Q & A With Pete Rose

By Rebecca Winters; Pete Rose Sunday, Jan. 11, 2004
    • In his new book, My Prison Without Bars, Pete Rose finally admits that he gambled on baseball. He has been barred from the sport for 14 years.

    Why come clean after all this time?

    When we met with the commissioner 14 months ago, I left with a good feeling that something was gonna happen. I just felt it was time to take this off my shoulders.

    Aren't you profiting from your crime?

    The whole book's not about the crime. It's a story about my father and myself. Bill O'Reilly wrote a book. He got paid. Hillary Clinton wrote a book. She got paid. I don't understand why I can't.

    Did you win when you bet on baseball?

    Yeah, probably. I knew baseball. But I didn't win because I did certain things. I tried to do everything I could for the fans of Cincinnati to win the game.

    Don't you still gamble?

    I still gamble, but it's all legal. I own horses, and I go to watch my horse. I don't go daily.

    What current catcher would you most like to crash into at home plate?

    Today I'd just crash and burn. I guess the best catcher out there today is Pudge [Ivan Rodriguez]. I think he probably is the greatest defensive catcher ever.

    Who should play you in the movie of your life?

    Me. To play me you have to be an aggressive, rugged-type person at the ballpark. But I'm pretty easygoing when I'm out of the spikes. I had to play the way I did because I was short on talent. Willie Mays could throw better, and Hank Aaron could hit more home runs. But I've got enthusiasm. I've got desire. I've got hustle. Those are God-given talents too.