July 7, 2010 7:00 pm US/Pacific
"4192: The Crowning of the Hit King."
by Gus Summers.
Hollywood -
Mention the name "Pete Rose" to any group of sports fans and you are going to find two things: Everyone 1.) either absolutely loves him or downright hates him;
and, 2) Everyone completely respects how the man played his game.
Pete Rose knew baseball. He loved it, he breathed it, he manifested the game.
Most people know his sporting prowess: He was one of the most versatile players in Major League Baseball history.
He played approximately five hundred games at five different positions in his twenty-four year career. He holds countless major league records: Most hits, most games played and most at-bats.
He holds numerous awards: The 1963 NL Rookie of the Year, the 1973 NL MVP, the 1975 World Series MVP, two gold gloves, and three World Series rings. And, not at all
topping off the list (merely rounding it out), he appeared in no less than seventeen All-Star games!
This man could play; and, play hard!
It was on September 11, 1985, when Pete Rose collected hit number 4,192 of his outstanding career and, in so doing, passed Ty Cobb as the all-time career hits leader. For anyone who saw that play, they knew
baseball history was made! And now, 25 years later, there is a new documentary on his career called, "4192: The Crowning of the Hit King."
I had the pleasure of attending the premiere and watching the documentary. Make no mistake, this film covers all things good about Pete Rose. It doesn't talk about the gambling, it doesn't make mention of the corked bats,
it doesn't touch on anything controversial. It does reveal the man.
We are given a rare opportunity. The chance to get in the head of the man we know as Charlie Hustle. The director does a fine job of first putting us in his shoes and then getting us to understand the essence
of the man.
Regardless of where you stand on the life, choices, and ability of Pete Rose, you will come away from the documentary with a sense of awe in the power of determination and and in the essence of the need to hustle. The director
understood there was no need to revisit the notorious things. There is a need to celebrate the good things.
Gus Summers is the Host and Program Producer for The "IN Show, an entertaining broadcast that covers all things exciting and enlightening.
When Gus isn't busy covering current events and interesting people, you'll see him out and about enjoying all that the City of Angels has to offer.
For any questions, comments, or program ideas, he can be reached at gus@kclafm.com.
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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission of the Author.)
