Sunday, September 11, 2016

Reds No. 14

At a card show earlier this spring I pull an All-Star Classics Box Score card from a dime box.  The card was for the 1975 All-Star game.  I liked the card because it pictured Cardinal great Lou Brock and I figured that I would add the it to my collection of Lou Brock cards.

2005 UD All-Star Classics Box Scores Card #ASB-8
 
I had never seen a card like this and research found that it was an insert in the 2005 UD All-Star Classics set.  The front of the card has the box score from the 1975 All-Star game.  The game was played in Milwaukee County Stadium.  (The next All-Star game in Milwaukee was the infamous 7 - 7 tie at Miller Park that lead to Commissioner Bud Selig's decision to award home field advantage to the World Series to the champion of the league that won the All-Star game).  
 
The National League won the 1975 game 6 - 3.  It was the National League's 13th win in 14 All-Star games in a time when they dominated the All-Star game as they won 19 of 20 All-Star games between 1963 and 1982.  (Good thing for the American League that home field advantage for the World Series wasn't decided by the winner of those years All-Star game).
 
In reviewing the box score on the card the leadoff batter for the National League was noted as Reds No. 14.  All the other players from the game's box score are identified but name except for one, Reds No. 14.
 

 
 
Reds No. 14 had two hits in four at-bats as he played the entire game except for the bottom of the ninth inning when he was replaced in left field by Expo 1975 Rookie of the Year and future Hall of Fame catcher, Gary Carter. 
 
Why couldn't the name of Reds No. 14 be used on this card.  It goes back to the claim made by Major League baseball that Reds No. 14 bet on major league baseball games. 
 
The August 23, 1989 agreement Reds No. 14 made with then Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti, reads:
 
Therefore, the Commissioner, recognizing the benefits to Baseball from a resolution of this matter, orders and directs that Peter Edward Rose be subject to the following disciplinary sanctions, and Peter Edward Rose, recognizing the sole and exclusive authority of the Commissioner and that it is in his interest to resolve this matter without further proceedings, agrees to accept the following disciplinary sanctions imposed by the Commissioner.

Peter Edward Rose is hereby declared permanently ineligible in accordance with Major League Rule 21 and placed on the Ineligible List.
 
Major League Rule 21 states: "Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any ballgame game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible."
 
I guess if you are on the Major League baseball's ineligible list you can't have your name listed on any baseball card when permission for the issuance of the card is granted Major League Baseball Properties, Inc.  That permission is normally mentioned in the tiny print on the bottom of a baseball card and that permission was granted for the 2005 UD All-Star Classics Box Scores Card.
 
I remembered that Reds No. 14's son, Pete Rose Jr. had a baseball card in the 1998 Topps set.
 
1998 Topps Pete Rose Jr. Card #240 
 
I figured that card might mention Pete Rose Jr's father by name.  Nope, not the case.  The card only mentions that Pete Jr. copied his dad's crouch in his first AB.  Topps received permission from Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. to print this card. 
   
 
 
Reds No. 14 name is used on 2016 Donruss cards issued by Panini.  However, permission from Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. was not granted for these cards but instead Panini is Official Licensed product of Major League Players Association.
      
2016 Donruss Pete Rose Card #187A
 
 
2016 Donruss 1982 Pete Rose Card 82-46
 


No comments:

Post a Comment