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VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Baseball has mislaid its deed king.
But for Woodlake alum and MLB seasoned pitcher Ron Robinson - helium mislaid a friend. On Monday, the legendary Pete Rose passed distant astatine the property of 83 successful his location successful Las Vegas.
"I mean helium was a begetter representation to me," Robinson said.
As a erstwhile first-round enactment by the Cincinnati Reds successful the 1980 MLB draft, Robinson played for Rose.
"I was successful the large leagues for 3 days and Pete Rose became the subordinate manager," Robinson said.
After 4 years successful the Reds' insignificant league system, Robinson yet got the telephone to the show. He was anxious to conscionable the antheral named the 1963 NL Rookie of the Year erstwhile Robinson was conscionable a twelvemonth old.
"I was staying successful a edifice successful downtown Cincinnati and I made definite I got up aboriginal and went to the clubhouse existent aboriginal to conscionable Pete and I was the archetypal one," Robinson said.
With 3 World Series titles, 17-all-star appearances, an MVP, much hits, sheet appearances and games played than anyone successful large league history, Rose's estimation spoke for itself.
RELATED: Pete Rose, all-time MLB hits leader, dies astatine 83
"He was Elvis Presley for baseball," Robinson said.
But Robinson says much than thing - Rose loved to win.
"You turn up imagining playing against guys similar that, and past to play for him was great. He was intense, helium wanted to triumph astatine each costs," Robinson said.
But that relentless competitory quality would get Rose into trouble.
"'What bash you deliberation astir this shot game? You cognize your dad's a manager what bash you think." Robinson, whose begetter Leo is champion known arsenic the legendary Woodlake High schoolhouse shot manager (290 vocation wins), said. "I deliberation everybody knew that helium was that benignant of guy."
In 1989, Rose was banned from shot for betting connected the Reds squad helium managed.
For 15 years, he'd contradict the allegations.
But successful 2004 he'd admit to gambling arsenic the Cincinnati skipper, rationalizing the determination by saying helium lone stake connected the Reds to win.
"I deliberation there's a batch of worse guys successful the hallway of fame," Robinson said.
The numbers are undeniable but players similar Rose connected MLB's permanently ineligible database are not allowed to beryllium inducted into the shot hallway of fame.
"You tin person a cause problem, they'll forgive you. You person a gambling problem, they won't forgive you,"
In 2020, ESPN reported that the regularisation adjacent applies to individuals aft their death.
With Pete's passing, the hallway of fame continues to beryllium without 1 of top to ever play.
"Everybody deserves a 2nd accidental and helium didn't get it successful baseball," Robinson said.
For the past week, the Reds faithful person been stopping by Great American Ballpark successful Cincinnati to wage their tributes.
Dropping disconnected roses for the antheral they called "Charlie Hustle."
"Do you deliberation we'll ever spot different jock similar him?" I asked.
"No, you'll ne'er spot anybody that intense. Pete played for pridefulness helium didn't play for money. He played to win," Robinson said.
For years - Robinson has stayed adjacent with the reds enactment and instrumentality base.
He says if the shot nine decides to a clasp a memorial - it'll beryllium arsenic large arsenic they antheral they'll honor.
"I deliberation it'll beryllium arsenic large arsenic Babe Ruth. He's a hometown leader and I ideate if they person it unfastened to the nationalist it'll beryllium the biggest happening to hap successful Cincinnati successful a agelong time," Robinson said.
Whether oregon not Rose ever finds himself successful Cooperstown is inactive up for debate.
But Rose's interaction connected Robinson is not.
"I emotion him. He was a bully idiosyncratic to me," Robinson said.
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