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MANSFIELD: He could have talked for hours on end about life lessons, overcoming setbacks, accepting responsibility, and generally boring everyone.

However, that isn’t Pete Rose.

Instead, Rose discussed universal thoughts and emotions while speaking in front of around 200 attendees at Westbrook Country Club on Saturday night as part of the Ontario Baseball Fundraiser. He talked about winning and how there is just one possible result when playing a game: winning.

Acquiring knowledge and developing teamwork skills are all well and good, but is there anything more satisfying than triumphing? It stinks to lose. I invite no one to my or Pete Rose’s foxhole who likes to lose. You also shouldn’t invite them to yours. Since it is inappropriate to accept failure.

With 4,256 hits, Rose leads all players who have ever worn a Major League Baseball uniform in games played, at-bats, and singles. With 10,328, he had also made the most outs. Rose is the only one who has experienced both success and disappointment, winning and losing. Nevertheless, nothing gives him more energy than success.

He obviously put his all into the game every single time. That and the tale he shared with the Ontario Baseball Fundraiser audience.

Harry, Pete’s father, established and built a family in Cincinnati as a banker. Harry went to all of Pete’s games, and after the game each night, he would immediately head home to rest before starting work the next day.

However, Rose’s father was waiting for him when he went to his car one night to leave the game. Rose ran to his father, fearing that his mother might be ill. Rose’s dad then questioned him about his third at-bat of the evening, which was a sluggish, weak ground ball to second on a pitch Rose ought to have hit over the second baseman’s head for a single. Rose jogged to first, agitated.

Acquiring knowledge and developing teamwork skills are all well and good, but is there anything more satisfying than triumphing? It stinks to lose. I invite no one to my or Pete Rose’s foxhole who likes to lose. You also shouldn’t invite them to yours. Since it is inappropriate to accept failure.

With 4,256 hits, Rose leads all players who have ever worn a Major League Baseball uniform in games played, at-bats, and singles. With 10,328, he had also made the most outs. Rose is the only one who has experienced both success and disappointment, winning and losing. Nevertheless, nothing gives him more energy than success.

He obviously put his all into the game every single time. That and the tale he shared with the Ontario Baseball Fundraiser audience.

Harry, Pete’s father, established and built a family in Cincinnati as a banker. Harry went to all of Pete’s games, and after the game each night, he would immediately head home to rest before starting work the next day.

However, Rose’s father was waiting for him when he went to his car one night to leave the game. Rose ran to his father, fearing that his mother might be ill. Rose’s dad then questioned him about his third at-bat of the evening, which was a sluggish, weak ground ball to second on a pitch Rose ought to have hit over the second baseman’s head for a single. Rose jogged to first, agitated.

After sharing those anecdotes, he talked about how he placed a baseball wager that resulted in a lifetime suspension from MLB and votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

“I’m to blame,” Rose declared. “Baseball is my wager. I wager that my squad will prevail. Since they will do everything in their ability to ensure their team wins, managers ought to support their own teams to win.”

It’s true, illegal, and irrational. Who could disagree with Rose’s argument, even though it doesn’t make it right?

Without a doubt, I cannot.

The crowd asked Rose one last question to round off the evening, with about thirty questions answered by then. He was questioned about his desire to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His answer was met with cheers.

“Listen, this is America, the land of second chances,” Rose responded. “Give me a second chance and I promise you, I will never need a third.”

Who could argue, once more? Rose did indeed break the rules, and although he covered it up for years, he eventually acknowledged his errors and now has to live with them every day. Rose, who was banned for life for gambling, looks on as 13 NFL players have been found guilty of betting on games since 2019; none of them have faced a permanent ban. Why does Rose stand out from the rest?

It’s possible that Rose will never be admitted into the Hall of Fame and restored by MLB during his lifetime. Rose has to accept that as her reality.

Does that deter him from sharing his baseball anecdotes? Not a possibility.

It would be quite easy for him to decide to give up on the game and disown it, just as it has deserted him.

However, that isn’t Pete Rose.

It must be acknowledged that I am too young to have witnessed Pete Rose play a single game in real time. Best points? Oh, without a doubt. But he existed long before I did.

My father could go on for days about the way Rose played; he came to the event with me and got to have a private supper with Rose, some of the organizers, and the owners of Westbrook Country Club.

He approached the game in a way that all ballplayers wish they could. It’s clear as ever that he loves the game. It has become his obsession. Every day, he worries about baseball’s future and wants to see it flourish.

And he loved winning, oh boy. Inquire with Ray Fosse about the person Rose infamously tackled during a home play in an All-Star game.

Rose declared, “I was trying to win.” “I played in 17 all-star games and won 16 of them.”

Rose played the game to win, regardless of when, when, who, or why he did it.

Rose responded, “Losing those three World Series was like having a knife rip through my heart,” when asked about his favorite baseball memories he wished he could go back and undo.

However, in all honesty, Rose probably wouldn’t have revisited those moments. He used failure as fuel to fire his desire to win, and who knows what would have happened to his passion if he had won all three series? He might have adjusted his strategy such that winning wasn’t as important to him in every game.

However, that isn’t Pete Rose.