Pete Rose Gets Standing Ovation At MLB All-Star Game In Cincinnati Despite Controversy [VIDEO]
Perhaps the most controversial figure in all of baseball, former Cincinnati Red Pete Rose, received a standing ovation when he was introduced prior to the MLB All-Star game held in his former town on Tuesday. Rose, who has been banned from baseball for nearly 25 years for gambling on the game, was allowed by the league to attend the game at Cincinnati's Great American Ballpark.
Gambling on baseball as a player or coach is an offense that can earn a lifetime ban, and Rose admitted -- after many years of denial -- to gambling as a coach of the Reds. He has steadfastly denied gambling as a player, but a recent ESPN investigation found evidence that perhaps suggested otherwise, including a notebook that appeared to show records of Rose placing bets.
While there isn't evidence he ever threw a game or bet against his team, Rose -- the all-time hits leader with 4,256 -- has been a controversial figure for years. In Cincinnati, however, it appears he is still quite popular. He was voted by the fans to be a part of the All-Star game ceremony as one of the "Franchise Four" players in Reds' history along with greats Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Barry Larkin. By one estimate, when Rose was introduced before the start of the All-Star game, the hometown crowd stood and applauded for about 90 seconds.
The video of the cheer shows a pretty steady rumble of applause and screams but isn't exactly deafening at first. Once Rose comes to a stop on the field among other former players, however, the noise grows. Watch the video below:
Rose, 74, had previously lobbied for his reinstatement to baseball with no success under former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. The new commissioner, Rob Manfred, has indicated that the MLB is reviewing the information surrounding Rose, and that Manfred will hear Rose's case for reinstatement at some point.
"I remain committed to the idea that Mr. Rose deserves an opportunity to tell me, in whatever format he feels most comfortable, whatever he wants me to know about the issue," Manfred said at a Baseball Writers' Association of American luncheon on Tuesday, according to ESPN.
While Rose might have a fair bit of support for reinstatement in Cincinnati, the 90 second-or-so standing ovation might have actually been a bit of a letdown. Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch put the over/under for ovation length at seven minutes, a full 5.5 minutes too long.
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