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Pete Rose has his No. 14 retired by Cincinnati Reds

By Brad Weiss

Jun 25, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds former player Pete Rose points to his hat while speaking during his Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before a game with the San Diego Padres at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds former player Pete Rose points to his hat while speaking during his Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before a game with the San Diego Padres at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /
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While the Hit King may never make it to Cooperstown, his legend will always live in Cincinnati.

Prior to their game against the San Diego Padres on Sunday, the Cincinnati Reds officially retired the number of the man with the most hits in the history of Major League Baseball. Pete Rose had his No. 14 put into retirement, an incredible moment for the man who has been one of the more polarizing figures in baseball history.

Rose was also given a crystal glass sculpture depicting the moment after he got his 4,192nd hit, as well as a painting depicting his trademark headfirst slide.

“It is our salute to that person whose impact transcends their lifetime and spares any future player the impossible task of living up to a legacy too large to fill,” Reds CEO Bob Castellini said during the ceremony.

The only other Reds player to wear No. 14 since Rose retired was his son, Pete Rose Jr. The younger Rose threw out the ceremonial first pitch to his father, who was standing behind home plate.

Rose holds the Major League record for hits with 4,256. A 17-time All-Star, Rose won three titles as a member of the “Big Red Machine.”

Rose was permanently banned from Major League Baseball in 1989, after it was found that he bet on baseball. He applied to have the ban lifted last year, but Commissioner Rob Manfred upheld the ban.

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