Pete Rose Fired From Fox Sports
Pete Rose has been relieved of his duties at Fox Sports after allegations surfaced about him having sex with an underage girl in 1973.
The former Cincinnati Reds star has not been asked to return to his role as a television analyst for the network’s postseason baseball telecasts this fall.
The claim of alleged sexual relations with an underage girl is part of a defamation suit against Rose, who is 76-years-old, filed last year against attorney John Dowd.
Dowd was the writer of the Dowd Report, which led to Rose’s banishment from baseball in 1989 for betting on games. Rose has since admitted to betting on Cincinnati Reds games while he was a player on the team. Michael Bertolini, who booked Rose’s bets and sold Rose memorabilia, told baseball investigators that Rose had committed “statutory rape” with girls as young as 12 during spring training.
Rose’s attorney, Ray Genco, dismissed what Dowd had to say.
“Dowd is after-the-fact grasping at straws,” Genco said. The former slugger’s attorney added that Monday’s filing was “an absolute distraction.”
A sworn statement by the woman, identified only as Jane Doe, was filed on July 31. The motion alleges that the all-time hits leader began a sexual relationship with her in 1973, when she was 14 or 15, a sexual relationship which lasted several years.
Interestingly enough, the age of consent in Ohio, where Rose lived while playing for the Reds at the time, is 16.
The three-time World Series champion admitted to having sexual relations with the woman, but said in court documents that he believed she was no younger than 16 during their relationship.
Rose turned 32 in April of 1973, and, at the time, was married with two children. The statute of limitations means that Rose will not face any criminal jeopardy.
Rose’s dismissal is the latest in a string of layoffs at the Fox network over allegations of sexual misconduct.
Most recently, Fox Business Network anchor Charles Payne and Fox News Channel host Eric Bolling were suspended amid separate claims of inappropriate behavior toward women. Both men have denied the allegations.
On top of that, Fox Sports president Jamie Horowitz was fired in July after an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior with female colleagues.
Fox Sports had announced in March that Rose would indeed be back in his role as an MLB studio analyst during the postseason. At the time the allegations came to light, Fox Sports stated that Rose’s next TV appearance was up in the air before ultimately terminating him.
[Featured Image by Joe Robbins/Getty Images]
