Pete Rose Ended a 57-Year Wait for Baseball History 41 Years Ago Today

On this day, September 11, 1985, Pete Rose made Major League Baseball history by breaking Ty Cobb's long-standing 57-year-old record for the most hits in a baseball career. 4192, a number that may never be touched for the rest of baseball history.

A Record That May Never Be Broken

Rose's 4,192nd hit came in the first inning against the San Diego Padres in Riverfront Stadium. Rose, 44 years old at the time, was the player-manager for the Reds. He slapped the ball the other way in typical fashion. The record stood for 57 years; Cobb's final hit came on September 3, 1928.

September 11, 1985: Pete Rose lays claim to the moniker "Hit King" with his 4,192nd career knock, passing Ty Cobb for the most all-time. #RedsVault pic.twitter.com/XGM6VhLeLI
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 11, 2026

Rose finished his career with 4,256 hits, one of four all-time records he holds. He also holds the record for the most singles (3,562), at-bats (14,053), and games played (3,562). The active leader for games played and hits is Freddie Freeman. He has 2,587 career hits and has played in 2,319 games. The active singles leader is Jose Altuve with 1,721. By the looks of it, all of these records will not be broken anytime soon.

Rose's career began with the Reds in 1963. He played the first 16 years of his career with his hometown Reds before joining the Phillies in 1979. After seven seasons with the Phillies and Expos, he returned to the Reds to play out the remainder of his career. With the Reds, he won two World Series titles, the Rookie of the Year in 1963, was a 13-time All-Star, won two Gold Glove Awards, the Roberto Clemente Award in 1976, a Most Valuable Player Award, and a World Series MVP. He was banned from Major League Baseball for life on August 24, 1989, after it was found that he was gambling on games, though it was never proven that he bet against his own team. Rose was the Reds manager at the time.

"For me, the thrill wasn't about the odds. I got involved because I was rooting for my teams — no, believing in my teams. I bet the Reds to win every time. I bet the Phillies to win even though they were huge underdogs and on a losing streak," Rose wrote, as reported in a Sporting News article. "It wasn't the smart way to bet. But it was my gut feeling ... and I always bet with my guy. I never — ever — bet against my teams. If I had, I'd be doubting everything I believed in. And, hell, to my way of thinking, we were going to win every night. You can't be a competitor and think otherwise."

The Reds retired Rose's number 14 in 2016 after they were given special permission from Major League Baseball.

Should He Be In The Hall of Fame?

Rose was reinstated from his lifetime ban on May 13, 2025, in a shocking decision by commissioner Rob Manfred. When Rose was first eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1991, voters decided that permanently banned players would not be eligible for Hall of Fame voting, dubbing it the "Pete Rose rule". The decision to reinstate him came eight months after he passed away in September 2024.

There are many factors to why he should and should not get into the hall. The fact that he bet on the sport and admitted to it is enough to sway most voters away, although it was never proven that he made bets against him or his team.

He holds four major statistical categories that will most likely never be eclipsed again. With how the game is played today, reaching 3,000 hits is hard enough, not to mention the longevity with which he played. The earliest he can be placed on a ballot will be in 2028.

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