For the first time since being banned for betting on baseball in 1989, Pete Rose will be part of an on-field ceremony for a Philadelphia Phillies game next month. Rose will be attending a celebration of the 1980 World Series championship team on Aug. 7 at Citizens Bank Park, according to Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"In planning the 1980 reunion, we consulted with Pete's teammates about his inclusion," the Phillies said in a statement. "Everyone wants Pete to be part of the festivities since there would be no trophy in 1980 without him. In addition, the club received permission from the Commissioner's Office in invite Pete as a member of the championship team."
Rose was a key member of the Phillies' 1980 World Series team that defeated the Kansas City Royals in six games. During his five seasons with the Phillies, Rose hit .291 with eight home runs, 255 RBIs, and 390 runs scored. Rose is Major League Baseball's all-time hits leader with 4,256 hits during his 24-year career that was spent with the Cincinnati Reds and Phillies.
Rose was last slated to attend a Phillies game in August 2017 in order to be inducted into the franchise's Wall of Fame. However, the Phillies ended up canceling the scheduled appearance after a Cincinnati woman stated in federal court that she had a sexual relationship with Rose when she was 14 or 15 years old. The relationship allegedly began in 1973 when Rose was a member of the Reds.
Rose was never charged with statutory rape due to the statute of limitations expiring. The woman's testimony was part of a federal lawsuit that was filed by Rose in Philadelphia against lawyer John Dowd, whose investigation resulted in Rose's lifetime ban from baseball. Dowd had made public comments alleging that a former associate of Rose's "ran young girls for him down in spring training."
Following the woman's comments, Rose did state that he had a relationship wither her, but said that it began when she was 16 years old. Sixteen is the minimum age of consent in the state of Ohio, where Rose was playing at the time.
