Was it not Fathers' Day at the Chancery?
Pete Rose and a Genuine "Fall Classic"
Photo by Eduardo Balderas on Unsplash
Two Glimpses at a Very Competitive Player
Ending the 1970 Major League Baseball All Star game, Pete Rose (1941-2024) barreled into catcher Ray Fosse (1947-2021). That exhibition game incident may have permanently damaged Fosse's baseball career.
In the 1973 National League playoffs, a player brawl started, when Pete Rose (1941-2024) assaulted the much smaller Bud Harrelson (1944-2024). A buddy and I took the subway from Brooklyn to Flushing for that game.
When my buddy got up for a hot dog, I was looking down to keep score (A "nerd" skill which has never benefitted me, btw!). Suddenly there was a thunderous roar from 56,000 standing attendees. My buddy came running back to his seat, but it was not till after the game that we learned what had actually happened.
When the familiar battle cry of "Let's Go Mets" morphed into "The Reds Eat S___", my 14 year old self thought it was the greatest day of my life. As few in the stands had transistor radios, it was a mindless mob.
Looking back at 65, it is frightening to think how out of control things could have gotten.
Two Players Shut Out of the MLB Hall of Fame
Long before he played thuggish Henry Hill in Goodfellas, Ray Liotta portrayed Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams. While likely innocent, Jackson was forever banned from baseball for supposedly throwing the 1919 World Series.
While a case could certainly be made for rehabilitating the memory of Jackson and putting him in Cooperstown, Rose acknowledged betting on baseball. Rule 21 has long bee posted in every clubhouse.
All Souls' Day is a Genuine "Fall Classic" Reminding Us of Our Need to Pray for All Who Have Gone Before Us
We do a disservice for all who have gone before us by focusing on silliness like Cooperstown, instead of eternal salvation!
Pray for Pete Rose!
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More by Joe Tevington
