The Cincinnati Reds are making sure Pete Rose’s legacy lives on in 2024, adding his iconic No. 14 to their uniform sleeves for the entire season.
It’s a fitting tribute to baseball’s all-time hits leader, who passed away last September at 83.
“14 on our side all season ” the Reds posted on social media, showing off the simple but meaningful patch they’ll wear to honor their hometown hero.
Rose was more than just a Cincinnati legend – he was “Charlie Hustle,” the heart and soul of the mighty Big Red Machine teams of the 1970s. During his 24 years in the majors, he spent 19 of them with the Reds, helping bring three World Series titles to the city.
His numbers are pretty mind-blowing. We’re talking about 4,256 career hits – still the most in MLB history. Nobody’s even come close to touching that record.
The accolades just kept coming: 17 All-Star appearances, three batting titles, and the National League MVP award in 1973. He even grabbed a couple of Gold Gloves for his defense, proving he wasn’t just about hitting.
After his time in Cincinnati, Rose helped the Philadelphia Phillies win it all in 1980, adding another World Series ring to his collection.
But there’s a bittersweet side to Rose’s story. Despite his incredible achievements on the field, he’s still on the outside looking in when it comes to Cooperstown. In 1991, the Baseball Hall of Fame created a permanently ineligible list – basically their way of saying “not welcome” – for players banned from the game. Rose, who got in trouble for betting on baseball, ended up on that list.
Still, in Cincinnati, he’s their guy. And now, every time the Reds take the field this season, that No. 14 patch will remind fans of the local kid who became baseball’s hit king.
