Pete Rose returned to Philadelphia on Sunday as part of a celebration of the Phillies’ 1980 World Series team and deflected questions about whether his presence sends a negative message to women, given allegations that surfaced in 2017 that he had a sexual relationship with an underage woman in the 1970s.
“No, I’m not here to talk about it,” Rose said when asked by a reporter about The questioner. “I’m sorry about that. It was 55 years ago, dear.
Rose, 81, was banned from Major League Baseball in 1989 for betting on baseball during his career as a player and manager. In 2017, testimony came out in federal court alleging that he had a relationship with a girl in Cincinnati — referred to as Jane Doe — who was under the age of consent at the time the relationship began. In an affidavit filed by the woman in court documents obtained by ESPN, she said her relationship with Rose began in 1973 and lasted several years.
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“Shortly after that, Pete Rose and I started meeting at a house in Cincinnati,” the woman said in the statement. “It was in this house where, before my 16th birthday, Pete Rose began a sexual relationship with me. This sexual relationship lasted for several years. Pete Rose also met me in places outside of Ohio where we had sex.
Rose said in court documents that he had sex with her but believed she was 16 at the time. He added that their relationship “started sometime in 1975.” Rose was 34 years old in 1975 and married with two children. Because the statute of limitations had run out, Rose could not be charged with statutory rape.
The testimony came as part of a defamation lawsuit Rose filed against attorney John Dowd in 2017. Dowd led the 1989 MLB investigation that led to Rose being banned from baseball, but the defamation case centered on an interview , which Dowd gave in July 2015 to WCHE-AM 1520 in West Chester.
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In the interview, Dowd said an associate of Rose’s, Michael Bertolini, told him that Rose liked to have sex with underage girls.
“Michael Bertolini, you know, told us that not only did he make bets, but he coached young girls for him during spring training, ages 12 to 14,” Dowd said. “Isn’t it wonderful? So it’s statutory rape every time you do it.
Rose denied committing statutory rape, adding that Dowd’s remarks were “absolutely false in every way”.
The rose was awarded after the on-field ceremony on Sunday. Asked by the Associated Press about his comments to The Inquirer, he said: “I’ll tell you one more time. I’m here for Philly fans. I’m here for my teammates. I’m here for the Phillies organization. And who cares what happened 50 years ago? You weren’t even born. So you should not talk about it because you are not born. If you don’t know anything about it, don’t talk about it.
A representative for Rose’s spoke to The Inquirer after the ceremony, insisting that Rose had anything further to say. The representative began apologizing on Rose’s behalf, adding that he wasn’t trying to offend anyone. Rose claimed the Inquirer was trying to “attack” him before joking, “Would you forgive me if I signed 1,000 baseballs for you?” At the end of the call, Rose said “I’m sorry.”
“The Association of Women in Sports Media applauds Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Alex Coffey and other members of the media for asking about the Phillies’ decision to honor Pete Rose despite previous allegations that he had sexual relations with underage girls,” it said in a statement of AWSM. “There is no statute of limitations for liability. Pete Rose is right about one thing he said today – it’s been 55 years since inappropriate relationships were reported and times have changed. It’s no longer acceptable to call a reporter a ‘baby’.”
Former Phillies catcher Bob Boone, who was Rose’s teammate on the 1980 World Series-winning team, was the only other member of that team inducted after the ceremony. Asked if the testimony that came out about Rose in 2017 was a consideration for his teammates’ insistence on inviting him back, Boone said, “I have no idea.”
“My opinion was that he should be in the Hall of Fame,” Boone said. “This is the best striker we’ve ever had. And he did some things wrong. But I always thought he should be in the Hall of Fame. And if I take my kids there to see it, I want to see Pete Rose and talk about how great he was. If you want to put something on the board that says he did these things wrong, but I always felt that he should be there. He’s not there, but I’m telling you, he’s the greatest striker that ever played.”
Rose, baseball’s all-time hits leader with 4,256, was introduced before Sunday’s game to a mix of cheers, boos and a few “Pete” chants.
The Phillies had planned to induct Rose into their Hall of Fame in 2017, but abruptly canceled their plans to do so after Jane Doe’s testimony came out. The Phillies said they decided to invite Rose to Citizens Bank Park this year after consulting with Rose’s 1980 teammates, who wanted him included in the ceremony. They received approval from the commissioner’s office to include Rose.
When asked what had changed since they decided not to induct Rose into the Wall of Fame, a Phillies spokesman said the 1980 celebration was more about a team than an individual.
“In stark contrast to the Wall of Fame award, which honors an individual player, this weekend is a team celebration and gathering,” the spokesman said. “Pete was a team leader and an essential member of the team. We agree with his teammates about the critical role that Pete played in 1980. Indeed, had Pete not been inducted, there would have been a comparable outcry from many, many fans who believe that Pete belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”
When asked what the Phillies would say to people who are uncomfortable with his presence in the ballpark, given his relationship with an alleged underage girl in 1973, the spokesman said:
“We do not condone, condone or forget Pete’s behavior. We understand that some people will criticize our decision to include Pete. We understand the basis of this criticism because it was this basis that led us to immediately revoke Pete’s recognition on the Phillies’ Wall of Fame when the allegations were made public just six days before Pete’s scheduled induction. The Wall of Fame is an extremely personal honor, and for the Phillies, his past behavior off the field undermines his baseball accomplishments that would otherwise lead to this award.
A Phillies spokesman said there are no plans to add Rose to their Hall of Fame at this time, but said that doesn’t mean they “never” will. The spokesman added that they would consider bringing Rose back to Citizens Bank Park again if there is another celebration of a team that Rose is a part of and if MLB gives its approval. Rose also played for the 1983 National League Champion Phillies.
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In a podcast with NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark that aired Thursday, Rose was asked about the circumstances of being invited back to Citizens Bank Park.
“Three or four years ago [five years], I was supposed to go on the Phillies Wall of Fame and the Phillies canceled that, and I’m happy that whoever gave the OK, gave the OK,” Rose said. “I won’t hurt anyone. I have made some mistakes in my life, most people do. I’ve always loved the Philly fans.”
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