Council to MLB: Reinstate Pete Rose

Cincinnati City Council wants to do something baseball's all-time hits leader hasn't been able to do for three decades: convince Major League Baseball to let Pete Rose back into baseball.

Council's Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee Tuesday passed a resolution requesting that Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred reinstate Rose.

"Twenty-five years is enough of a ban," said Councilman Christopher Smitherman, who authored the resolution. "People have murdered people and gotten less time."

Council passed a similar resolution in the '90s that went nowhere. Smitherman is confident this time it will be different.

"We're putting millions into hosting the All-Star Game," he said. "It's the right time for MLB to take under deep consideration."

Smitherman garnered support from Councilman Charlie Winburn. Committee member Amy Murray abstained – she does not vote on resolutions.

Full Council will take up the issue Thursday at their regular meeting.

Rose, who grew up on Cincinnati's West Side, epitomized that area's work ethic. He wasn't the most talented player but always worked hard to try to outdo the competition. The Western Hills high grad signed with the hometown Reds and quickly rose through the minor leagues. He earned the nickname "Charlie Hustle" by running to first base after a walk.

He rose to stardom, helping the Big Red Machine of the 1970s win back-to-back World Series championships in 1975 and 1976. It was in a Reds uniform and before the hometown crowd that Rose became the game's all-time hits leader on Sept. 11, 1985. His 4,256 hits is just one of the many records Rose holds in baseball: He's also the game's all-time leaders in singles, outs, at-bats and games played in addition to three championships, a Most Valuable Player award and three batting titles.

Rose, though, agreed in 1989 to be banned from baseball after he was accused of betting on baseball, including games involving the Reds, the team he managed. After years of denial, Rose admitted in 2004 he bet on baseball and the Reds.

The Council Committee also requested Manfred recognize the records of players who participated in the Negro Leagues "and when appropriate, place Negro League players on the ballot for induction into the Hall of Fame."

Revisit The Enquirer's three-part series on Pete Rose below: