First published 2024
Pete Rose holds baseball's most unbreakable record. He collected more hits than any player in history. The working-class kid from Cincinnati embodied the American dream through grit and determination rather than natural talent. His rough edges and relentless style made him a hero to millions. Then the 1980s brought scandal. Rose found himself at the center of baseball's biggest controversy when accusations of betting on games surfaced. The sport that made him famous cast him out. His lies about gambling destroyed his reputation and legacy. Keith O'Brien tells this complete story through interviews with Rose himself, his associates, and investigators. He draws from FBI records, court documents, and extensive press coverage. The book reveals how Rose remained unchanged while America and baseball transformed around him. This cultural history shows the collision between an old-school player and a changing game. O'Brien chronicles not just Rose's personal tragedy but the broader shifts in American sports and society during the second half of the twentieth century.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, crime, sports, non-fiction, biography-memoir, baseball
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: fall-from-grace, rags-to-riches
Setting: Cincinnati
Period: 1980s
440 pages · Hardcover · Pantheon