Posted on 06/09/2010 6:52:06 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
You're looking at an X-ray of a Mizuno PR4192 bat, commissioned by Pete Rose specifically for his 1985 chase of baseball's all-time hits record. Inside, clear as day, is a piece of foreign material, about 6 inches long, and the diameter of a nickel. This is the story of that bat. * * *
In 1985, over the July Fourth long weekend, Rose and the Cincinnati Reds headed to Veterans Stadium for a four-game series with the Phillies. Rose was on the last legs of his career and had been traded from the Expos back to the Reds the previous season. Permanently playing first base now, and serving as the last player-manager in baseball, Rose was in hot pursuit of Ty Cobb's iconic record of 4,191 hits. It was the only reason he was still playing baseball.
Before the season, Rose had a box of about 30 black Mizuno bats specially made for him. His trademark quick swing not nearly as quick as it used to be, Rose ordered his bats a little lighter than usual to shorten up his motion. The bats were 34 inches long, and weighed 31.6 ounces. In honor of his quest for 4,192 hits, they were dubbed the PR4192.
He used one of those bats — the bat you see in the X-ray — in the Philadelphia series. It was captured forever by a photographer's camera: Rose, waiting in the on-deck circle, bat resting on his left shoulder.
Pete Rose went 1-for-8 that weekend. He was 37 hits away from breaking the record. * * *
Steve Wolter was a huge Pete Rose fan.
"He idolized Pete, his hard work, the effort he put forward," his son Adam says.
(Excerpt) Read more at deadspin.com ...
GREAT idea!! I had never thought of that. what a damn mess to us died in the wool old timer MLB lifelong followers huh? I don’t care if a guy is 7 or 70.....you feel betrayed.
Amen. I cancelled TV and have no interest. All of TV is pro-Obama. Fox less so but they are at least 7% owned by the Saudis.
There are a few good guys like Kurt Warner, Phil Mickelson and a few others but pro sports and NCAA are mindless trash for the most part. The team owners are largely scum.
Bread and circuses like Rome to fool the masses.
And who could forget Mickey Lolich in game seven over the fearsome Gibson, on what, two days rest?... McClain a 31 game winner and taking a back seat to Lolich in the series... I have never, ever been more engaged in a series. Kaline - what an arm from right field! At the plate, he was awesome. Mickey Stanley never missed a beat at short. I may be wrong, but I don’t think Stanley had ever played short in the big leagues ever. Freehan/Brock collision at home. Mayo Smith... brilliance.
As an aside, didn’t Jim Northrup hit grand slams in consecutive innings during the ‘68 season?
I think you are correct on Jim. N in ‘68 on cons. grannies. I’ll have to look that up. Brock not sliding as Wille H tossed his ass out???? just more St. L. arrogance....’slide?....’we don’t need no stinkin’ slide’.... WRONG!!!! I think Mickey S. filled in at short off and on the last 2-3 weeks of the ‘68 reg. season tho as Mayo scoped out that HUGE move!!!! I have the ‘Sport’ mags from then, (and those two SI WS mags), great stories in ‘em. my fav. tho is the Joe Falls......’The Day Denny won 31’ from I think the Jan. ‘70 issue, hell, I’m gonna go dig it out!!!!!.....great writing then huh?
oh and one more thing...old red sox announcer curt gowdy was so pro St. loo during the NBC telecast that series....damn that pissed me off then and it still pisses me off when I think about it!!!!!.......then there was the ‘69 Orioles. I hated ‘em but to this day I think they were one of the most 2 or 3 well BALANCED MLB teams ever to take a field. the Mets would have lost 7 out of 10 if those two played 162 in 1969....but I was pullin’ for the mets!!
There is nothing wrong with that.
But, I will tell you, this is not how I would want my children and grandchildren to see me.
I would not want my family and friends to see me like this either - - hanging around with a young girl who dresses and presents herself like this? No way.
There is a very old (and wise) proverb from the bible:
"A beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's snout." Proverbs 11:22
If Pete Rose wants to be remembered at his funeral for this kind of behavior, then the only people present will be his lawyer, the pastor, and the funeral director.
I wouldn't want to be remembered (or seen before God) acting this way in the latter years of my life.
another good ‘stats’ link is within MLB.COM historical players and current players can be pulled up by just typing in their names in the search box. good site but not as cool as the baseball-ref.....
Many NFL players have severe health issues later in life.
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