‘Better late than never’: Marty Brennaman reacts to Pete Rose’s reinstatement
Updated: 6:10 PM EDT May 13, 2025
LINDSAY. GOOD EVENING. YEAH. GOOD EVENING. CHARLIE. OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF EMOTIONS THIS AFTERNOON. THE NEWS JUST CAME DOWN. YOU WERE A CLOSE FRIEND OF PETE’S. WHAT’S THE REACTION TONIGHT? WELL, I CAN’T SAY I’M SURPRISED BECAUSE I HAD A FEELING SOMETHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN CLOSE TO THE BIG NIGHT AT THE BALLPARK FOR PETE TOMORROW NIGHT, SO IT DID NOT REALLY SURPRISE ME THAT IT HAPPENED. AS FAR AS TIMING IS CONCERNED. I THINK IT’S GREAT FOR THE FAMILY. I THINK IT’S GREAT FOR ALL OF HIS FANS. I THINK IT, IT IT REALLY ADDS TO TOMORROW NIGHT BECAUSE IT WILL BE A CELEBRATORY AIR ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING. AND, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY RELUCTANCE I HAVE IS TO CONGRATULATE BASEBALL, BECAUSE I THINK THEY STUB THEIR TOE IN THIS WHOLE THING IN TERMS OF THE LONGEVITY AND HOW LONG IT TOOK TO FINALLY PUT HIM IN A POSITION WHERE HE’S ELIGIBLE FOR THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO. AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, IT’S BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. THIS WAS A CONVERSATION YOU HAD WITH PETE, EVEN AS RECENTLY AS A FEW MONTHS BEFORE HE DIED. WHAT DID HE THINK ABOUT ALL OF THIS? WELL, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM THAT IT HAPPENED FOR HIS FAMILY BECAUSE I THINK, QUITE HONESTLY, THAT PETE HAD COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT IF IT WAS EVER GOING TO HAPPEN. IT WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER HE PASSED AWAY, WHICH I’VE BEEN SAYING FOR THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS TO EVERY GROUP THAT I’VE EVER SPOKEN TO, I DON’T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS A CONSCIOUS MEETING OF PEOPLE THAT SAID, WE’RE NOT GOING TO LET HIM IN, IF EVER, UNTIL AFTER HE’S GONE, OR IT’S JUST SOMETHING THAT PLAYED OUT THE WAY IT DID. BUT I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN, WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS AFTER PETE ROSE HAS PASSED AWAY, THAT NOW IT’S GOING TO COME TO FRUITION, THAT HE’S GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE TO BE VOTED ON BY THE BASEBALL WRITERS. AND FOR THOSE WHO DON’T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, THIS IS NOT AN AUTOMATIC BID FOR COOPERSTOWN. THIS IS NOW PUTTING HIM ON THE INELIGIBLE LIST. IF YOU WERE HIS FAMILY, YOU TOLD ME YOU’D SAY MAYBE, THANKS, BUT NO THANKS. THAT’S WHAT I DO. BUT AGAIN, AND WHEN I SAY THAT I DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE IT THE WRONG WAY, IT’S EASY FOR ME TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I’M NOT A PART OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, BUT THE FACT THAT THEY DID WHAT THEY DID, THEY MEANING BASEBALL. AND A GUY WHO I’M NOT A BIG FAN OF TO BEGIN WITH, ROB MANFRED. I JUST THINK IT’S IT’S UNCONSCIONABLE THAT THEY ARE SO TRANSPARENT THAT THEY GO YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS, ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYTHING’S RIGHT WITH THE WORLD. I DON’T BUY INTO THAT. BUT IF I WERE HIS FAMILY AND I’M NOT, I WOULD WAIT UNTIL THIS THING PLAYED OUT AND NOT HAVE AN OPINION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. AND WHEN THE CALL COMES, IF IT COMES, IT YOUR YOUR DAD HAS BEEN ELECTED INTO THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME. I WOULD SAY THANKS, BUT NO THANKS. THAT AS A FAMILY I WOULD NOT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT. NOW, I THINK IF THEY VOTE HIM IN, HE’S GOING IN REGARDLESS. BUT THEY WOULD GET NO COOPERATION FROM ME AS FAR AS THE FAMILY IS CONCERNED. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT TIMING TOMORROW BEING THE BIG GAME TO HONOR PETE, YOU’RE GOING TO BE THERE. HOW DO YOU THINK ALL OF THIS PLAYS INTO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TOMORROW NIGHT? WELL, I THINK LIKE I SAID, IT’S GOING TO CHANGE THE AIR RADICALLY BECAUSE THERE’S GOING TO BE A FEELING OF CELEBRATION, THIS THIS EVENT TOMORROW NIGHT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO. HIS KIDS, ESPECIALLY HIS OLDEST DAUGHTER, FAWN. AND THE FACT THAT SHE DESPERATELY WANTED THIS THING TOMORROW NIGHT TO BE ABOUT PETE AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FANS THAT SO LOYALLY STOOD BY HIM THROUGH ALL THE GOOD AND THE BAD. AND SHE’S DONE A REMARKABLE JOB IN WORKING WITH THE REDS, IN MAKING WHAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE A VERY, VERY SPECIAL NIGHT. AND THIS, FROM A FAN PERSPECTIVE, SIMPLY ADDS TO IT. THIS WAS ONE OF YOUR YOUR CLOSEST, DEAREST FRIENDS. WHAT DO YOU WANT THE FANS WHO DIDN’T HAVE A CHANCE TO KNOW, PETE, TO KNOW? WELL, I DON’T THINK I NEED TO TELL ANYTHING ABOUT PETE THAT FANS DON’T KNOW. THIS IS THE MOST PROVINCIAL CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. HE’S A KID WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED ON THE WEST SIDE, AND THROUGH ALL THE BAD THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN HIS LIFE, A LOT OF WHICH HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOYALTY THAT THIS CITY SHOWED HAS NEVER WAVERED AS FAR AS THEIR LOVE FOR HIM IS CONCERNED. AND I THINK THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE CITY OF CINCINNATI AND WHAT MAKES THIS TOWN SO SPECIAL. AND LIKE SO MANY OTHERS. BUT I I’D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF HE IS GOING TO BE SMILING DOWN ON THAT EVENT TOMORROW NIGHT, OR WHETHER HE’S GOING TO BE FROWNING BECAUSE HE’S THINKING, WHY THE HECK DID IT TAKE AS LONG AS IT DID TO MAKE ME ELIGIBLE? AND YOU TOLD ME ONCE FOR A LOT OF THE LONGTIME REDS FANS, THEY ALREADY FEEL LIKE HE’S IN THE HALL OF FAME. WHETHER HE’S ACTUALLY THERE OR NOT. YEAH, I THINK PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY. I THINK IF YOU TOOK A VOTE NOT ONLY OF THE CITY OF CINCINNATI, BUT IF YOU TOOK A VOTE OF BASEBALL FANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THEY WOULD SAY THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT’S IRRELEVANT. HE’S GOING TO BE, I THINK I THINK HE WILL BE VOTED IN BY THE BASEBALL WRITERS. AND QUITE HONESTLY, I THINK THERE WILL PROBABLY BE PRESSURE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON THE BASEBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION, BECAUSE NOW HE’S ELIGIBLE, AND I THINK HE WOULD BE A BLACK MARK AGAINST THE GAME OF BASEBALL IF HE WERE NOT ELECTED TO THE HALL OF FAME BY THE BASEBALL WRITERS. MARTY, ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO TALK WITH YOU. WE’RE EXCITED TO SEE YOU TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE BALLPARK. GOING TO BE A REALLY SPECIAL NIGHT. OBVIOUSLY, LOTS MORE REACTION TO GET TO FROM LOTS OF FANS OUT THERE. SO FOR NOW, SEND IT BACK TO YOU BOTH IN THE STUDIO. ALL RIGHT. THERE YOU HAVE IT. HALL OF FAME BROADCASTER LINDSAY, THANK
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‘Better late than never’: Marty Brennaman reacts to Pete Rose’s reinstatement
Updated: 6:10 PM EDT May 13, 2025
Reds legend Pete Rose has been reinstated by Major League Baseball, taken off MLB’s ineligible list, along with 17 others, all whom are now deceased. Marty Brennaman, Longtime Cincinnati Reds and Hall of Fame broadcaster and friend of Rose’s, is reacting to the news.”I can’t say I’m surprised, because I had a feeling something was going to happen close to the big night for at the ball park for Pete. It did not really surprise me as far as timing is concerned,” Brennaman told WLWT. “I think it’s great for the family. I think it’s great for all of his fans. I think it really adds to tomorrow night because it will be a celebratory air about this whole thing,” Brennaman said.Brennaman said he thinks it’s something that should’ve happened a long time ago.”Maybe it’s better late than never,” Brennaman added.The longtime broadcaster said it was important to Rose that this happened for his family, saying he likely came to the realization that if it were to happen, it wouldn’t happen until after he passed.He said the news will make Pete Rose night at Great American Ball Park Wednesday that much more special. “I think it’s going to change the air radically, there’s going to be a feeling of celebration,” Brennaman said. “I’d be interested to know if he’s going to be smiling down on that event tomorrow night or whether he’s going to be frowning because he’s thinking why did it take as long as it did to make me eligible,” Brennaman said.
Reds legend Pete Rose has been reinstated by Major League Baseball, taken off MLB’s ineligible list, along with 17 others, all whom are now deceased.
Marty Brennaman, Longtime Cincinnati Reds and Hall of Fame broadcaster and friend of Rose’s, is reacting to the news.
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“I can’t say I’m surprised, because I had a feeling something was going to happen close to the big night for at the ball park for Pete. It did not really surprise me as far as timing is concerned,” Brennaman told WLWT. “I think it’s great for the family. I think it’s great for all of his fans. I think it really adds to tomorrow night because it will be a celebratory air about this whole thing,” Brennaman said.
Brennaman said he thinks it’s something that should’ve happened a long time ago.
“Maybe it’s better late than never,” Brennaman added.
The longtime broadcaster said it was important to Rose that this happened for his family, saying he likely came to the realization that if it were to happen, it wouldn’t happen until after he passed.
He said the news will make Pete Rose night at Great American Ball Park Wednesday that much more special.
“I think it’s going to change the air radically, there’s going to be a feeling of celebration,” Brennaman said.
“I’d be interested to know if he’s going to be smiling down on that event tomorrow night or whether he’s going to be frowning because he’s thinking why did it take as long as it did to make me eligible,” Brennaman said.
