Pete Rose: The Most Respected and Admired Player in the Game

The last time the Philadelphia Phillies had won the World Series was…never.

The Phillies were getting ready to face the Houston Astros in the 1980 NLCS, which was a best-of-five series.

Shortstop Larry Bowa walked over to Pete Rose, who had batted “only” .282 with 185 hits, and told him, half seriously, “We got you here. You take us the rest of the way.”

The Phillies won the National League’s Eastern Division title in 1976 and 1977 and again in 1978. They were swept in the ALDS by the Cincinnati Reds in 1976 and managed only one win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in both 1977 and 1978.

To say the Phillies and their fans were frustrated is an understatement.

Officials, fans and players expected that Pete Rose would make the Phillies a team to be feared—not only in the regular season but in the post season as well.

Pete Rose would lead them when it counted the most. He was the most respected and admired player in the game that could lead by both word and example.

Joe Morgan, Rose’s Cincinnati teammate, knew him well.

“Pete’s what every player ought to be,” said the future broadcasting great. “In Pete’s mind, every game is a World Series game. I wish everyone had Pete’s attitude toward the game. And it’s a thrill just to be on the same field with him.”

In the 1972 playoffs against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Rose had nine hits in 20 at-bats. Against the Phillies in 1976, he was 6-for-14.

It was in the 1976 World Series that Rose, playing third base, messed with Mickey Rivers’ head.  The Yankees‘ fleet lead-off batter and catalyst for their offense couldn’t cope when Rose moved to within about 65 feet of home plate, daring Rivers to try to slap the ball by him.

The Phillies beat the Astros to move on to the World Series, but they had to come back after losing two of the first three games.  In the fourth game, Rose was on second base in a tie game in the 10th inning. Greg Luzinski was at the plate.

Luzinski hit a drive to left field. Larry Elchel of Knight-Ridder Newspapers wrote:

“…the one image that will remain in the memory…comes from the 10th inning of that fourth game. It is the image of Rose, representing what would become the winning run, charging around third on Greg Luzinski’s double to left.  As he heads for home, it is written on his face that he will score the run even though the throw may beat him home.”

That was Pete Rose. He led the Phillies into the World Series. He then led them to the first world championship in their storied history.

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