Pete Rose, baseball’s all-time hits leader, frequently participates in autograph signing events. Known for his witty inscriptions like “Hit King,” “4256 Hits 0 Steroids,” and “HOF” (referencing his Hall of Fame exclusion), he makes appearances in Nevada, Ohio, and various locations across the country.
In the latest autograph signing event, which took place at the Minnesota Card Show, from April 18 to 21, the MLB veteran took jabs at Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.
Long story short, Ohtani’s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, was implicated in a scandal earlier this season. It turned out Mizuhara had been stealing money from Ohtani to cover his own gambling debts. There was initial confusion because Ohtani relied on Mizuhara for translation. However, investigations cleared Ohtani of any wrongdoing – he apparently had no knowledge of the stolen funds.
This is where Pete Rose enters. Rose, famously banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling on the sport, took the opportunity to seemingly poke fun at Ohtani’s situation. While signing autographs, Rose wrote inscriptions on baseballs that many considered trolling.
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