Watch CBS News

Pete Rose: 'I'm The Best Ambassador That Baseball Has'

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Major League Baseball hits Kings is still fighting the good fight, hoping to be reinstated into baseball. But for now, Pete Rose is enjoying his every day, baseball-oriented.

A typical day for Rose---who was able to work as an analyst for FOX during the 2015 season---includes signing autographs and talking baseball with fans for four hours, grabbing a meal from Subway, and watching whatever sporting event is on TV that night.

As for his future?

"Just continuously be a great baseball fan, which I am, and to be honest with you guys---and probably people think I'm crazy when I say this---but I believe I'm the best ambassador that baseball has," Rose told Michael Barkann and Ike Reese on Thursday's 94WIP Mike & Ike Show. "I believe I'm the only guy in the history of baseball that signs autographs for four and a half hours and we get a lot of customers. And I'm always talking about the game of baseball in January and February, and November and December. And I'm one of those guys---I don't knock the game of baseball. I love the game of baseball.

Listen: Pete Rose on the 94WIP Mike & Ike Show

 

"I'll continue to try and sell the game of baseball whether I'm in it or not in it."

Rose was negatively back in the news this past summer, when an ESPN Outside The Lines report released incriminating documents of Rose's betting records while he was still playing in 1986.

In September, however, Rose met with new MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred about seven months after applying for reinstatement. Manfred's decision will come in the next several weeks.

"I don't worry about what people say that may or may not happen 35 years ago," Rose said. "It seems like every time you turn around, ESPN can come up with something beyond---what is it? Behind The Lines, or whatever it is? I don't worry about that. I'm not concerned about that at all. I had a very successful with the commissioner [Rob Manfred] who was very cordial and he told me he would make a decision by then end of the calendar year and we'll go from there."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.