Pete Rose is Major League Baseball’s all-time hit leader (4,256).
Rose was banned from baseball after the 1989 season when he was Cincinnati’s manager. It was discovered he bet on baseball.
Since his banishment from the game, Rose has been a regular on the public speaking circuit.
Rose appeared at Hardin Valley Academy’s baseball banquet Saturday in Knoxville. He took part in a speaking engagement with Hardin Valley’s players and coaching staff.
Rose also conducted a question-and-answer session with Hardin Valley head coach Tyler Roach.
The all-time hit leader recapped his career and provided encouragement for the Hawks, who went 27-9 in 2021.
Rose told the crowd that football was his true athletic passion growing up. Rose noted he came to the University of Tennessee after the football team recruited him.
He also played in Knoxville while competing in the minor league.
“I’ve been in Knoxville before,” Rose said. “I played here and we beat their team to win the South Atlantic League championship.
“I also came to Tennessee in 1960 when I was offered a football scholarship. Thank God I didn’t take that, because if I had, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you tonight.”
Rose was National League Rookie of the Year (1963) and the league’s Most Valuable Player (1973).
He also holds Major League Baseball records for games played (3,562), singles (3,215), at-bats (14,053) and outs (10,328).
The 17-time all-star won three World Series championships as a player for Cincinnati (1975-76) and one with Philadelphia (1980).
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