Sports Then and Now

On September 30, 2024, the baseball world lost one of its most controversial and iconic figures, Pete Rose. Known as “Charlie Hustle,” Rose was a player whose tenacity and passion for the game made him one of the greatest hitters in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB). His career was filled with record-breaking achievements and moments of pure brilliance on the field. However, his post-career life was marred by scandal, notably his lifetime ban from baseball for gambling on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds.

As baseball mourns the loss of Pete Rose, it’s important to reflect on both the incredible accomplishments of his career and the complexities of his legacy. While many consider him one of the greatest players to ever grace the diamond, others view his actions off the field as irreparably tarnishing his reputation.

Early Life and Rise to Stardom

Pete Rose was born on April 14, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He grew up in a working-class family and developed an early love for baseball, inspired by his father, who was an amateur athlete. Rose was a natural competitor, excelling in both football and baseball during his youth. However, it was on the baseball diamond where his relentless work ethic and drive to succeed would truly shine.

Rose signed with the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent in 1960 and made his Major League debut in 1963. From the very beginning, his intensity on the field set him apart from other players. He was known for sprinting to first base after drawing a walk, earning him the nickname “Charlie Hustle” from Yankees pitcher Whitey Ford during spring training.

Rose quickly established himself as one of the most reliable and consistent hitters in baseball. In his rookie season, he won the National League Rookie of the Year award, hitting .273 with 170 hits. It was the start of a career that would see him become the all-time leader in hits, games played, and at-bats, cementing his place in baseball history.

The Career of a Legend

Pete Rose’s career is a testament to his unrelenting work ethic and passion for the game. Over the course of 24 seasons (1963-1986), he played for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos. He became synonymous with the “Big Red Machine,” the Reds teams of the 1970s that dominated the National League and won back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976.

Even the best team in baseball can make mistakes.

At 83-45 and seven games ahead on the Atlanta Braves, the Phillies are looking to make a long run and win the World Series. Here’s what they can’t afford to do if they plan on winning it all:

1. Being Overconfident: Winning 100 games and annihilating your division doesn’t get you anything. The Phillies need to play like a Wild Card team, and get the job done. It’s still ways to go, and Atlanta is not a terrible team. Here in Philadelphia, fans laugh when the Detroit Tigers or Cleveland Indians come up in baseball arguments or discussions. “Well, if Detroit makes it to the World Series, their going to get destroyed!”. Philly fans have always been too confident in their teams when they are on a roll, and this season is no different. I hope the players are less confident than the fans, or the Phillies’ run to a title may end in a letdown.

2. Not having a consistent bullpen: The Bullpen for the Phillies has been extraordinary this season. But, with Ryan Madson and Michael Stutes struggling, the ‘Pen could be in jeopardy. The Phils’ have enjoyed their young rookies including Bastardo, and Stutes for the time being. The real question is, will they need veteran bullpen pitchers to win a title? As for now, there aren’t alot on the roster…

3. Injury Plagued: This goes to every team, in every sport, but with Polanco, Victorino, Hamels, Ruiz, Ibanez, Contreras and Utley all having recent injuries, it may be a huge block in their path to winning it all. Contreras is out for the year, which goes along with not having veteran relief pitchers, and Hamels is out for at least 15 days. However, the Phillies are one of the deepest teams in the league, so rookie Vance Worley (9-1) can always take Hamels’ place. Read the rest of this entry →

The 4 Major Sports Teams In Philadelphia.

For years, the thought of Philadelphia as a sports city was unheard of and rare by national fanatics. Now, with the recent surge from the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, and possibly even the Sixers, Philadelphia is finally becoming known to the sports nation.

We’ll start with the Philadelphia Phillies, baseball’s best team. With only 2 championships in hand, the Phillies reputation is diminished and scarce. In 2008, doubters were quieted after a postseason field day was brought to the city of brotherly love, with the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to win the 2008 World Series. After a year of heartbreak, the Phillies are back for more. At 74-39, Philadelphia is completely destroying Major League Baseball, and a 9.5 division lead over the Braves is showing it. With a more than solid pitching rotation, including Hamels, Halladay, Oswalt, Lee and outstanding rookie Vance Worley, Philadelphia has a 3.06 team ERA. Recently acquiring OF Hunter Pence from Houston solidifies the lineup and brings more power and consistency for the postseason. For the Phillies, it can’t get better than this.

Now we turn to the Eagles, a team getting national attention for the big named players recently acquired by the organization. Philadelphia was keen on defense, bringing in CB Dominique Rodgers- Cromartie, CB Nnamdi Asomaugha, and DE Jason Babin along with shipping out unhappy QB Kevin Kolb in the process. Don’t forget the pickup of QB Vince Young, which is solid security for the injury plagued, mobile Quarterback Michael Vick. With Desean Jackson ending his holdout, and WR Jeremy Maclin getting healthy, Philadelphia has emerged as the team to beat. Granted, the season hasn’t even started yet, but the Birds new look is hard to argue against. I’m not sure with the “Dream Team” phrase that has rumored around the city of brotherly love, but a Playoff Caliber team is surely in store for the Eagles. Read the rest of this entry →

It was payday....

What’s in a rivalry? Hatred? Two very good teams in the playoff hunt?

The Philadelphia Phillies are a very good team, worthy of contending year in and year out. They’re also very good at paying attention, you got something going for you Philly. They watched the Yankees buy pennants for years, and decided to follow the pattern. They are number two behind the Yankees with a payroll of just under $173 million. Their average player is paid over $5.7 million. That’s what I call buying wins. Maybe that is why you are one of nine MLB teams in debt.

Now for my favorite part, the Braves payroll comes in at just over $87 million. Now lets do some math, for you Philly fans out there, I will help you out.

Phillies payroll $172,976,381
Braves payroll $87,003,192
Difference- $85,973,189

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Roy Halladay is only the second pitcher in baseball history to toss a post season no-hitter.

Major League Baseball’s “Year of the Pitcher” has a new defining moment following Roy Halladay’s no-hitter in the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the opening game of the 2010 National League playoffs.

In his first-ever post season appearance, Halladay enters some heady company as he joins Don Larsen as the only pitchers in major league history to toss a post season no-hitter. In addition, he became the first pitcher since Nolan Ryan in 1973, and the fourth ever, to toss two no-hitters in the same season.

After winning 148 games while toiling away for a decade on a perennial second division team in Toronto, this season Halladay showed that he could also have success on a winner. After being traded to the Phillies in the off-season, Halladay won 21 games in the regular season to help lift Philadelphia to their fourth straight Eastern Division title.

Even though Halladay was facing the best offensive team in the National League in his playoff debut, there was little surprise when he started the game by mowing down the Cincinnati hitters. Read the rest of this entry →

Charlie Manuel says he’s team is resilient. He points out the fact that the team has lost

Can Cliff Lee pitch another gem versus the Yankees?

22 games this season where they led after the 7th inning. That sounds like the 2008 New York Mets to me. But in this case it was the Phillies this year and not the Mets last year who ultimately wound up winning the World Series. (ouch)

I too am quite confident that this series is far from over. On the Yankee side all one must do is just look back a short 5 years when they were one game from eliminating their most hated rival,the Boston Red Sox and unless you’ve been hiding in a time capsule you know what happened there.

For the Yanks to close this puppy out they are going to have to do it on the arms of A.J. Burnett, who like his counterpart C.C. Sabathia, will be pitching on three days rest. If he doesn’t get past Cliff Lee they will have to use Andy Pettitte once again on three days rest and if it goes to a seventh game it will be CC once more time on the short rest period.

Personally I can’t see this as a formula for success therefore my unwillingness to count the Phillies out just yet.

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