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Topps Decides Not To Acknowledge Pete Rose As Hit King

By Spike Eskin

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Baseball cards were a major part of my youth. Before the internet, I learned most of what I knew about players in other cities from the backs of their baseball cards.

If that were the case today, kids would not know that Pete Rose is baseball's all-time hit leader.

Topps has decided to wipe Rose's name from the backs of their baseball cards, Chicago Side Sports reports.

Clay Luraschi, a spokesman for Topps, called the omission of Rose "a simple decision" but declined to elaborate. When pressed, he repeated that it was "plain and simple" that Rose's name should not appear on cards.

Rose, who is baseball's all-time hit leader with 4,256, was banned from baseball for gambling on MLB games.

Topps does acknowledge that 4,256 is the hit record, but does not use Rose's name when mentioning the record.

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