33. Pete Rose
Pete Rose may be a controversial figure in regards to whether or not he should be allowed back into the game, but there is no questioning his contributions to the game.
Called ‘Charlie Hustle’ due to his habit of sprinting to first on walks and giving max effort at all times, Rose hit the ground running and never stopped. During his 24 year career, Rose had over 200 hits ten times, and led the league in hits seven times. A three time hitting champion, Rose also led the league in doubles five times and runs on four occasions.
The 1973 MVP, Rose was a 17 time All-Star renowned for his ability to get hits. He produced a .303/.375/.409 batting line with a Major League record 4,256 hits. Rose ranks second all time with 746 doubles, sixth with 2,165 runs and 14th with 1,566 walks. He was a master of the base hit, with his 3,215 career singles the most of all time.
Rose was also a versatile defensive player. He appeared in over 500 games at five different positions, with varying degrees of competency. He won two Gold Gloves in the outfield, and saved 54 runs as a left fielder, but was either average or below average at every other position. However, his ability in left led to him ranking 14th in runs saved and ninth in fielding percentage.
Unfortunately, due to his gambling addiction, Pete Rose will likely never see the inside of the Hall of Fame without a ticket. Those issues, however, do not detract from what Rose was able to accomplish on the field.
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