Former manager Dallas Green hoists Pete Rose's jersey. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        PHILADELPHIA — Pete Rose was at Veterans Stadium — in spirit, anyway — for a ceremony honoring the 1980 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.

        When Phillies announcer Harry Kalas announced Rose's name Saturday night, the crowd of about 35,000 gave Rose a standing ovation and broke into a chant of “Pete, Pete, Pete.”

        Dallas Green, manager of the 1980 team and now an adviser with the Phillies, held Rose's jersey above his head and waved it at the crowd before folding it and placing it on first base.

Green and teammates pass by Rose's jersey at first base. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Rose, the heart and soul of the only championship team in the history of the Philadelphia Phillies, agreed to a lifetime ban from baseball in 1989 following an investigation of his gambling.

        The majors' career hits leader did not attend the Reds' 1975 championship celebration earlier this month.

        “The commissioner said Rose can't be here, and we have to abide by that,” Green said. “This is about a team, though, not about Pete Rose. He was part of this team and he should be here.”

        Rose got the loudest ovation in the festivities held before Philadelphia played Atlanta. Hall of Famers Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt also got big cheers.

        Tug McGraw, who threw the final pitch that clinched the Phillies' victory over the Kansas City Royals, had invited Rose to watch Saturday's game from his corporate box.

        “The fact that Pete Rose is not here is none of my business,” McGraw said. “Pete has a problem with baseball and the commissioner. If it was my business, I'd tell the commissioner to take a hike. But if you do that, you don't show any respect to the game of baseball.”

        The Phillies said they knew all along Rose would not be at the Vet.

        “He didn't want to take attention away from the team,” said Gene Dias, a team spokesman.

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