Pete Rose (Yes, The Pete Rose) Returns To Baseball

Tonight is the night. Baseball legend Pete Rose returns to the dugout to manage the Bridgeport Bluefish for one game only, as they take on the Lancaster Barnstormers at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. It's been nearly 25 years since Major League Baseball's all-time hits leader stepped onto the diamond, but Pete is finally back.

After playing 24 seasons in the majors, Pete Rose amassed a total of 4,256 hits, in 14,053 at bats, all over the course of an impressive 3,562 games. What a career. Now he is taking his knowledge and passion for the game of baseball to Bridgeport, CT, where the Bridgeport Bluefish will attempt to end a 3 game losing streak.

Pete Rose rounds first base after breaking Ty Cobb's all-time hits record on September 11,1985

In a press release Rose stated that he was excited to have the opportunity to manage such a young and energetic group of players. He loves to coach younger players because he believes that they have a tremendous amount of passion for the game along with a hunger to improve their skills at every turn. This type of mentality isn't always guaranteed at the professional level.

Rose was famously banned from major league baseball in 1989 for betting on baseball, in particular the Cincinnati Reds, a team which he played for and managed. The league stated that Rose's actions would have a negative impact on the integrity of the game, and decided it would be best to ban him from professional baseball for life, as well as take away any chance he had at being inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. There is quite a bit of controversy regarding whether or not Pete Rose should get a shot at the Hall of Fame, but as fans of the game of baseball,  we at Town Fair Tire hope that he will get that opportunity one day. Good luck tonight Pete.