Pete Rose Sends Twitter Into Frenzy By Dismissing Statutory Rape Question, Calling A Reporter ‘Babe’ After Standing Ovation
Pete Rose appearing on the Philadelphia Phillies' field for the first time in over 30 years on Sunday wasn't the story of the afternoon. Instead, it was a reporter asking him a question about statutory rape allegations, sending negative messages toward women, and Rose calling the reporter "babe." Rose received both a standing ovation and a few boos from fans in attendance for the ceremony. He reportedly received another standing ovation
1980 World Series team were scheduled to be honored on the field back in 2017. That ceremony was ultimately pushed to Sunday after Rose was accused of statutory rape in July of 2017. The woman, identified as Jane Doe in 2017, said Rose called her in 1973, when she was 14 or 15, and they had sexual encounters that continued for several years. During his appearance in Philadelphia on Sunday, Alex Coffey, a female reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, asked Rose about the statutory rape allegations. Coffey tweeted that she specifically asked Rose "what he would say to people who say his presence here sends a negative message to women." She explained that Rose answered by saying "I'm not here to talk about that. Sorry about that. It was 55 years ago, babe."
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 07: Former Philadelphia Phillies player Pete Rose acknowledges the crowd.(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The Associated Press followed up with Rose, asking him a question about his "babe" remark to Coffey. "Who cares what happened 50 years ago?" Rose said, according to the Inquirer. "You weren't even born. So you shouldn't be talking about it, because you weren't born. If you don't know a damn thing about it, don't talk about it." Rose acknowledged in 2017 that he did have a relationship with the woman in Ohio, but it started when she was 16, not 14 or 15 as the original allegations suggested. The age of legal consent in Ohio is 16, so the allegation amounts to statutory rape. The 81-year-old Rose would have been in his 30s and married with two children in 1973 when the alleged relationship with Jane Doe began. Rose, baseball's career hits leader, spent five years with the Phillies picking up 826 of his 4,256 career hits. He drove in 255 runs in that stretch over the course of 2,841 at-bats. During his 24-year career, Rose carried a batting average of .303 in 3,562 games, which is another all-time record he owns.