Pete Rose died aged 83: What we know

Although the all-time hits leader began his record-setting career in Cincinnati and won two World Series titles here, he lived for years in Nevada, near Las Vegas, where he owned a now-closed bar and made frequent paid public appearances graduated signed baseball memorabilia.

Pete Rose HBO documentary

He was recently the subject of an HBO documentary about his life on and off the field, including his baseball ban for betting on the game. In an interview with The Enquirer in June, Rose reflected on that life, the consequences of his gambling and his own mortality.

“What, are they waiting for me to die?” Rose said of his chances of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. “Wouldn’t it be terrible if I die next week and they reinstate me next year?”

Rose’s legacy was also on his mind in his last post on the social media site in a Philadelphia newspaper article. “I couldn’t be prouder of my grandson,” Rose wrote. “Keep La Salle baseball moving forward. The #Rose legacy lives on.”

According to social media posts associated with Rose, he did not visit Cincinnati until August 14, when his agent posted a photo of Rose giving a thumbs up in front of the statue at Great American Ball Park and his legendary slide head first.

“It was great to stand proudly with him next to his iconic upside down sliding statue in the Hit King’s hometown,” his agent wrote.

Pete Rose talks gambling, Hall of Fame, 2024 Cincinnati Reds

Pete Rose sat down with The Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer to talk about his suspension, MLB’s gambling relationships and more.