When Did It Hit You That Pete was Guilty?

[Sea Ray]

Rather than hijack another thread, I'm re-posting this message with a new central question. When did you decide that Pete really was guilty of betting on baseball? The following led to me actually pondering this question:

I actually think Pete would be caught eventually anyway...he's an addict. But I thought I'd give it a shot. Pete was a huge, huge hero for many of my close friends...I was a big Joe Morgan fan, but my brother and my best friend lived and died with Peter Edward. He was the embodiment of everything they believed in and they both emulated him in their own lives...always hustling and giving it 110%. When the news broke, they were the last to say maybe he was guilty and as the years wore on and we learned more you could see how crushed they were that their boyhood hero had turned out to be such a fraud. One of them won't speak about him now and the other has nothing but bitter things to say about Pete. I just wanted to spare them and the thousands of Cincinnatians like them that experience...or at least give it a shot.

It's interesting to study "when" it hit Reds' fans that Pete bet on baseball. For me it was the August 1989 press conference with Bart Giamatti where he accepted a lifetime ban. Up until that point I supported Pete and thought the Commissioner and his boys were railroading him. But it all changed at that presser. If Pete was going to accept those terms then he must be guilty. For years afterwards I argued with other Reds fans about this until now, most of them admit his guilt.

The other end of the spectrum are the folks who called into local talk shows after his on TV admission with Charlie Gibson saying things like "I think Pete just said that he bet on baseball in order to get people off his back and get into the HoF. I don't think he really ever bet on BB."

Where do you fall on this?

[_Sir_Charles_]

The moment he actually admitted it. I've known Pete off and on for years and I convinced myself that he never could've bet on the Reds. I just couldn't force myself to admit it. Heck, I still can't believe he ever bet on the Reds to lose. But I'm kinda stupid that way.

[gonelong]

When Giamatti stated he thought Rose bet on games at the press conference, it was the moment of realization for me.

GL

[George Anderson]

I think I was in the camp that I really didn't care if Pete bet on baseball as long as he didn't throw games. At the time I thought there should be no problem with players betting on games as long as they didn't throw them. I realize now this thinking was wrong. I also recall hearing alot of interviews on WLW with Pete giving his jaded side of the story and coming away with the conclusion that no way did he bet on baseball.

I really gave up on Pete when he did admit to betting on the game but wouldn't give the details unless you bought his book for $29.95. He lied to his loyal fans for 14 years and now he was trying to profit off it. What an ass.

[RedFanAlways1966]

The day of the press conference announcing his ban from the game. I was pro-Pete before that and thought someone was just out to get him. Once he appeared at the press conference and announced that he accepted the ban, I felt dumb. Dumber than him. I will never forgive him for lying to me, for making me feel dumb and more importantly... breaking the #1 rule in organized sports.

[westofyou]

When he wore all those hats for SI during his FA year.

Oh... you meant for gambling.

That would be when he refused to fight the charges.

[George Anderson]

When he wore all those hats for SI during his FA year.

.

That SI cover couldn't be more appropriate for the article inside.

[Redsfaithful]

Bill James thought he was innocent, and I bought his reasoning. I came down on the side of innocent until he admitted it.

[RedsBaron]

Bill James thought he was innocent, and I bought his reasoning. I came down on the side of innocent until he admitted it.

Bill James made a good case for Rose. While I guess I always thought he was guilty, from the time this greatest of competitors surrendered, accepted his initial ban, and then went to prison, I always kind of hoped that he was innocent of betting on the game, and even now I find it hard to believe that Rose threw games or bet on the Reds to lose (and I have seen no proof that he did that). The whole thing is a shame, but Pete has no one to blame but himself.

[15fan]

You don't accept a lifetime ban if you're innocent.

[redhawkfish]

I was raised by a father who had heard rumblings about Pete's character. He always told me it was OK to root for him on the field, but that was it. I was allowed to have no Rose memorabilia in the house. So I thought he was guilty the first time I heard of any charges.

[RedsManRick]

Maybe I'm a cynic, maybe it's because I came to fandom just as Pete was getting barred, or maybe it's because I've spun a tale or three myself in my day, but I was always of the belief that he was 100% guilty. Addiction is a powerful thing and I simply don't trust any addict who claims certain limits to their addictive behavior.

[Always Red]

That would be when he refused to fight the charges.

You don't accept a lifetime ban if you're innocent.

Me too; if you're innocent, you fight it to the end.

[bucksfan2]

I wasn't old enough to really watch Pete play. I wasn't old enough to understand what went on and tended to believe in what Pete said. As I got older and started to realize the true character behind Pete I started to waver and didn't really know what to believe. It came as no shock to me when Pete admitted to betting on baseball and tried to profit from that by selling his book.

What irritates me is Pete is a black eye to this city that people living here don't realize. He lied for years and was supported strongly every time he decided to come home to Cincy. Every time he needs an ego boost he attends a Reds game in which the fans cheer wildly when he is announced. I just wish he would go away.

[westofyou]

What irritates me is Pete is a black eye to this city that people living here don't realize. He lied for years and was supported strongly every time he decided to come home to Cincy. Every time he needs an ego boost he attends a Reds game in which the fans cheer wildly when he is announced. I just wish he would go away.

And this is exactly the legacy he's sowing at this time.

It's a sad thing for sure.