception. At his next at-bat, Pete hit a weak ground ball toward third base. The Enquirer described it as a “half-swing,” but a spectator described it to me as a bunt, which wasn’t allowed in the game. Does the picture below show a bunt? Maybe, maybe not. However, I’m sure Pete had good enough bat control that he could use a half-swing in lieu of a bunt to take advantage of a third baseman who was playing deep. Regardless, Pete beat the throw and had a single.

From The New Mexican, June 18, 1981

    The game was stopped with Rose’s teammates throwing a mock celebration at first base and WUBE presenting him with a tee shirt that said “I Saw It, Pete Rose Hit No. 3631 In Fairfax.” No 57,000 fans in attendance, no 3,631 balloons being launched, and no Stan Musial, but maybe his teammates treated Pete to Ches’ Café after the game. 

    Pete’s take on his hit? “The guy was playing back and you’ve got to play to win. We went on to score four runs after that.”

     Rose had another hit in that game, a clean single to left field and the WUBE All-Stars beat the FYO coaches. The WUBE All-Stars – FYO Coaches game received news coverage around the country because of Pete Rose’s participation at a historic point in his career.

     The Major League Baseball season resumed on August 10, 1981 and Pete Rose and the Phillies faced the St. Louis Cardinals, Stan Musial’s old team. In the eighth inning, Rose hit a single, the real Number 3,631. He was cheered by a capacity crowd at Veterans Stadium and finally congratulated at first base by former record holder Musial.

     In a September 11, 1985 game at Riverfront Stadium against the San Diego Padres, Pete Rose, once again a member of the Cincinnati Reds, singled to left-center field for the 4,192^nd hit of his Major League career. He had surpassed Ty Cobb to become the all-time Major League hits leader.