Recent allegations surrounding the Hit King have led to the Phillies canceling his induction onto the Wall of Fame
UPDATE: The Phillies have officially canceled plans to honor Pete Rose during Alumni Weekend.
Pete Rose will not participate in Phillies Alumni Weekend events. Full statement attached. pic.twitter.com/EWB9BD7cy0
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 2, 2017
Pete Rose will not be inducted onto the Phillies Wall of Fame during Alumni Weekend, according to WIP’s Howard Eskin.
Rose, who played five years in Philadelphia and won a World Series, has been embroiled in a statutory rape scandal dating back to the 1970s.
Sources: #phillies will cancel Pete Rose Wall Of Fame night. Tuesday it was a go but something had to change their mind 2day @SportsRadioWIP
— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) August 2, 2017
A woman testified in a defamation case brought up by Rose against a lawyer in Philadelphia that she had a relationship with Rose when she was 14 years old. At the time in the state of Ohio, the age of consent was 16 years old. Rose has claimed to believe the woman was of the legal age during their relationship, which allegedly occurred while he was married and in his mid-30s.
Joe Conklin has also announced that the Philly Sports Roast of Pete Rose will be canceled following the latest accusations.
Due to recent developments with Pete Rose, the PhillySportsRoast on Aug 10 has been cancelled. Ticket purchases will be refunded in full.
— Joe Conklin (@RealJoeConklin) August 2, 2017
The lawyer Rose is suing for defamation, John Dowd, alleged on a radio show in 2015 that an associate of Rose, Michael Bertolini, would bring underage girls in for the star player during spring training.
"“Michael Bertolini, you know, told us that he not only ran bets but he ran young girls for him down at spring training, ages 12 to 14,” Dowd responded. “Isn’t that lovely? So that’s statutory rape every time you do that.”"
Rose continues to deny those accusations.
A poll of our followers on Twitter prior to the ceremony being reportedly canceled agreed that the organization should take a step back.
Should the Phillies hold the Pete Rose Wall of Fame ceremony following the latest sexual assault allegations?
— PHILLIES TBOH (@FS_TBOH) August 1, 2017
Last year the Cincinnati Reds, with whom Rose is generally associated with, inducted him into their Hall of Fame after commissioner Rob Manfred approved the plan. Manfred continues to deny Rose’s efforts towards being reinstated in baseball after a gambling scandal during his days as a player and coach.
Next: Phillies Grade the Trade: Deadline 2017
Philadelphia fans helped elect Rose to the Wall of Fame during the offseason, selecting him over the late manager Jim Fregosi and the recently retired Placido Polanco. A ceremony previously scheduled for Saturday, August 12 will likely be given a facelift, and could potentially honor the late Dallas Green and Jim Bunning, both members of the Wall of Fame.
Darren Daulton, a recent inductee onto the Wall of Fame, has reportedly fallen ill once again in his battle with brain cancer.