Hey, better late than never. John Fay:

The Reds have secured permission to honor Pete Rose on the 25th anniversary of him breaking Ty Cobb's all-time hit record. In an ironic twist, Rose's first official appearance on the field in Cincinnati since his ban from baseball for gambling in 1989 isn't likely to come on the actual anniversary of his greatest achievement as a player. Rose has commitments to Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Ind., on Sept. 11, which is 25 years to the day he passed Ty Cobb with hit No. 4,192. The Reds likely will move the celebration to Sept. 12. The club is home from Sept. 10-15. Rose also has commitments to Hollywood Casino on Sept. 10. --snip-- It is significant in it will be the first time Rose is honored on the field in Cincinnati since his ban from baseball in 1989. Rose was not on the field when the Reds honored the 1975 team in 2000, nor was he part of the official closing of Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field in 2002, although a crowd in excess of 41,000 came to watch Rose take part in an old-timers softball game the day after the Reds' last game at Cinergy.

This is a good thing, if only because it finally (sort of) balances Selig's previous decision to allow Rose to appear during Major League Baseball's All-Century Team celebration, but not during any Cincinnati-specific events.

This is an ironic thing, considering the reason for delaying Rose's appearance until the 12th.

And this is a historical thing, because Rose did not break Ty Cobb's record on the 11th of September. According to the most reliable information we have now, Cobb collected 4,189 hits in his career, not the 4,191 with which he was credited in 1985. Which means Rose actually passed Cobb not on the 11th, with his single against San Diego's Eric Show, but rather three days earlier at Wrigley Field with a first-inning single against Reggie Patterson.

The Cubs host the Astros on the 8th next month. Do you think the Reds would be willing to move their big celebration to the North Side of Chicago?