Thousands of fans flocked to Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on a rainy Sunday to pay tribute to Pete Rose, the Reds legend died September 30 at 83 years old.
Rose’s visit was organized by Reds and Rose’s daughters, Fawn and Kara. Starting at 7 a.m. and open to the public until 9 p.m. (2 p.m. in honor of Rose’s number 14), fans began lining up outside the stadium at 4 a.m.
This is the line at the Great American Ball Park, for fans to pay their respects to Pete Rose.
Keep in mind that this tour lasts 14 hours. It has been stable. pic.twitter.com/mRVDTBUERI
– Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) November 10, 2024
Fans didn’t go to the stadium just because Rose is all-time leader in baseball hits at 4,256 or because he was part of three World Series championship teams as part of the vaunted “Big Red Machine” of the 1970s.
Rose was also a local hero to so many who also grew up in Cincinnati, representing someone who achieved success through hard work, determination and hustle. His lifetime ban from baseball, which kept him from being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, didn’t matter to them.
“We all love Pete,” said one attendee told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Pete is a part of Cincinnati, like all of us.”
Seven hours after the event began, more than 1,500 people had come to visit, according to a Reds spokesperson. Fans could walk past an urn containing Rose’s ashes and a table with various memorabilia from his career in addition to the jacket given to him during his induction into the Reds Hall of Fame. A video of Rose’s many highlights played on the ballpark’s video boards.
“I know he told us that being in the Reds Hall of Fame, having his statue at the stadium and his number (retired) is exciting and pretty good for him,” said Rick Wells, executive director of the Reds Hall of Fame. told the Investigator. “I don’t know what’s going to happen down the road, but I know a lot of people would like to see him in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and we’ll leave it up to them.”
Fans placed several items on the Rose statue outside the ballpark, including red roses, signed baseballs, No. 14 jerseys and Reds caps.
“We are deeply moved by the overwhelming love and support from the people of Cincinnati, the entire baseball community and fans around the world as we mourn the loss of our beloved father, grandfather and brother, Pete Rose,” Fawn Rose said in a statement, via Associated Press.
The Reds will also honor Rose next season on May 14 (once again paying homage to Rose’s jersey number) with a special “Pete Rose Day.” First pitch of the game against Chicago Sox will be at 7:14 p.m.
