Wingnuts expecting big crowd for Pete Rose appearance

The prospect of Pete Rose’s appearance at a Wingnuts home game originated with a phone call and could have ended when the topic of Rose’s gambling habits arose again last month.

A representative for Rose, major-league baseball’s career hits leader, contacted the Wingnuts last winter armed with gaudy attendance totals for Rose’s previous appearances at independent baseball games.

It took some internal convincing, but once the Wingnuts secured a sponsorship from Seven Clans Casino to cover Rose’s $25,000 appearance fee, plans were finalized to bring Rose to Wichita. He’ll make an interactive appearance at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium on Sunday night, when the Wingnuts play Sioux Falls.

“We’ve got quite a few tickets (sold) – more than we’ve had all year – and I’m sure that we’ll have a pretty huge walkup crowd (Sunday),” Wingnuts general manager Josh Robertson said. “It’s a Sunday night game, come see the guy that still holds the all-time record in hits and games played.”

Rose, who got his final hit, No. 4.256, while a player-manager for the Cincinnati Reds in 1986, was banned from baseball in 1989 for betting on Reds games he managed following his playing career.

Last week, Rose appeared at the MLB All-Star game in Cincinnati. That seemed up in the air following an allegation last month that Rose also gambled on games in which he played.

After that news was released, the Wingnuts considered canceling Rose’s appearance. Once the story died down and Rose’s showing in Cincinnati wasn’t canceled, the Wingnuts abandoned the idea of a cancellation.

“We didn’t know what this investigation was going to bring up,” Robertson said. “In our contract with Pete there weren’t too many outs and we had already put a deposit down for it. When this investigation came out, it was really big news that one day and then it’s really died off quite a bit.”

Rose is unable to appear, without approval, at major-league games or in affiliated minor-league baseball, so he’s cashed in on independent baseball for the last several years. He also signs autographs annually in Cooperstown, N.Y., apart from the Hall of Fame inductions.

Rose’s time in Wichita will include autograph signing and a meet-and-greet for up to 100 fans willing to pay the $100 price for Rose’s time and his signature – an event Robertson said is nearly sold out.

Rose is also scheduled to coach first base for six innings, a fact that could impact Sunday’s game.

The first-base coach helps baserunners with knowledge of the strength of outfielders’ arms and a pitcher’s pickoff move and delivery time to the plate, and he must know the speed of his own players to determine whether to send them for an extra base.

Wingnuts manager Kevin Hooper must be in synch with his first-base coach – Jose Amado for the last six seasons – but Hooper isn’t sure if any strategic conversations with Rose will occur.

“I don’t know if he’s going to show up and come to our office and chat a little bit or what,” Hooper said. “Obviously I rely on Jose a lot over there. It’s an important role for Jose over there and what we’re trying to accomplish.”

This story was originally published July 18, 2015 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Wingnuts expecting big crowd for Pete Rose appearance."