Major League Baseball Suspends Pete Rose For Life

On August 24, 1989, former Major League Baseball player and manager Pete Rose is suspended from baseball for life for gambling on the sport.

Rose had a long and storied career, which saw stints playing and coaching on the Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Rose would total 4,256 hits in his career with 3,215 singles.

Rose finished his career with a .303 batting average, 4,256 hits, 746 doubles, 135 triples, 160 home runs, 1,314 RBIs, 2,165 runs scored, 198 stolen bases and 1,566 walks.

Rose has 67 more hits than Ty Cobb who is the second ranked player on the list, and nearly 500 more hits than Hank Aaron who is ranked third all-time. Rose would also earn 17 more Major League records during his career, th

e most notable behind the hits record is most career games played, 3,562, which is 254 more than Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox who played in 3,308 games between 1961 and 1983. 

Over the course of his career Rose played every single game of the season eight times, and five times led the league in games played. Rose led the league in batting average three times, with his highest single season average being .348 in 1969. He led the league in hits seven times with his highest single season hit total 230, coming in 1973. He also led the league in runs scored four times. His highest single season total of runs scored came in 1976 with 130 runs scored.

Rose would win the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 1973 and was in the top 10 in MVP voting 10 times over his career. 1973 also was a season Rose was the National League batting champion. Rose was a three time World Series Champion in 1975, 1976 with the Reds and 1980 with the Phillies.

Rose won the Rookie of the Year award in 1963, was a Gold Glove winner twice, and a Silver Slugger once.

Rose would be selected to 17 All-Star games in his 24-season career. The most famous occurrence of Rose in an All-Star game came in 1970, when Rose smashed into then Cleveland Indians catcher Ray Fosse on a play at the plate. Rose would give Fosse a separated shoulder with the incident, but scored the winning run in the process.

Rose even though the all-time hit leader in MLB, and owner of over 17 Major League records has not been elected into Cooperstown the baseball Hall of Fame because of gambling on baseball.

Philadelphia Phillies' Pete Rose Breaks Stan Musial's Hit Record

On August 10, 1981, Philadelphia Phillies great Pete Rose collects career hit number 3,631, breaking Stan Musial's National League hit record of 3,630 hits.

Rose would total 4,256 hits in his career with 3,215 singles.

Rose finished his career with a .303 batting average, 4,256 hits, 746 doubles, 135 triples, 160 home runs, 1,314 RBIs, 2,165 runs scored, 198 stolen bases and 1,566 walks.

Rose has 67 more hits than Ty Cobb who is the second ranked player on the list, and nearly 500 more hits than Hank Aaron who is ranked third all-time. Rose would also earn 17 more Major League records during his career, the most notable behind the hits record is most career games played, 3,562, which is 254 more than Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox who played in 3,308 games between 1961 and 1983.

Over the course of his career Rose played every single game of the season eight times, and five times led the league in games played. Rose led the league in batting average three times, with his highest single season average being .348 in 1969. He led the league in hits seven times with his highest single season hit total 230, coming in 1973. He also led the league in runs scored four times. His highest single season total of runs scored came in 1976 with 130 runs scored.

Rose would win the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 1973 and was in the top 10 in MVP voting 10 times over his career. 1973 also was a season Rose was the National League batting champion. Rose was a three time World Series Champion in 1975, 1976 with the Reds and 1980 with the Phillies.

Rose won the Rookie of the Year award in 1963, was a Gold Glove winner twice, and a Silver Slugger once.

Rose would be selected to 17 All-Star games in his 24-season career. The most famous occurrence of Rose in an All-Star game came in 1970, when Rose smashed into then Cleveland Indians catcher Ray Fosse on a play at the plate. Rose would give Fosse a separated shoulder with the incident, but scored the winning run in the process.

Rose even though the all-time hit leader in MLB, and owner of over 17 Major League records has not been elected into Cooperstown the baseball Hall of Fame because of gambling on baseball.

Boston Red Sox Legend Carlton Fisk Ties MLB Record

On Aug. 8, 1990, Boston Red Sox legend Carlton Fisk ties Johnny Bench for hitting the home most home runs by a catcher with home run number 327, albeit with the Chicago White Sox.

Fisk would go on to pass Bench for home runs hit by a catcher, finishing his career with 351 home runs in line up as a catcher, and with 376 total. However he would not pass the total amount of home runs Bench hit, 389; he would also be passed by Mike Piazza who hit 396 as a catcher and 427 in his career.

Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his six foot two inch, 220 lb. frame, was the first player to be unanimously voted American League Rookie of the Year, in 1972.

Fisk is best known for "waving fair" his game-winning home run in the twelfth inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series.

Fisk held the record for most games played at the position of catcher with 2,226 games behind the plate, until June 17, 2009 when he was surpassed by another "Pudge", Iván Rodríguez.

Fisk still holds the American League record for most years served behind the plate with 24 seasons under his belt. As well several other records including being the oldest catcher in Major League history to hit 20 home runs in 1987. Being the oldest player to record a hit in an All-Star game in 1991. Holding the record for most home runs hit after the age of 40, 72.

Fisk is one of only seven players in history who have caught more than 150 games in a season multiple times (Jim Sundberg, Randy Hundley, Ted Simmons, Frankie Hayes and Gary Carter).

Fisk is one of only sixteen catchers elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Among those, Fisk has the most hits with 2,356, and runs scored with 1,276.

Over his 24-year career Fisk totaled 11 All-Star appearances, including three consecutive appearances from 1972-1974, 1976-1978 and 1980-1982. He would earn three Silver Slugger Awards in 1981, 1985 and 1988. He was a Gold Glove Winner in 1972.

Fisk finished his career with a .269 batting average with 2,356 hits with 421 doubles, 47 triples, and 375 home runs. He has 849 walks to go along with 1,330 RBIs and 1,276 runs scored. He struck out 1,386 times.

Seven times over his career Fisk was in the MVP conversation, and four times was in the top 10 in voting.

The Chicago White Sox retired his no. 72 jersey in 1997.

The Boston Red Sox retired his no. 27 jersey in September of 2000.

Also in 2000 Fisk was inducted into Cooperstown Major League Baseball Hall of Fame with 79.6 percent of the vote.

Cincinnati Reds' Pete Rose Breaks Singles Record

On July 27, 1984, Cincinnati Reds Pete Rose collects his record-breaking career single 3,053 versus the Philadelphia Phillies, a team in which he played on for five years during the middle of his career.

Rose would total 4,256 hits in his career with 3,215 singles.

Rose finished his career with a .303 batting average, 4,256 hits, 746 doubles, 135 triples, 160 home runs, 1,314 RBIs, 2,165 runs scored, 198 stolen bases and 1,566 walks.

Rose has 67 more hits than Ty Cobb who is the second ranked player on the list, and nearly 500 more hits than Hank Aaron who is ranked third all-time. Rose would also earn 17 more Major League records during his career, the most notable behind the hits record is most career games played, 3,562, which is 254 more than Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox who played in 3,308 games between 1961 and 1983.

Over the course of his career Rose played every single game of the season eight times, and five times led the league in games played. Rose led the league in batting average three times, with his highest single season average being .348 in 1969. He led the league in hits seven times with his highest single season hit total 230, coming in 1973. He also led the league in runs scored four times. His highest single season total of runs scored came in 1976 with 130 runs scored.

Rose would win the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 1973 and was in the top 10 in MVP voting 10 times over his career. 1973 also was a season Rose was the National League batting champion. Rose was a three time World Series Champion in 1975, 1976 with the Reds and 1980 with the Phillies.

Rose won the Rookie of the Year award in 1963, was a Gold Glove winner twice, and a Silver Slugger once.

Rose would be selected to 17 All-Star games in his 24-season career. The most famous occurrence of Rose in an All-Star game came in 1970, when Rose smashed into then Cleveland Indians catcher Ray Fosse on a play at the plate. Rose would give Fosse a separated shoulder with the incident, but scored the winning run in the process.

Rose even though the all-time hit leader in MLB, and owner of over 17 Major League records has not been elected into Cooperstown the baseball Hall of Fame because of gambling on baseball.

Detroit Tigers' Ty Cobb Reaches 4,000 Hits

On July 18, 1927, Hall of Famer and Detroit Tigers great Ty Cobb collects career hit 4,000.

At the time Cobb was the only player in Major League Baseball to reach 4,000 hits. Since Cobb only one player has hit more than 4,000 hits and that is former Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos great Pete Rose.

Cobb, nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in The Narrows, Georgia, a small rural community of farmers that was not an official city or village at the time.

Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the last six as the team's player-manager, and finished his career with the Philadelphia Athletics. In 1936 Cobb received the most votes of any player on the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, receiving 222 out of a possible 226 votes.

At the end of his playing career Cobb was credited with breaking 90 MLB records including ending his career with a .366 batting average, still the highest ever, 54 career steals of home, still the most of all time, 892 stolen bases, which has since been surpassed by three players including current stolen base champion Oakland Athletics great Rickey Henderson. Most runs scored with 2,245, which has since been surpassed only by Henderson. Most career hits with 4,191, which has since been surpassed only by Rose.

Cobb finished his career as a one time American League MVP in 1911, the winner of 12 batting titles, including nine in a row from 1907-1915, both of which are the most of all time. He batted over .400 three times, which is tied for an MLB record and only batted under .320 once in his career. He also led the American League with a .350 batting average at age 20, second youngest in MLB history to do so.

Cobb’s career numbers include a .366 batting average, a .433 on-base percentage, a .512 slugging percentage, 4,189 hits, 724 doubles, 295 triples, 117 home runs, 1,249 walks, 1,938 RBIs, 2,246 runs scored, 897 stolen bases in 3,034 games played.

Cobb was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, and Cooperstown Hall of Fame in 1936 with 98.23 percent of the vote. Cobb received the most votes of any player on the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, receiving 222 out of a possible 226 votes.

Since the inception of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York there have been 300 members elected with only three members with a higher percentage of the vote being inducted after Cobb including in this order of percentage; New York Mets great Tom Seaver 98.84 percent, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros and California Angels great Nolan Ryan 98.79 percent and Baltimore Orioles great Cal Ripken Jr. with 98.53 percent.

Only Kansas City Royals George Brett has topped 98 percent of the vote without surpassing Cobb, with 98.19 percent.

Los Angeles Dodgers Jerry Reuss' No-Hits San Francisco Giants

On June 27, 1980, the Los Angeles Dodgers Jerry Reuss' throws a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants in an 8-0 game.

Reuss played for eight teams in his major league career; along with the Dodgers (1979–87), he played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1969–71), Houston Astros (1972–73), and Pittsburgh Pirates (1974–78). At the end of his career (1987–90), he played for the Cincinnati Reds, California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Pirates again (Reuss is one of only two Pirates to have played for Danny Murtaugh, Chuck Tanner, and Jim Leyland, the other being John Candelaria).

 

Reuss was the third oldest active player when he retired at age 41 in 1990. He was one of only 29 players in major league history to play in four different decades. In 1988 he became the second pitcher in history, joining Milt Pappas, to win 200 career games without ever winning 20 in a single season.

He was later joined by Frank Tanana, Charlie Hough, Dennis Martínez, Chuck Finley, Mike Mussina, Kenny Rogers, and Tim Wakefield. (Mussina won 20 for the first time after recording his 200th win.)

Reuss finished his career with 220 wins and 191 losses, a 3.64 ERA and 1,907 strikeouts.

His career also saw accomplishments come in the form of two All-Star selections in 1975 and 1980, with the Pirates and Dodgers respectively. Also in 1980 Reuss was named the National League Comeback Player of the Year, after posting eighteen wins and only six losses, and leading the majors in shutouts with six.

His no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants on June 27, only saw him strike out two batters, narrowly missing a perfect game due to a throwing error in the first inning by shortstop Bill Russell.

Reuss finished second behind Steve Carlton in the running for the Cy Young Award that same year.

In 1981 Reuss was on the Dodgers World Series Championship team.

After his playing time in baseball, Reuss became a broadcaster for baseball, working nationally for ESPN from 1991 to 1993, and was also a color commentator for the California/Anaheim Angels from 1996-98.

He also served as a pitching coach with the minor league Iowa Cubs before returning to broadcasting with the Dodgers in 2006, serving as a color commentator alongside Rick Monday.

MLB Investigates Pete Rose

On March 20, 1989, Major League Baseball’s Pete Rose, who was then the manager of the Cincinnati Reds, announced by the MLB will be under investigation for gambling on baseball.

Pete Rose as a manager of the Cincinnati Red in 1989.

A few months later on, May 9, 1989, Special Investigator John Dowd delivers his report to Baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti. A few months after that on August 24, 1989, Pete Rose voluntarily agrees to a lifetime ban from baseball. The agreement Rose signs with Giamatti contains no formal findings, but Giamatti states he believes Rose bet on baseball. Later that same day, Rose denies the claim.

Eight years later in September, of 1997, Rose applies for reinstatement to baseball.

Seven years after his application for reinstatement, as baseball is set to announce the election of Paul Molitar and Dennis Eckersley into the Hall of Fame, Rose admits he bet on baseball.

Rose, most likely the best hitter of his time, and maybe of all time accumulated 4,256 hits in his career, which still marks first all-time. He played in 3,562, the most all-time. Rose also racked up the most at-bats for any player all-time with 14,053, singles with 3,215 and times on base with 5,929.

Pete Rose doing one of his iconic head first dives as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1975.

Some of Rose’s other accomplishments include, 1963 NL Rookie of the Year award, 1973 NL MVP, 1975 World Series MVP, two gold gloves, one silver slugger award and 17 All-Star Game nominations.

Rose, who will most likely never be elected into the Hall of Fame, has earned his place in the Hall of Fame statistically, but because of his gambling issues, their might be a chance he will never dawn the tan jacket.

Mariners Deal Griffey Jr.

On Feb. 10, 2000, the Seattle Mariners deal Ken Griffey Jr. Ken Griffey Jr. spent the first 11 years of his career with the Seattle Mariners. In 2000 the Mariners traded Griffey to the Cincinnati Reds due to Griffey's impending free agency.

The Mariners received four players in return, Mike Cameron, Jake Meyer, Antonio Perez and Brett Tomko.

Griffey would spend nine years in Cincinnati, but only two of those were not marred by injury.

Six times Griffey had topped 40 home runs in Seattle, but he did so only once in Cincinnati.

Greffiey Jr. also known as “The Kid” goes down as one of the best ball players during the 1990’s and was elected to the All-Century team in 1999.

A 13-time All-Star, Griffey was one of the most prolific home run hitters in baseball history; his 630 home runs rank as the sixth-most in MLB history.

Griffey was also an exceptional defender and won 10 Gold Glove Awards in center field. He is also tied for the record of most consecutive games with a home run (8 games, tied with Don Mattingly and Dale Long).

Griffey also won seven Silver Slugger Awards, the 1997 American League MVP Award, the 1992 MLB All-Star Game MVP, the 2005 National League Comeback Player of the Year Award. He was a three-time Home Run Derby winner, and a four time American League Home Run Champion, and the 1997 American League RBI Champion.

Junior’s career had some stellar moments including playing with his father Ken Griffey Sr. in 1990 and 1991.

Griffey and his father became the first son and father to play on the same team at the same time. In his father's first game as a Mariner, on Aug. 31, 1990, the pair hit back-to-back singles in the first inning and both scored.

On Sep. 14, the pair hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the first off California Angels pitcher Kirk McCaskill, becoming the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs. The duo played a total of 51 games together before Griffey, Sr., retired in June 1991.

Griffey is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have appeared in Major League games in four different calendar decades.

On Jan. 22, 2013, the Mariners announced Griffey would be the seventh person inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.

Griffey Jr. will most likely be a first ballot Hall of Famer into Cooperstown’s Baseball Hall of Fame as he was one of the few athletes during the 1990’s and 2000’s to not be associated with steroids or performance enhancing drug use.

Red Sox Hire Francona

On Dec. 4, 2003, the Boston Red Sox hire Terry Francona as manager.

Francona played in the Major Leagues for 10 years for the Montreal Expos from 1981-1985, the Chicago Cubs in 1986, the Cincinnati Reds in 1987, the Cleveland Indians in 1988, and the Milwaukee Brewers in 1989-1990.

Francona wasn’t an All-Star caliber player but he did play the game posting a career .274 batting average with 16 home runs and 143 RBI’s in his career.

After his playing career was over Francona began coaching, spending several years in the Chicago White Sox organization. In 1991, he managed the rookie league Sarasota White Sox of the Gulf Coast League. In 1992, he ran the South Bend White Sox of the mid-level Class A Midwest League. As manager of the AA franchise Birmingham Barons from 1993–1995, he posted a 223-203 record and won two distinctions: Southern League Manager of the Year in 1993, Baseball America's Minor League Manager of the Year in 1993, and top managerial candidate by Baseball America in 1994, the same year Michael Jordan played for Birmingham. Birmingham won the Southern League championship in 1993.

He managed in the Dominican Winter League with the Águilas Cibaeñas, and he also won the championship and the Serie del Caribe in 1994–95. That team included Miguel Tejada, Manny Ramirez, and Tony Batista.

In 1996 he started his Major League coaching career, becoming the third-base coach for the Detroit Tigers, working under their new skipper, Buddy Bell, a former teammate of Francona on the Reds.

fter the season ended, he was hired as manager of the Phillies, who had won the NL pennant in 1993 but then had three consecutive losing seasons.

In Francona's four seasons (1997 through 2000) as the Phillies skipper, the club never rose above third place in the National League East. His best finish with the Phillies was 77–85 in 1999. In 1998 and 1999, the Phillies finished in third place, behind the Atlanta Braves and their division-rival New York Mets.

He was fired following the 2000 campaign, and spent the following season as a special assistant to the general manager with the Cleveland Indians in (2001), which was followed by two one-year terms as a bench coach for the Texas Rangers (2002) and Oakland Athletics (2003).

In 2004, he was finally given the head managerial spot he desired. The Red Sox hired Francona to manage their club in 2004, after Grady Little's contract was not renewed following the Red Sox loss in the 2003 American League Championship Series.

Francona led the Red Sox to a 98–64 record in 2004, the second-best record in the American League behind their biggest nemesis, the New York Yankees. The club jelled in the second half and was the hottest in baseball after the All-Star break.

As the American League wild card, the Red Sox swept the AL West champion Anaheim Angels, three games to none, in the Division Series. In the 2004 American League Championship Series, the Red Sox fell behind the Yankees, three games to none, including a 19–8 loss in Game 3 at home in Fenway Park. However, the club regained its composure and won the last four games of the series, the first time in Major League Baseball history that a team rallied from an 0–3 deficit to win a playoff series (only the third team to even make it as far as Game 6, and the only team to even force a Game 7 after trailing a series three games to zero). The Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals, 4–0, in the 2004 World Series, ending the so-called Curse of the Bambino.

During the 2005 season, Francona was hospitalized after complaining of severe chest pains. Tests revealed significantly clogged arteries, but it was concluded that Francona had not suffered a heart attack. This incident, as well as a life-threatening pulmonary embolism suffered in 2002, ongoing treatment for blood clots, and painful knees, have led to circulation issues which necessitate wearing extra clothes, including two pairs of tights. This is also why his regular uniform top is usually hidden by a pullover.

Two years later, the Sox won the AL East Division, finishing two games ahead of the Yankees. Under Francona's leadership, the Sox swept the Angels in the Division Series before dropping three of the first four games to the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS. The Sox, facing elimination, went on to win their next three games, defeating Cleveland to advance to the 2007 World Series, where they swept the Colorado Rockies in four games. Terry Francona is the only manager in Major League history to win his first eight consecutive World Series games and just the second manager to guide two Red Sox clubs to World Series titles, the other being Bill "Rough" Carrigan who led Boston to back-to-back championships in 1915 and 1916.

As of October 1, 2008, Francona's career regular-season managerial record was 755–703 (.518), while his post-season record was 22–9 (.710). Among managers who have managed at least 20 post-season games, he has the highest winning percentage. Francona is the first manager in MLB history to win his first eight games in the World Series.

Francona was 7–0 in playoff elimination games until Game 5 of the 2005 ALDS, against the Chicago White Sox, when he became 6–1 and 9–0 in ALCS elimination games until Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS, against the Tampa Bay Rays, when he became 9–1.

On June 2, 2009, Francona recorded his 500th win as manager of the Red Sox, making him the third manager in club history to have 500 wins. The only other two to win at least 500 games as manager of the Red Sox are Joe Cronin (1,071), and Mike Higgins (560).

On May 6, 2010, Francona became the fourth person to manage 1,000 games for the Red Sox.

On July 23, 2011, Francona got his 1,000th win as a manager. He became only the second manager in Red Sox history (after Joe Cronin) to accomplish this feat. Later that season, he presided over one of the worst collapses in the history of Major League Baseball when the Red Sox went 7-20 for the month of September and squandered a nine-game lead over the Rays for the AL Wild Card spot in the postseason. Following the season, the Red Sox declined to exercise Francona's 2012 option.

Francona was hired as manager of the Cleveland Indians on October 6, 2012, and officially introduced on October 8. Thus returning to the dugout after a one-year hiatus of managing in baseball and doing sports broadcasting duties. The Indians chose Francona over Sandy Alomar Jr., who served as the club's interim manager for the final six games after Manny Acta was fired on Sept. 27.

Francona and Alomar, who spent the past three seasons as a coach in Cleveland, were the only candidates to interview for the Indians' opening.

Alomar stayed in Cleveland under Francona's staff as bench coach.

DiMaggio Wins MVP

On Nov. 27, 1941, Martinez Native Joe DiMaggio beats Ted Williams to win the American League MVP.

Though the numbers would suggest Wiilliams might have had a superior season hitting than DiMaggio, as Williams hit for a .406 batting average, while clubbing 37 home runs and bringing in 120 RBI’s. However it was DiMaggio who had done something no man had ever done before, and has equaled to this date. While hitting for a very respectable .357 batting average with 30 home runs and bringing in 125 RBI’s, DiMaggio hit safely in 56-consecutive games.

DiMaggio would be the first and only hitter to hit safely in over 50 games, breaking the pervious record which is still held in the National League by Willie Keeler who played for the Baltimore Orioles.

Since DiMaggio hit safely in 56-consecutive games only four players have come within 20-games, and only a single player has come within 15.

In 1945 Tommy Holmes of the Boston Braves, was the first player who had a sizeable shot at catching DiMaggio’s record, as he hit in 37-consecutive games.

Over the 2005 and 2006 seasons a Bay Area native in Alameda’s Jimmy Rollins hit safely in 38-consecutive games.

In 1987 Paul Molitor of the Milwaukee Brewers hit safely in 39-consecutive games.

But no player since DiMaggio has hit in over 40-consecutive games besides Pete Rose, who hit safely in 44-consecutive games during his 1978 season with the Cincinnati Reds.

To me I think DiMaggio’s consecutive game hit-streak is one of the last of the untouchable records in baseball, with the others being Barry Bonds’ home run record for a single season and a career, along with Rickey Henderson’s stolen base record.

Rose Gets Another 200 Hit Season

On Sept. 24, 1979, in his first year with the Philadelphia Phillies, Pete Rose reaches 200 hits in a season. It was the tenth time in his career he reached that mark.

Rose, most likely the best hitter of his time, and maybe of all time, accumulated 4,256 hits in his career, which still marks first all-time. He played in 3,562, the most all-time. Rose also racked up the most at-bats for any player all-time with 14,053, singles with 3,215 and times on base with 5,929.

Rose finished his career with a .303 batting average, 4,256 hits, 746 doubles, 135 triples, 160 home runs, 1,314 RBIs, 2,165 runs scored, 198 stolen bases and 1,566 walks.

Rose has 67 more hits than Ty Cobb who is the second ranked player on the list, and nearly 500 more hits than Hank Aaron who is ranked third all-time. Rose would also earn 17 more Major League records during his career, the most notable behind the hits record is most career games played, 3,562, which is 254 more than Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox who played in 3,308 games between 1961 and 1983.

Over the course of his career Rose played every single game of the season eight times, and five times led the league in games played. Rose led the league in batting average three times, with his highest single season average being .348 in 1969. He led the league in hits seven times with his highest single season hit total 230, coming in 1973. He also led the league in runs scored four times. His highest single season total of runs scored came in 1976 with 130 runs scored.

Rose would win the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 1973 and was in the top 10 in MVP voting 10 times over his career. 1973 also was a season Rose was the National League batting champion. Rose was a three time World Series Champion in 1975, 1976 with the Reds and 1980 with the Phillies.

Some of Rose’s other accomplishments include, 1963 NL Rookie of the Year award, 1973 NL MVP, 1975 World Series MVP, two gold gloves, and one silver slugger award.

Rose would be selected to 17 All-Star games in his 24-season career. The most famous occurrence of Rose in an All-Star game came in 1970, when Rose smashed into then Cleveland Indians catcher Ray Fosse on a play at the plate. Rose would give Fosse a separated shoulder from the incident, but scored the winning run in the process.

Rose even though the all-time hit leader in MLB, and owner of over 17 Major League records has not been elected into Cooperstown the baseball Hall of Fame because of his gambling issues, and there might be a chance he will never dawn the tan jacket.

Griffey Jr. Pinch-hits Home Run 400

On Sept. 19, 2000, Ken Griffey Jr. pinch-hits for home run number 400. Griffey Jr. becomes the first major leaguer to reach the mark of 400 home runs with a pinch-hit blast.

Griffey Jr. also known as “The Kid” goes down as one of the best ball players during the 1990’s and was elected to the All-Century team in 1999.

A 13-time All-Star, Griffey was one of the most prolific home run hitters in baseball history; his 630 home runs rank as the sixth-most in MLB history behind only Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and former teammate Alex Rodriguez. Jr. is also tied for the record of most consecutive games with a home run (8 games, tied with Don Mattingly and Dale Long).

Griffey was also an exceptional defender and won 10 Gold Glove Awards in center field over the course of his career.

Griffey Jr., also won seven Silver Slugger Awards, the 1997 American League MVP Award, the 1992 MLB All-Star Game MVP, the 2005 National League Comeback Player of the Year Award. Despite only winning one MVP award Jr. was in the conversation 10 times over the course of his career, being in the top five in voting five times.

He was a three-time Home Run Derby winner, a four time American League Home Run Champion, and the 1997 American League RBI Champion.

Griffey Jr. would finish his career with a .284 average, 2,781 hits consisting of 524 doubles, 38 triples and 630 home runs. He would also have 1,836 RBIs, 1,662 runs scored, 1,312 walks, 184 stolen bases. He struck out 1,779 times.

Four times Griffey led the league in home runs with his highest single season total coming in 1997 and 1998 when he hit 56 home runs each season.

Junior’s career had some stellar moments including playing with his father Ken Griffey Sr. in 1990 and 1991.

On September 14, the pair hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the first, off of California Angels pitcher Kirk McCaskill, becoming the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs. The duo played a total of 51 games together before Griffey Sr. retired in June 1991.

Griffey Jr. is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have appeared in Major League games in four different calendar decades.

On Jan. 22, 2013, the Mariners announced Griffey would be the seventh person inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.