The 40th anniversary celebration of the 1980 Phillies world championship team, the first in franchise history, happened over the weekend. It was two-years delayed due to the pandemic, but was something I looked forward to as a lifelong Phillies and lifelong baseball fan.
Alumni weekend took up the entire weekend, with relief pitcher Ron Reed and outfielder Arnold "Bake" McBride being inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on Saturday.
Sunday festivities were focused on honoring the 1980 World Series Champion team, and would include the on-field return of Pete Rose for the first time in Philly in a very very long time.
Mike Schmidt had tested positive for Covid and was only represented on video. Most of the others were there. Larry Bowa, Steve Carlton, Greg Luzinski, Bob Boone, Manny Trillo, Del Unser, Greg Gross, Ron Reed, Larry Christensen, and others. And Pete Rose.
Pete's lifetime ban from baseball is well known to any baseball fan. And I will not argue the merits of that here today. Or the whole Hall of Fame issue, with Pete being baseball's all-time hits leaders.
For this celebration, Pete had been included per the Phillies management on the grounds that his teammates wanted him to be included, with the most-often quote being that the Phillies wouldn't have won the World Series in 1980 without Pete Rose providing the drive and leadership to get over the hump and reach the ultimate goal.
That may be true.
Pete was interviewed before the game, asked in particular about his underage sexual relationship with a pre-16 year old girl while married in those years. His comments to the female reporter were...typical Pete "it was a long time ago, get over it Babe" (or something to that effect). He took a turn in the broadcast booth for an inning and was also typical Pete...profane, narcissistic, egomaniacal, and a dirt-poor example of a human being.
The whole thing left me feeling...dirty.
I understand that Pete Rose was very important in us winning a World Series. I recognize that my childhood sports identity is largely wrapped up in those Phillies teams, and that I unconditionally love many if not most of those players to this day.
But a key part of that team was Pete Rose, and Pete Rose is and always has been, for lack of a better term, a complete and total scumbag.
As a father of daughters, it is hard to swallow a sexual predator defense of "Hey, I thought she was 16...".
We won the World Series in 1980. Thanks in large part to Pete Rose.
Ugh. I do feel dirty.
To John Middleton and the Phillies organization who inexplicably thought this was a good idea: you were very very wrong. And don't hide behind "Pete's teammates wanted this." You chose to celebrate a dirtbag. And predictably enough he embarrassed you. Again. Shame on you.
Be better than this.
