#18 Pete Rose

 

Pete Rose
2B/3B/OF/1B
1963-1986
17x All Star, 1963 Rookie of the Year, 1973 MVP
3x Batting Champion, All time leader in Hits

"I'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball" ignoring the fact that I don't know what the hell a gasoline suit is...I get it. Pete Rose could certainly play baseball, better than almost anyone that's ever done it- not the best guy reportedly, but could play the game. 

As much as he's become short hand for cranky old white guys to talk about the "right way to play" Rose did play every single game with a reckless abandon and overcame his natural abilities. He's got more hits than anyone who ever played the game. He's got 3 rings. He played 500 games at 4 different positions. He holds the NL record for longest hitting streak. 

He played in more major league baseball games than anyone else. He made 17 All Star teams. 

How's this for crazy he's the all time leader in hits, the all time leader in singles, and second all time in doubles. Even with all that hitting he's 14th all time in walks!

He's also 6th all time in runs scored. 

He's not in the Hall of Fame, if you're even a little bit of a baseball fan you know why...my stance on that is...someone got all those hits. 



Anthony Leonelli is a 37 year old College Basketball Coach and amateur baseball arguer. If you wanna know how this list came together check here criteria. He thinks that George Brett winning batting titles in 3 decades is pretty awesome. 


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