Twenty-five years and one day ago, I was living in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, just across the river from Riverfront Stadium. I was in school, I could hear the fireworks whenever a Red hit a home run, or when the Reds won a game. I could leave a game as the last out was made, and usually get home before the Reds radio had their scoreboard. I was close. Sometimes, after a night class, I could go over to Riverfront, park out front, and walk in as they took down the turnstiles after the 6th inning. I saw the last 3 innings of several games while I was in school, I think one went 14 innings...
As Pete neared Ty Cobb's record, a few of my baseball fan classmates and I got to thinking about when Pete might get the hit. As time got close, I settled on Tuesday, September the 10th. A night game with the Padres. I got 4 tickets.
Three of my classmates and I went to the game that night. We'd predicted well, Pete had 4191 hits, and needed one. That night against the Padres he went 0 for 4. Flashbulbs going off with each pitch of each at bat. I think he hit a line drive at an infielder his last time up, the only ball he hit solidly... we were shattered. The game had been a sell-out, tickets were going through the roof. The Reds had built plywood platforms behind the top row of lower deck seats, and set up folding chairs on the platforms, people were jamming into that little Riverfront Stadium. As we walked over to the parking structure we dragged along, Wednesday night's game was already sold out. Our upper deck Tuesday seats had been affordable, even by student standards. We saw Wednesday tickets going for $100 each as we left the ballpark.
Once in the parking structure, we got to our level, and as we walked to my car there was this young guy, maybe 18 or 20, and he was standing in the driving lane, crying. At first I thought he was drunk, then crazy. I asked if he was ok... He said no, that he had taken off work tonight to see Pete, Pete had let him down, that he had tickets for tomorrow night, but that he couldn't get out of work tomorrow night... I asked if he wanted to sell his tickets. He quit crying and said yes, pulling 4 tickets from his pocket. I looked to make sure they were for Wednesday night, then asked how much he wanted for his tickets. He asked $100 for all 4, I said we'd take them, then it took all 4 of us to pool our money to buy the 4.
As we went to the game Wednesday night, we all 4 agreed that Pete had to do it tonight, because we had a night class Thursday night, one we really shouldn't miss.
Old Pete didn't let us down. As he batted in the first inning the flashbulbs resumed, just before each pitch. After a few pitches he hit a humpbacked soft liner over the shortstop, into left center. They stopped the game for a while... The place had a World Series frenzy. Eric Show, the pitcher, threw some warm up tosses while the hoopla continued.
I am well satisfied that Pete should NOT be in enshrined in the Hall of Fame. I'm also convinced that Pete Rose was one of the most driven, competitive baseball players ever to play. He was all about winning every ballgame he was in. He had more passion for the game than most. He was a great player. He could hit. I'm glad he got that hit. And looking back, I'm glad he got his hit on September the 11th, instead of the 10th. It cost me $25 more, but it's more memorable.
The Reds painted a white circle on the Astroturf, around where that hit landed; the circle stayed there for the next season.
