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Baseball fans, the moment has arrived. With Major League Baseball’s historic reinstatement of Pete Rose and other legendary figures, Pro Merch is proud to launch a power-packed collection of official MLB and vintage Cincinnati Reds gear, highlighted by exclusive tribute items honoring the man himself—Charlie Hustle.
From the Cincinnati Reds to the Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos, Pete Rose left his mark on every ballfield he stepped on. Now, you can celebrate that legacy with gear that’s as iconic as the player.
🌟 Pete Rose: A Legend Across Three Teams
Pete Rose was more than just a Reds icon. While he started and ended his legendary 24-year career in his hometown of Cincinnati, Rose also brought his trademark intensity and record-breaking play to two other franchises:
- 🔴 Cincinnati Reds (1963–1978, 1984–1986) – Home of the Big Red Machine, where Rose won two World Series titles (1975, 1976) and became MLB’s all-time hit leader.
- ⚪ Philadelphia Phillies (1979–1983) – In Philly, Rose helped lead the team to its first-ever World Series championship in 1980 and was a fan favorite for his relentless hustle.
- 🔵 Montreal Expos (1984) – Though his time with the Expos was brief, Rose collected his 4,000th hit in Montreal, becoming only the second player in history to reach that milestone.
No matter the city, no matter the uniform—Pete Rose played all out, all the time.
🖼️ New Release: Pete Rose “Hit King” Veterans Stadium Silk Posters
Commemorate the swing that shook the world: Pete Rose’s legendary hit at Vet Stadium that surpassed Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record. Now immortalized in our exclusive indoor/outdoor silk posters, this moment lives on in crisp, museum-grade clarity.
✨ Poster Features:
- Premium heavyweight 200 gsm semi-gloss paper with a silk finish
- Water and scratch-resistant for long-lasting display
- Ideal for both indoor fan caves and outdoor patios
- Available in 19 sizes with horizontal, vertical, and square formats
- UV ink printing for vivid, photo-realistic detail
Whether you watched that historic hit live or heard about it from your baseball-loving grandfather, this poster is a piece of American sports history made for your wall.
Not Just Pete Rose: MLB Lifts Ban on 16 Other Previously Ineligible Figures
With the historic decision to remove Pete Rose from the permanently ineligible list, Major League Baseball has extended that same reversal to 16 other individuals—many of whom had been blackballed for over a century. This sweeping move marks a profound shift in how the league is reckoning with its past.
🕵️♂️ The Black Sox Scandal Revisited
Eight of those reinstated were members of the infamous 1919 Chicago White Sox, later dubbed the “Black Sox,” accused of conspiring with gamblers to throw the World Series. Among them:
- “Shoeless” Joe Jackson – A batting legend with a .375 average during the 1919 Series, Jackson was banned despite limited evidence of wrongdoing. He died in 1951, never having seen his name cleared.
- Eddie Cicotte – One of the top pitchers of his era, Cicotte confessed to taking part in the fix but later recanted. His 14-year career included a stellar 2.38 ERA.
- Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver, and Lefty Williams – All played roles in or knew of the fix. Weaver notably refused to participate or accept money but was still banned for staying silent.
🧾 Other Early 20th-Century Bans
Beyond the Black Sox, several other players and figures banned for gambling or related controversies have also been reinstated:
- Joe Gedeon and Gene Paulette – Neither played for the 1919 White Sox, but were banned after being linked to gamblers.
- Benny Kauff – Banned not for gambling but for a separate car theft case, despite being acquitted in court.
- Lee Magee, Phil Douglas – Both implicated in schemes to fix games in the 1910s and 1920s.
- Jimmy O’Connell and Cozy Dolan – Banned for trying to bribe a Phillies shortstop to lose games in 1924.
- William Cox – The only owner on the list, Cox was banned in 1943 after admitting to betting on his own team, the Philadelphia Phillies.
⚖️ What It Means for Baseball History
Commissioner Rob Manfred’s decision effectively rewrites a century of baseball exclusion. For Pete Rose, it reignites the conversation about Cooperstown. But for the others—long deceased—it’s a symbolic act of historical revision, giving overdue recognition to complex legacies once buried under scandal.
This unprecedented move doesn’t guarantee Hall of Fame induction, but it removes the formal barriers that blocked all 17 individuals from even being considered.