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Disgraced MLB legend Pete Rose is rolling the dice in a bid for induction into the hallowed Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Former commissioner Bart Giamatti barred Rose from the game for life in 1989 in connection with the Reds bench boss betting on baseball.
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Now, one of the sport’s all-time greats sent a letter to current MLB commissioner Rob Manfred this week pleading his case for induction in Cooperstown.
“I am writing today for three reasons,” Rose wrote in the letter obtained by TMZ Sports. “First, because at my age I want to be 100% sure that you understand how much I mean it when I say that I’m sorry. Second, to ask for your forgiveness. And third, because I still think every day about what it would mean to be considered for the Hall of Fame.”
The 81-year-old former superstar, who earned the nickname Charlie Hustle for his work ethic on efforts on the diamond, agreed he let a lot of people down. Gambling on the game he loves was the biggest regret in his life.
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“Besides spending time with my kids and my partner, there’s nothing that made me happier than playing baseball in front of fans,” he wrote. “That I let them down and brought shame to the sport we all love is something I think about every single day.”
Of course, during a long career with Reds, Phillies and Expos, if not for the gambling, Rose would have been inducted on his first crack.
The Cincinnati native holds a slew of records, including most hits with 4,256, 1,314 RBIs and a lifetime batting average of .303.
During his career, he appeared in the annual All-Star Game 17 times and was the NL MVP in 1973 and World Series MVP in 1975. His teams earned three World Series.
But the gloss was off when the hard-charging Rose became the Reds manager in 1984. Rose bet on baseball games and then denied it.
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Manfred torpedoed a 2015 attempt at reinstatement.
Rose added: “You can’t imagine how painful it is when I see my teammates from all the great teams I played on and players I played against go about their lives in ways I wanted to.
“I want to be a part of that too and I know I probably never will. I am so grateful for the time I shared with them on and off the field. Nothing replaces it.”
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After acknowledging his failings, Rose asked the commish for his ban to be commuted.
“I write now to ask for another chance,” Rose wrote.
TMZ reports that so far neither MLB nor Manfred has responded.