Written by RJ Anderson at CBS Sports.com
The Philadelphia Phillies had planned on inducting Pete Rose into their Wall of Fame on August 12. The key word there is “had planned,” because that no longer seems to be the case.
Earlier this week, news surfaced that Rose allegedly had a sexual relationship with an underage woman during the 1970s — or, in other words, committing statutory rape. The Phillies have now canceled the ceremony, with an official announcement being made on by the club on Tuesday:
Due to recent events, the Phillies and Pete Rose have decided that Pete will not participate in the Phillies Alumni Weekend festivities to be held at Citizens Bank Park on August 10-13, 2017.
Rose said, “While I am truly honored that the Phillies fans voted for me to be this year’s Wall of Fame inductee, I am concerned that other matters will overshadow the goodwill associated with Alumni Weekend, and I agree with the decision not to participate.”
The Phillies will not distribute the Pete Rose bobble figurine giveaway on Friday, August 11. On Saturday, the Phillies will pay tribute to former Wall of Fame inductees during a pre-game ceremony. The weekend’s events continue on Sunday with more than 40 alumni being recognized on-field. All fans in attendance for Sunday’s game will receive a Wall of Fame card pack.
Fans holding tickets for Friday, August 11 or Saturday, August 12 can exchange their tickets for any remaining 2017 game or receive a refund at any Citizens Bank Park sales window or by mailing their tickets to The Phillies, One Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, PA 19148. Exchanges or refunds must be processed by October 1, 2017.
In addition to his well-known gambling-related woes, Rose is no stranger to legal trouble. He served time during the ’90s for tax evasion.
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