Sunday, February 13, 2000
Rose sends regrets: he'll be on safari
Reds 'too scared' to invite him to World Championship anniversary
Enquirer news services
LANSING, Mich. — Pete Rose says he would skip the Reds celebration of the 1975 World Championship team on June 3, even if baseball allowed him to attend, because of a prior commitment to an African safari.
“I've had it planned for over a year,” Rose said on Saturday in Lansing, Mich., where he was conducting a baseball clinic. “I don't think I could disappoint that many guys. It was something that cost a lot of money to set up. You have to pay the guides. It is in Africa for a week-and-a-half, two weeks.
“It is just like the night of the All-Century celebration. I can't help it. I had a card show in Atlantic City that day. I didn't plan the show. When I decided to do something at the end of May and the first week of June about 11 or 12 months ago, I had no idea it would conflict with something like this.”
Anyway, Rose said the Reds and Phillies, who are also celebrating a World Championship anniversary this year, were “too scared to invite me.
“They are too scared of what baseball might do to them as far as fining them $250,000,” Rose said.
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig said last week that Rose would be barred from the ceremony at Cinergy Field because he is banned from baseball. He called Rose's participation in the All-Century team celebration at Game 2 of the 1999 World Series a one-time exception.
“Instead of showing the respect they should, they are scared to ask for the opportunity,” Rose said of the Reds and Phillies. “Why wouldn't they when I went to the All-Century celebration? The last time I checked, I was on the field right behind the pitcher's mound in Game 2 of the World Series. What's the big deal if you can go to that. Why can't you go to a 25-year anniversary of the Reds or a 20-year anniversary of the Phillies?”
After Selig's pronouncement, council member Pat DeWine had suggested the city hold a Fountain Square celebration June 3 with Rose and other Big Red Machine members.
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