MLB hits king Pete Rose is suing the man who is partly responsible for his banishment from baseball, as the former Cincinnati Reds superstar alleges that he was defamed in a radio interview.
According to Mark Scolforo of the Associated Press, Rose is suing attorney John Dowd for saying that one of the former Reds manager’s associates claimed that Rose raped underage girls during spring training.
The interview took place last year on WCHE-AM in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and Rose’s lawsuit states that the allegations damaged his reputation and limited his endorsement opportunities.
Dowd’s investigative report found that Rose had bet on baseball, and that directly led to him getting banned for life by Major League Baseball in 1989.
Despite his 4,256 career hits and .303 lifetime average, Rose remains out of the Baseball Hall of Fame due to his standing with the MLB.
Rose’s most recent reinstatement bid was denied by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in December.
Despite his continued banishment, the 75-year-old Rose’s No. 14 jersey was officially retired by the Reds this season, and he was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame.
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