MLB icon Pete Rose has passed away at the age of 83.
According to the medical examiner, Rose was discovered at his home by a family member, and there were no indications of foul play.
The coroner will conduct an investigation to determine the cause and manner of death.
Rose died with the unique distinction of being both Major League Baseball’s all-time hits leader and on its permanently ineligible list for gambling on Cincinnati Reds games.
A 17-time All-Star, the switch-hitting Rose played on three World Series championship teams. He was named the National League MVP in 1973 and the World Series MVP two years later. He holds the major league record for games played (3,562) and plate appearances (15,890), as well as the NL record for the longest hitting streak (44 games). He was the leadoff hitter for one of baseball’s most formidable lineups during the Reds’ championship seasons of 1975 and 1976, alongside Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, and Joe Morgan.
Major League Baseball, which banned him in 1989, released a brief statement expressing condolences and acknowledging his “greatness, grit, and determination on the field.” Reds principal owner and managing partner Bob Castellini stated that Rose was “one of the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen” and emphasized: “We must never forget what he accomplished.”
