Addendum to 14 Days To Christmas

Wow, what was I thinking? Or, better said, what was I NOT thinking. Many might disagree with the following post, especially since I have left off other players accused of cheating (alleged steroid users). But the most famous player ever to wear number 14 has to be Pete Rose. The naming of Rose in the Countdown certainly is a controversial decision. Many people remember Rose the player, while others remember Rose the banned. I lean more on the side of remembering him as a player, and I believe he has served a long enough sentence. Besides owning 17 major league records as a player, as well as seven other National League records, Charlie Hustle was known for his aggressive style of play and trademarked head first slides. The 17 time All Star and former Rookie of the Year (1963) was seen as the team leader of the two time World Series champion Cincinnati Reds. the 1976 Reds team is widely regarded as one of the best teams that ever played the game. Rose played with the Reds through the 1978 season, then played the next 5 years with the Phillies and Expos before returning to the Reds in 1984 where he was named a player/manager. His final at bat as a player came on August 17, 1986, and he continued to manage the Reds through August 24, 1989, compiling a 426-388 record. A complete list of his Major League and National League leading accomplishments can be found below.

Rose bet on baseball, and even placed bets on the Reds (to win). There is no disputing this fact, and in 2004 Rose publicly admitted this. He has applied for reinstatement many times, to no avail. Current commissioner Bud Selig has adopted the "not on my watch" attitude. Yet ironically, when Rose was named to the MLB All Century Team, he was allowed to participate in the pre-game introductions at Turner Field prior to Game 2 of the 1999 World Series. Selig has announced he has no intentions of staying on as commissioner after his contract ends in 2012. Only time will tell whether he has a change of heart and lifts the ban on Charlie Hustle.

Major League records:
Most career hits - 4,256
Most career outs - 10,328
Most career games played - 3,562
Most career at bats - 14,053
Most career singles - 3,215
Most career runs by a switch hitter - 2,165
Most career doubles by a switch hitter - 746
Most career walks by a switch hitter - 1,566
Most career total bases by a switch hitter - 5,752
Most seasons of 200 or more hits - 10
Most consecutive seasons of 100 or more hits - 23
Most consecutive seasons with 600 or more at bats - 13 (1968-1980)
Most seasons with 600 at bats - 17
Most seasons with 150 or more games played - 17
Most seasons with 100 or more games played - 23
Record for playing in the most winning games - 1,972
Only player in major league history to play more than 500 games at five different positions - 1B (939), LF (671), 3B (634), 2B (628), RF (595)

National League records:
Most years played - 24
Most consecutive years played - 24
Most career runs - 2,165
Most career doubles - 746
Most career games with 5 or more hits - 10
Modern (post-1900) record for longest consecutive game hitting streak - 44
Modern record for most consecutive hitting streaks of 20 or more games - 7