Pete Rose to Manage Independent League Team for One Game
By Mike Cardillo
Pete Rose is back in baseball … well, sort of. Rose, banned for life from Major League Baseball, will manage the Bridgeport (Conn.) Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League on June 16.
Rose last managed in a Major League game on Aug. 24, 1989. He was subsequently barred from the game for his involvement in gambling on the sport while managing the Reds. Rose’s son, P.J., formerly played for the Bluefish.
Given that Bridgeport is a short drive on I-95 from WWE Corporate HQ in Stamford perhaps the Bluefish can also book Kane to show up and piledrive the MLB all-time hits king. Might as well give the fans their money’s worth, right? I’m not exactly sure how exciting it will be to buy a ticket to watch Rose manage.
If nothing else it’s some free publicity for Rose and a chance to sell some autographed balls, as well as an oppurtunity for some media members to dust off one of their most tired favorite topics.