Responses to passing of polarizing icon Pete Rose
A multitude of baseball icons shared their thoughts on the life and legacy of Pete Rose following his passing at the age of 83.
Some of the social media posts included:
Alex Rodriguez: \"Completely devastated to hear the heartbreaking news of Pete Rose's death. He always brought a smile to my face during our time together at Fox. He was a true original and one of a kind. No one loved the game of baseball more than Pete and I will deeply miss him.\"
Jose Canseco: \"Rest in peace Pete Rose... Another player who deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame.\"
Wade Boggs: \"Words cannot express how I am feeling right now. My idol and childhood friend, wanting to be just like Pete Rose. You will be greatly missed my friend. Rest in peace, my brother.\"
Steve Garvey: \"Pete Rose gave God a precious gift, his entire life every single day.\"
Longtime Cincinnati Reds announcer Thom Brennaman: \"I had the privilege of meeting Pete Rose when I was ten years old in Tampa. He treated me the same as a child as he did when I announced his games. He never turned his back on a friend, even when my career was in shambles. He was simply an amazing person to be around.\"
Hall of Fame writer and announcer Tim Kurkjian: \"Pete Rose passed away today at the age of 83. He was an incredible player. No one played the game with more passion. He made his fair share of mistakes in life, but he always loved being Pete Rose.\"
Former MLB commissioner Fay Vincent spoke with The Athletic on Monday. Vincent served as the deputy commissioner when then-commissioner Bart Giamatti banned Rose for life in 1989 for gambling.
\"I believe he was dedicated to the game of baseball and gave it his all,\" Vincent told The Athletic in regards to Rose. \"He faced a number of issues regarding his conduct. He made some poor choices along the way, and by the time I got to know him and dealt with him and Bart on the gambling issue, it was too late.
\"By then, he had already formed his mindset and character, and unfortunately, he placed too much importance on money and lost a lot due to his excessive gambling. I believe the corruption in his life was a serious problem.\"