Charlie Hustle & the Matter of Pete Rose

"HBO" has once again scored and produced a hit with one of it's original sports docs. "Charlie Hustle & the Matter of Pete Rose" is a must watch for any baseball or sports fan. A four part series which highlights and looks at the life and career of the legend Pete Rose, you the viewer will find it memorable with old classic game footage, and interviews. Plus a current treat is hearing from Pete as he reflects back on his life and rise to fame all darkened by gambling. Others interviews from broadcasters, ex players, and fans give focus and insight on his bid for the baseball hall of fame, it's revealing and compelling hearing different takes. Even though Gambling has become the norm still Rose is looked at differently, you the viewer make your own judgement hero or criminal? Wonderful well done sports doc that is a must see.

As Episode 1 of "Charlie Hustle & The Matter of Pete Rose" (2024 release; 4 episodes of 56-58 min each) opens, it is "January 20, 2022, AFC Championship Game" and the Cincinnati Bengals come back from 18 point down and beat KC. Comments Rose: "Joe Burrow is like Pete Rose. He never gives up." Later on, it is "February 13, 2022, Super Bowl LVI". Comments Pete: "I love Cincinnati, but I bet on Los Angeles." We then go back in time to Pete's upbringing in Cincinnati... At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: let me state upfront that I have lived in Cincinnati since 1987, and hence missed out on the Big Red Machine, but I did live through the entire betting scandal days, and beyond. We need to separate 2 things: (1) Is this a good documentary? To which I can state unequivocally "yes". The mini-series is a nice mix of Rose's baseball history and baseball's evolution over this years, as well of course a look at the fallout of baseball's continued ban of Rose. (2) Should Pete Rose remained banned, now 35 years later? The bottom line for me is that there are no winners, and only losers, in this decades long standoff. Rose of course brought this onto himself, first by betting on baseball, and then by lying again, and again, and again, about it for far too long. However, with each passing year, Major League Baseball looks from bad to worse, almost vindictively continuing to punish Pete Rose, one of baseball's greatest players ever, while we endure never-ending ads and commercials from FanDuel (the official GAMBLING partner of MLB), DraftKings, BetMGM, Hard Rock, and on and on. It is literally EVERYWHERE, certainly also here in Ohio, where sports gambling is legal and flourishing. And last but not least, we the fans are also the losers, depriving us of the opportunity to celebrate one of baseball's greatest players ever. Pete Rose is now an 83 year old man. He is the all-time MLB leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053), singles (3,215) and outs (10,328), but still not in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Wow. What is MLB afraid of? That Rose might place a bet on the Cincinnati Reds?

"Charlie Hustle & The Matter of Pete Rose" started airing on HBO just recently, and it's also streaming on Max, where I caught this the other day. It is currently rated 100% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, which is overly generous for sure. That said, it is without a good documentary mini-series. If you are a fan of baseball, or of Pete Rose, I'd readily suggest you check it out, and draw your own conclusion.

*UPDATE October, 2024* Barely 2 months later after the release of "Charlie Hustle & The Matter of Pete Rose", MLB finally got what it wanted: Pete Rose passed away without making it into the Hall of Fame. Are you happy now, MLB? Looking at MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred and others...

Great documentary on the antics of the man who still to this day doesn't understand his numbers might have gotten him to the Hall of Fame, his character isn't the caliber needed. He is not a trustworthy honorable guy. Hey 16 yrs old is legal in Ohio. I was never at Gold's Gym.. (next frame enter Pete Rose picture at Gold's Gym).. I never lifted a weight.. (next frame him lifting a weight).. The best part of this documentary was the brutal showing of Pete being Pete. He threw his own shade on himself as his own worst enemy. I did agree however with Chad Lowe. That perhaps people could forgive someone that not only has a disease but is not capable of apology. Showing forgiveness to someone like that might give the wrong idea though. He doesn't even think sleeping with 14-16 year olds is a crime.

... a privilege, not a right.

He did tarnish his legacy and did not admit to gambling when people would have cared enough to perhaps give him a second chance.

On an additional note, all those Pete Rose fans constantly working the commissioner should realize he was working for the best interest of the game. If they really wanted to get him in the hall, pester the Board of Trustees up there in Cooperstown and get them to stop following baseball's eligibility listings.

Remember, the Hall is not owned by MLB. I always found it disappointing when a new commissioner came in, over the past thirty years or so, the Peter Rose situation was the first question they asked.

It's a solid 4 part documentary, with excellent film footage, about a hard nosed and talented ballplayer who squeezed every bit of athletic talent and then more out of his body, playing in more games and getting more hits than anyone. He's also one of the stupidest people who ever played the game, essentially blowing his legacy by betting on baseball, something he denied for many years before coming clean. As the doc shows with solid evidence, he was also having sex with underage girls, hanging out with steroid and cocaine users at a gym, fand financing a cocaine ring. All of which he denies of course. He owed nearly $500K to the mob in gambling debt-which doesn't make it hard to believe he may have bet against the Reds as manager in order to get some of it back. Oh and he also did 6 months in the pen for income tax evasion. Should he still get in the HOF? Personally, don't really care.