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Thousands of Pete Rose fans pay respects during 14-hour visitation at Great American Ball Park

'Pete's a part of Cincinnati just like every one of us'

ian casselberry
Contributing writer
·3-min read

Thousands of fans showed up to Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on a rainy Sunday to pay their respects to Pete Rose, the Reds legend who died on Sept. 30 at 83 years old.

The visitation for Rose was arranged by the Reds and Rose's daughters, Fawn and Kara. Beginning at at 7 a.m. and open to the public until 9 p.m. (14 hours in honor of Rose's No. 14), fans started lining up outside the ballpark at 4 a.m.

Admirers didn't just go to the ballpark because Rose is baseball's all-time hits leader at 4,256 or because he was on three World Series championship teams as part of the vaunted "Big Red Machine" of the 1970s. Rose was also a hometown hero for so many who also grew up in Cincinnati, representing someone who succeeded due to hard work, determination and hustle. His lifetime ban from baseball, which prevented him from induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, didn't matter to them.

"We all love Pete," one attendee told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Pete's a part of Cincinnati just like every one of us."

Seven hours into the event, more than 1,500 people had come to the visitation, according to a Reds spokesperson. Fans could pass by an urn containing Rose's ashes and a table with various memorabilia from his career in addition to the jacket he was given when he was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame. A video of Rose's many highlights played on the video boards in the ballpark.

"I know he said to us, being in the Reds Hall of Fame and having his statue at the ballpark and his number [retired] is exciting and good enough for him," Rick Wells, executive director of the Reds Hall of Fame, said to the Enquirer. "I don't know what's going to happen down the road, but I know a lot of people would like to see him in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and we'll leave that up to them."

Fans placed several items at the Rose statue outside the ballpark, including red roses, signed baseballs, No. 14 jerseys and Reds caps.

"We are deeply moved by the overwhelming love and support from the people of Cincinnati, the entire baseball community, and fans across the world as we mourn the loss of our beloved Dad, Grandpa, and Brother, Pete Rose," Fawn Rose said in a statement, via the Associated Press.

The Reds will also honor Rose next season on May 14 (again paying tribute to Rose's jersey number) with a special "Pete Rose Day." First pitch for the game versus the Chicago White Sox will be at 7:14 p.m.