There is no doubt that Pete Rose had a compulsion for hitting.  In the summer of 1990, Pete Rose confessed to tax evasion and was sentenced to five months in jail and a fine.  In January of 1991, after serving his time in prison, he was picked up by his son, Pete Rose, Jr.  Pete asked his son if he knew where the closet batting cage was located.  “Yes,” said Jr. “there happens to be one close by.  When they got there, Pete asked the attendant which machine was the fastest.  The attendant said they had a machine that threw 85 mph.  Pete Rose, “the hit king,” was 51 years old when he stepped into the batter’s box.  A crowd had now gathered around to see what would happen.  On the very first pitch the machine delivered, Pete hit a screaming line drive straight back at the pitching machine.  He dropped the bat, turned to the crowd, and said, “Some things never change.”

 

                                                    Andy Purvis

                                             www.purvisbooks.com