The cause of death of baseball icon Pete Rose has been revealed.
Rose died of heart disease at his Las Vegas home on Monday, September 30, according to a coroner’s report reviewed by the Cincinnati Enquirer. He was 83 years old.
Specifically, Rose suffered from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a condition which occurs when blood vessels become thick and stiff, forcing the heart to work harder and making it difficult to circulate oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.
The day before he died, Rose was seen in a wheelchair at an autograph signing at the Music City Sports Collectibles and Autograph Show in Nashville, Tennessee. In a photo that circulated on social media Sunday, September 29, Rose posed with a group of former Cincinnati Reds teammates at the convention.
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Rose, the all-time hits leader in Major League Baseball history, became a superstar with the Reds from 1963 to 1978. He would later return to the Reds in 1984 and play the final three seasons of his professional career with the franchise, when he also acted as a player-manager for the team until 1989.
He also played five seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and one abbreviated season with the Montreal Expos over the course of his 24 seasons in the league.
In August 1989, during his final year as Reds’ manager, Rose was permanently banned from baseball after allegations that he gambled on games during his playing career. The accusations suggested Rose placed wagers on games involving his own team.
Rose was subsequently banned from being eligible for the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, despite being one of the league’s most decorated and beloved players in history. The exclusion of Rose has been a point of contention in the baseball community for decades.
After years of public denial, Rose admitted the allegations were true in 2004, but he continued to fight for his reinstatement.
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“Major League Baseball extends its deepest condolences to Pete Rose’s family, his friends across the game, and the fans of his hometown of Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Montreal and beyond who admired his greatness, grit and determination on the field of play. May he rest in peace,” MLB posted via X following Rose’s death.
“Absolutely heartbroken to hear the devastating news about Pete Rose’s passing,” Alex Rodriguez posted via X. “He always brought a smile to my face when we worked together at Fox. He was true original and 1 of 1. Nobody loved baseball more than Pete and I’ll miss him terribly.”
Rose’s former Reds teammate Johnny Bench spoke to Fox19 in Cincinnati about the loss of his friend.
“My heart is sad. I loved you Peter Edward,” Bench, 76, said. “You made all of us better. No matter the life we led. No one can replace you.”
