CINCINNATI — In Cincinnati, the number 14 just means more.
All season, the Reds have been wearing a “14” patch for the late Pete Rose.
“I will wear that as proudly as you can,” Reds manager Terry Francona said.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Tuesday that Pete Rose is among multiple deceased players, including "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, removed from the permanently ineligible list.
Although Rose is a very controversial figure in sports history, he's remembered fondly by both those who played with him as a teammate and those who played for him when the “Hit King” was a manager.
“I have no ability to not be biased when it comes to Pete. I know there are some things that happened. I love the guy,” Francona said.
Francona was Rose’s teammate during the 1984 season in Montreal.
“He was probably 20 years older than me. He treated us young kids like gold,” Francona said.
Francona also played for Pete in Cincinnati during the 1987 season.
“It killed me because I played so bad; I hit so bad. I felt like I let him down. It bothered me. It’s like I got amnesia and forgot how to hit. I love the guy,” Francona said.
From one Cincinnati kid to another, Reds legend Barry Larkin had an extra special relationship with Rose.
“I idolized Pete Rose as a young person growing up in Cincinnati," Larkin said. "I wanted to be Pete Rose. I made sure I had grass stains on the top of my pants."
Hear more from Francona and Larkin in the video below:
Larkin’s Hall of Fame career in the majors started by playing for the hometown hero he grew up idolizing.
“Pete Rose called me and told me I was getting called up to the big leagues. He talked to me about the responsibility of being from Cincinnati and playing for the Reds,” Larkin said.
Whether fans loved him or hated him, Pete Rose left a mark on all those he shared the dugout with.
“We hung on him so much. He was a pro’s pro,” Francona said.
“Pete Rose is so influential and showed me so much love, and I love Pete. I certainly miss him,” Larkin said.
I didn't even have to ask Francona or Larkin whether Rose should be in the Hall of Fame — they both agreed the answer was "yes."
