Something went wrong when Pete Rose returned to Philadelphia.
The Washington Nationals vs. Philadelphia Phillies game on Sunday was televised by NBC Sports Philadelphia, and it was far less formal than most baseball broadcasts. More so when Pete Rose was there in the booth.
As part of the celebration of the Phillies’ 1980 World Series squad, Rose made her way back to Philadelphia. Rose isn’t typically seen at ballparks because of his lifetime baseball ban, but he was cracking jokes and using profanity.
Rose discussed catching a foul ball that Bob Boone dropped during Game 6 in the first clip. Rose described how Boone ran slowly and that she had to “look out for the horseshit” that was on the field. Rose questioned if the broadcast was a “X-rated show” after calling the host a “son of a bitch” and a “horseshit.” It definitely would have been better to ask before swearing, but whatever.
A tale from Rose’s days with the Cincinnati Reds was told in the second clip. When Tony Pérez hit a walk-off home run, Joe Nuxhall, a longtime Reds player and commentator, asked him what kind of ball he hit. Rose asserted that Pérez replied, “A cock-high fastball.” Startled by the reply, Nuxhall said, “No shit?”
To be honest, swearing on TV isn’t really that big of a deal; after all, it’s cable TV, so it’s not like the FCC has any say over it. If that were the only thing that happened, it would have been a lighter moment. But, Rose’s pregame remarks to a female Philadelphia Inquirer reporter really set the tone for the rest of the day.
Reporter Alex Coffey questioned Rose about whether or not his appearance sends a bad message to women, but Rose waved the matter away. The inquiry arose from Rose’s alleged involvement in a romantic relationship with a minor in the early 1970s. Although Rose believed the girl was 16—the legal age of consent in Ohio—she acknowledged having the connection in 2017. Rose had three children, was thirty-two, and was married. This resulted in Rose losing his position at Fox Sports.
Rose reportedly said to Coffey, “No, I’m not here to talk about that.” I apologize for it. Sweetie, that was 55 years ago.
Following the game, Coffey disclosed that Rose’s representative was expressing regret on her behalf; nevertheless, Rose was asserting that The Inquirer was attempting to “attack” him. Rose made a joke, “Will you forgive me if I sign 1,000 baseballs for you?” before apologizing at the conclusion of the exchange. Rose reiterated that he was there for the supporters, his teammates, and the Phillies when questioned about the event by the AP. He also said that people shouldn’t be talking about something if it happened before they were born.
