This Is Pete Rose's Corked Bat

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by mbgrayson

So because he lied about gambling, he is presumed guilty of everything that someone with a $100 K gain at stake accuses him of? Nonsense.

He also was found guilty of tax evasion. So he's not exactly the most credible person around.

[mbgrayson]

Originally Posted by Chip R

He also was found guilty of tax evasion. So he's not exactly the most credible person around.

I certainly don't doubt that at all. That is why my post above does not rely at all on his denials. Instead, it examines the chain of custody to see if the evidence holds up. If you presume he is guilty, the evidence won't change your mind.

However, the evidence of him corking that bat by itself is thin. They are trying to say that a photo of him holding a bat in an on deck circle is the same bat because of scuff marks being in about the same place as in the grainy old photo. However, the tape is wrapped diferently on the bat, and anyone could scuff a bat to make the marks appear to be similiar.

Again, if you assumes Pete is always guilty, then you will be convinced. But if you have read about the lengths that some people go to make counterfeits of valuable documents(to sell for huge profit), or to fake authentic sports memoraibilia, you should not take all this at face value.

In the book 'Hustle, the Myth, Life and Lies of Pete Rose', a scathing anti-Rose biography, this is how the sports memorabilia business is described:

Even outside of Rose's involvement in it, the hobby, as memorabilia dealers sometimes refer to the industry, is rife with counterfeiting, fraud, forged autographs, and theft. Without overstating the case, it is a cesspool." Hustle, page 237.

And yet everyone is willing to take the word of a memorabilia collector who stands to make $100 K if he convinces people he has a 'real' Rose game used corked bat....

Sorry, but color me skeptical.

[TheNext44]

Originally Posted by mbgrayson

I certainly don't doubt that at all. That is why my post above does not rely at all on his denials. Instead, it examines the chain of custody to see if the evidence holds up. If you presume he is guilty, the evidence won't change your mind.

However, the evidence of him corking that bat by itself is thin. They are trying to say that a photo of him holding a bat in an on deck circle is the same bat because of scuff marks being in about the same place as in the grainy old photo. However, the tape is wrapped diferently on the bat, and anyone could scuff a bat to make the marks appear to be similiar.

Again, if you assumes Pete is always guilty, then you will be convinced. But if you have read about the lengths that some people go to make counterfeits of valuable documents(to sell for huge profit), or to fake authentic sports memoraibilia, you should not take all this at face value.

In the book 'Hustle, the Myth, Life and Lies of Pete Rose', a scathing anti-Rose biography, this is how the sports memorabilia business is described:


And yet everyone is willing to take the word of a memorabilia collector who stands to make $100 K if he convinces people he has a 'real' Rose game used corked bat....

Sorry, but color me skeptical.

I have no doubt that Rose played with a corked bat at some point in his career. That's because I have no doubt that most players playing in his era played with a corked bat at some point.

But I am just as skeptical as you as to whether or not this bat was one of them. It could be, but it's just as likely that it's not. I can count on one hand the number of dealers that I knew that were never dishonest when trying to make a sale.

[icehole3]

some people will try to bash Pete every chance they get, there will be people like myself who will defend him with my every dieing breath and not believe everything negative about Pete and will listen to both sides, those who chose to believe everything negative, well... I feel sorry for them

[Ron Madden]

I loved Pete as a player, He always wanted to win at all cost.

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if he corked his bat.

[Eric_the_Red]

Originally Posted by icehole3

some people will try to bash Pete every chance they get, there will be people like myself who will defend him with my every dieing breath and not believe everything negative about Pete and will listen to both sides, those who chose to believe everything negative, well... I feel sorry for them

I don't see how the two bolded statements go together.

[bucksfan]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Nothing like a Rose double in the gap and a cloud of dust into second.

No pointing to the sky, no kissing any necklaces, just a cloud a dust, an adjusted helmet and a slight smile.

Damn.... why'd he have to ruin that for us?

Yep - not how we woul d have loved it to play out, but the original memories, kept within the context of the time, are still there. Lots of things like that unfortunately.

[icehole3]

Originally Posted by Eric_the_Red

I don't see how the two bolded statements go together.

well... I will

[bucksfan2]

Couple of thoughts here.

Why xray the bat now? Will it change anything?

I remember a few years ago when baseball tonight did a segment on corked bats. It may have been shortly after Sammy "I speaky no English" Sosa got caught with a corked bat. Buck Showalter was able to cork a bat on air pretty quickly. Not that I am saying he cheated, but it was evident that he knew what he was doing in corking a bat.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by icehole3

some people will try to bash Pete every chance they get, there will be people like myself who will defend him with my every dieing breath and not believe everything negative about Pete and will listen to both sides, those who chose to believe everything negative, well... I feel sorry for them

People have a tendency to rationalize what they can, and forget what they can't.

[Bumstead]

Thanks for sharing that scorecard WOY. I was still listening to about 140 games a year on WLW at that time. The irritation of everything around the game of baseball didn't exist for me then. If only I didn't know now what I didn't know then....

[lollipopcurve]

Nothing like a Rose double in the gap and a cloud of dust into second.

No pointing to the sky, no kissing any necklaces, just a cloud a dust, an adjusted helmet and a slight smile.

Loved watching Rose. But it's a fact that a lot of "old school" players at the time, and fans from coast to coast, found him to be an insufferable hot dog.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

Loved watching Rose. But it's a fact that a lot of "old school" players at the time, and fans from coast to coast, found him to be an insufferable hot dog.

Oh god yes, I can attest to that. My cousins (Mets fans) hated him, the whole west coast loathed him when I arrived there.

Universally loved?

Never Pete Rose, except in the backyards and living rooms in Rhineland.

[Bumstead]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

Loved watching Rose. But it's a fact that a lot of "old school" players at the time, and fans from coast to coast, found him to be an insufferable hot dog.

Who cares? He was beating them and they didn't like it and he didn't care if they liked it. People don't like Pierzynski, they think he's a ******. He probably is to the other team but his teammates love him.

Insufferable hot dog? Alfonso Soriano? Sammy Sosa? Hell Pete Rose played as hard as he could all the time; is that a hot dog?

[icehole3]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Why would I be a Dodger fan?

I never lived in LA.

Memories have a price Icehole, Pete sets that price for guys like you who can't separate the man from the game.

http://www.scorecardclassics.com/