Monday, August 28, 2000
Speedway Notebook
Rose signs for free
By Tom Groeschen
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SPARTA, Ky. — Pete Rose was back with his adoring public Sunday. Baseball's hit king signed free autographs and was grand marshal of the Indy Racing League's Belterra Resort Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway, about 40 miles southwest of Rose's Cincinnati hometown.
Rose, banned for life from baseball, remains a hero to many Cincinnati fans. Hundreds lined up in the morning sunshine to get Rose's autograph, about four hours before Sunday's race started.
“You'll be in the Hall of Fame someday!” one fan said.
“You're the greatest player ever!” another said.
Rose, a longtime friend of speedway chairman Jerry Carroll, sat at a table in the speedway infield. He wore a Kentucky Speedway baseball cap and a Speedway pullover sweater, and bantered with fans as he signed autograph cards.
Carroll said Rose waived his usual appearance fee. Rose often visited Turfway Park horse track when Carroll owned it from 1986-99.
“He'd usually charge what, $20,000 or $25,000 for an appearance like this,” Carroll said. “But Pete's doing this for me. We've done things for each other in the past. This is what it's all about, seeing all these people who are glad to see him and see the race.”
Rose, 59, spoke little of his baseball situation. Last week, he made news by saying he still has not been told the status of his application for reinstatement.
He agreed in 1989 to a lifetime ban from baseball following a six-month investigation of his gambling, but has not heard from Commissioner Bud Selig about his reinstatement.
Rose was more in the mood to discuss racing.
“These guys are athletes,” he said. “You have to be in shape to drive like they do. And with that hand-eye coordinaton? They'd probably be good hitters in baseball.”
Rose, who now lives in Los Angeles and has a condominium in Boca Raton, Fla., said he gets to Cincinnati several times a year for various reasons.
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