When Pete Rose faced serious backlash after callous response to question on statutory rape charges

In 2022, former MLB Pete Rose made his first appearance on the pitch in Philadelphia since being handed a lifelong suspension in 1989. Rose was part of the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies World Series championship team.

The Phillies had earlier decided not to honor Rose in 2017 after a woman claimed that Rose had sex with her when she was under 16 years old.

Before the game, Rose was questioned about the 2017 sexual assault claims and whether or not his attendance at the ballpark sends a bad message to women. He responded:

“No, I’m not here to talk about that ..Sorry about that. It was 55 years ago, babe.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Alex Coffey later shared more tweets:

"When asked about our interaction earlier by @AP, Rose said: (1/2) "I'm going to tell you one more time. I'm here for the Philly fans. I'm here for my teammates. I'm here for the Phillies organization. And who cares what happened 50 years ago...."

Pete Rose faced severe backlash from MLB fans after his dismissive response. In wake of that, the Phillies explained why Rose was invited for the festivities.

“In planning the 1980 reunion, we consulted with Pete’s teammates about his inclusion. Everyone wants Pete to be part of the festivities since there would be no trophy in 1980 without him. In addition, the club received permission from the Commissioner’s Office to invite Pete as a member of the championship team.”

After John Dowd claimed the 17-time All-Star had committed statutory rape as a player, Rose launched a defamation lawsuit against him in July 2016. A year later, Dowd got a sworn declaration from a woman who claimed to have had sexual relations with Rose in the 1970s before she turned 16 and used it as part of his defence. In response, he stated that although he did have a connection with the woman, it began when she was just 16 years old.

Washington Nationals v Philadelphia Phillies

In December 2017, Pete Rose and John Dowd finally came to an agreement to dismiss the litigation.

Pete Rose was banned from baseball in 1989

Pete Rose received a baseball suspension for placing bets on Cincinnati Reds games while he was the team's player/manager in 1989. His eligibility for election to baseball's Hall of Fame has been ruled out. For many years, Rose said he never wagered on baseball or his own club. He acknowledged playing baseball wagers while managing the Reds in his autobiography published in 2004. He admitted to betting on the Reds to win every night on ESPN Radio three years later.