MLB legendary figure Pete Rose owed a bookmaker $90,000 due to gambling debts, as revealed in FBI documents.
In a series of recently released documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has revealed details about a gambling and narcotics operation run by Ronald Peters in the 1980s. The documents, which consist mainly of surveillance records, also implicate baseball legend Pete Rose as a silent partner in one of Peters' establishments.
According to a 1987 memo, Rose was connected to a bar operated by Ronald Peters in Cincinnati before Peters moved to Franklin, Ohio. Police officers in Franklin are said to have frequently seen Rose enter Peters' establishment, called Jonathan's, through its private entrance.
Despite the alleged connections, the individual who provided the information believed that Rose only bet on football, basketball, and horse racing. They never witnessed Rose placing a bet on a baseball game.
Rose, who played from 1963-86 and managed from 1984-89, holds the records for the most games played (3,562) and hits (4,256) in Major League Baseball (MLB) history. However, his career was marred by allegations of betting on "diamond" sports, a violation of MLB Rule 21, which is posted in every clubhouse.
In August 1989, Rose agreed to a lifetime ban from MLB as part of a settlement. This ban was recently lifted by Commissioner Rob Manfred, who reinstated Rose and 16 others from the permanently ineligible list earlier this year. The reinstatement ruled that a lifetime ban ends upon death.
Rose's reinstatement paves the way for him to potentially enter the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame's Classic Baseball Committee, which considers those whose greatest contributions to the game came prior to 1980, will consider Rose's case in December 2027.
It's important to note that the released documents do not provide conclusive evidence of Rose's involvement in illegal activities. However, they do provide a fascinating insight into the allegations that have surrounded Rose's career for decades.
Ronald Peters, Rose's former bookie, passed away in 2016. The documents also suggest that Rose owed Peters significant sums of money in sports wagering losses, with the amounts varying from $80,000 to $90,000. Additionally, the report states that another person is believed to have stolen $3,500 of Rose's money and then left town.
In a November 1987 interview, a redacted individual claimed that Pete Rose bet on 10 football games a weekend in 1986, usually around $1,000 to $2,000 per game. This claim, like many others in the documents, remains unverified.
As the Hall of Fame considers Rose's case, the debate over his place in baseball history will undoubtedly continue. Whether or not he is ultimately inducted, the documents released by the FBI provide a compelling look into the allegations that have shadowed Rose's career for over three decades.
