Editor,
I am from the Cincinnati area, and have noticed the lack of coverage The Post has given recent occurrences that have developed in the saga involving Pete Rose and his admission back in to baseball. I believe that because we have so many students in the Athens area that care about the subject, it should be addressed more.
Being that I am from the Cincinnati area, most people would believe that I am pro-Rose and I would feel that he did nothing wrong and should be admitted back into baseball with open arms. That I am not; not in the least. Pete Rose besmirched the game of baseball and everything it stands for. He took something that was once holy and turned it in to this own betting playground where he saw fabulous profits because of his immense knowledge of the game of baseball. This is something that is unfair to the game of baseball. Anyone that knows the game realizes how much control a manager has in putting his team in a situation to win, especially with regard to pitching. Rose, as manager of the Reds, was able to control whether his team won today or the next day each and every time it took the field, which ruins the purity of the game.
Rose had a substantial amount of support from sports writers up until the recent release of his book, My Prison Without Bars. The book was released just as the Baseball Hall of Fame inductees were being announced for 2004. This pointed out how Rose was using this not to clear his name, but to make more money off the game of baseball. The same sportswriters said they would not vote Rose back into the game because of how much hurt he'd caused baseball fans and also the game itself.
I leave you with an analogy I think we can all relate to - if someone steals from us, steals something very precious to us, do we allow for them just to apologize and admit they did it, and then allow them to be our friend and come in our home as if nothing happened? Rose stole from baseball and he should never be permitted to come back to the game.
jason.m.bryant@ohiou.edu.
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