Saturday, November 20, 1999
Rose says he's angry at Selig
Wants answer to request for reinstatement
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Pete Rose is angry that Bud Selig hasn't responded in more than two years to his request for reinstatement to baseball.
“If you don't think I should be reinstated, it doesn't take that much to sit down and write it on paper and answer my request,” Rose said on The Martin Short Show, which was broadcast Friday.
Rose joked about keeping his cell phone with him at all times.
“I always keep it on because it might be Bud calling me,” Rose said.
Selig, who did not immediately return a telephone call Friday seeking comment, has said repeatedly that he has seen no new evidence that would make him alter the ban.
Rose, appearing in a skit, spoofed his contentious interview with NBC's Jim Gray during the World Series. Microphone in hand, Rose grilled Short: “The American people are very forgiving. Would you like to take this opportunity to apologize for that movie you did, "Captain Ron?”'
Short replied: “Pete, apologize for what? A lot of people actually liked that movie.”
Rose retorted, “Not the critics.”
Mimicking Rose's replies to Gray, Short said: “Everyone's in a great mood and you're bringing up a movie that I made eight years ago?”
Short walked away in mock disgust and Rose said, “I guess that didn't go so good. That's the last time I'll take interview tips from Jim Gray.”
Rose later turned serious in answering questions about the interview by Gray, who repeatedly asked Rose about gambling following the ceremony honoring the All-Century team at the World Series. Gray was criticized by many for the tone of the interview and later, under pressure from a corporate sponsor, apologized to fans.
“We were told it would be a very positive interview,” Rose said. “Everything in the interview was about gambling.”
The 58-year-old Rose said he was pleased he got the longest ovation from fans at Turner Field when the All-Century team was introduced.
“To get a bigger hand than Hank Aaron in Atlanta is almost like getting a bigger hand than God in heaven,” Rose said.
At Thursday's taping with Short, the studio audience welcomed Rose with a standing ovation that lasted more than a minute.
Rose has scheduled several interviews in the next few weeks, some of which are part of his promotion for an Internet company's launch.
Following an investigation of his gambling, Rose agreed in August 1989 to accept a lifetime ban from baseball. He is ineligible for the Hall of Fame ballot as long as he's on the permanently banned list.
Rose denies he bet on baseball but A. Bartlett Giamatti, the commissioner at the time, concluded Rose had repeatedly bet on the Reds, the team he was managing.
The former Reds star said he doesn't “feel as bad as you might think” about not being eligible for enshrinement.
“It would mean more to my 15-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter than it would to anyone else because they didn't get to see me play,” Rose said.
Reds Stories
 Rose says he's angry at Selig
|
UC freshmen ready for first step
Satterfield's bravado best part of game
It's official: Harper will join Bearcats
Bertucci to start at QB for UC
Upset still haunts Prosser
Kentucky 56, Utah 48
Majerus on UK: 'Terrific'
NKU 120, Thomas More 66
Stuff cut XU's Massey, sign UK's Turner
Michigan blocks OSU from bowl
Buckeyes' bowl hopes big 'if'
Miami's Yeager headed to sidelines
Speedway schedule offers 3 weekends of racing
Big weekend for NKU volleyball, soccer
Cleveland 5, Cyclones 4
Mighty Ducks 7, Saint John 4
Bengals caught Web-less
Wilson still learning at linebacker
Ravens' passing game comes down to Banks
Reds page
