This Day in Sports History: Pete Rose Reaches His 3,000th Hit

MLB's 3,000 hit club is an elite group comprised of only 32 players in baseball's long and storied history. Pete Rose, one of MLB's most famous–or perhaps notorious–figures, joined the club on May 5, 1978.

Leading off for the Reds, Rose entered the night with 2,998 hits and decided he would take more pitches than usual and wait for the right one from Montreal Expos starter Steve Rogers. In the third inning, he stepped up to the plate with Cesar Geronimo on second and one out. Rose hit the first pitch straight down in front of home plate and took off for first base. Rogers struggled to glove the ball near the mound after it bounced high, allowing Rose to safely reach first and record his 2,999th hit.

Rose returned to the plate in the fifth inning as the message board at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium proclaimed "2999—1 TO GO." Rogers's first pitch sailed outside for a ball before delivering a fastball that Rose sent sailing into left field for a single. Rose's teammates rushed onto the field to congratulate him. Eventually, he broke free from the group and waved his ball cap at the crowd, who cheered for five straight minutes. An emotional Rose made his way over to first base and stood still to take in the scenery. His former teammate and then Expos first baseman Tony Perez jokingly nudged him before they embraced. 

The Reds went on to lose, 4–3, that night, but the game's score didn't overshadow Rose's accomplishment. He became baseball's 13th 3,000-hit man, joining the ranks with Hall of Famers like Hank Aaron, Stan Musial and Willie Mays. In 1984, Rose achieved an even rarer feat when he reached 4,000 hits. He and Ty Cobb remain the only two players in MLB history in the 4,000 hit club.

Rose finished his 24-year playing career in 1986 with 4,256 hits and .303 batting average. Following his retirement, he became the outright manager of the Reds. However, MLB banned Rose from baseball and the Hall of Fame for life in 1989 after an MLB investigation revealed that he bet on the team.