By Conrad Clowers

Cincinnati Herald Contributor

 

If he’s not already, Pete Rose may become bi-polar after the ordeals and the year he is having. This legendary player was to be honored by not one, but two Major League Baseball teams in 2017. The Cincinnati Reds already dedicated a statue in his honor in front of great American Ball Park mere months ago. The Philadelphia Phillies were set to honor Rose this past week. Very few people can say they were going to be honored by two organizations. Life was looking good for baseball’s hit king.

Then, it hit…and hit hard. Allegations that Pete Rose may have had sex with an underage female back in his playing days. Rose admitted to having sex with the girl when he was married and in his 30’s in the mid-1970’s. The question is was the girl of age of consent (16 or above) or under the legal age (15 or younger).

So many people have found out the hard way that when news breaks that makes you unpopular or a criminal opportunities start to dwindle and people tend to turn a cold shoulder. Comedian Kathy Griffin posted a pic holding the head of president Donald Trump a few months ago. As a result, jobs were lost by the comedian. Then 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand during the National Anthem last season in 2016. As a result, he cannot find a job anywhere in the NFL in 2017. Since the news came out that Rose may have allegedly had sex with an underage girl during his playing days he has lost his job as a baseball analyst, will not be in the ring of honor in Philadelphia, and is the subject of a debate as to whether Cincinnati should remove his new statue in front of the ball park.

Rose has taken more blows than a boxer in his lifetime. He spent time in jail for tax evasion. He was banned from baseball for betting. Now, maybe the most serious of them all. Allegedly having sex with an underage girl.

If Rose is not having nightmares about John Dowd, he should be. Dowd has been a one-man wrecking crew in the fall of Rose. It was his report that ultimately did Rose in for the lifetime ban in baseball. It is his allegations against Rose having sex with an underage girl that may ultimately be the biggest haymaker landed on Rose.

The Cincinnati great is not taking the allegations lying down. Rose is fighting back by filing a defamation of character lawsuit against Dowd.

The court of public opinion is what ultimately convicts or acquits a celebrity. Crimes against children, animals, and the United States of America are mythical felonies. Even though it may have happened over 40 years ago, Rose may have committed one of those mythical felonies. It wasn’t whether he had sex with the girl or not. Rose has admitted that. The only question is how old was the girl when Rose did the act. The statute of limitations may have passed for #14 to be charged. If true, there is no statute of limitation for makings one’s life miserable.

One thing is for sure. Rose is going to need to hit one out of the park to get out of this mess.

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