I was too young to appreciate the Big Red Machine of the 70's, but some of my older siblings were really into them and attended many games. I grew up as a kid loving baseball. I watched the game of the week on network television every Saturday. Collected tons of baseball cards that I still have to this day. Pete Rose was my favorite. Somewhere along the way, probably a little bit after my mission I gradually began losing my passion for baseball. The Home Run fun of McGwire/Sosa brought me back a little bit, living in AZ when the Dbacks won the World Series was fun, but it's never quite been the same for me.

I really wish I could get back into it. Maybe it's because my Reds suck and have sucked for so many years it's been hard to get back into. I rarely watch in season games, but still enjoy watching the playoffs.

I went off on a tangent, but it's too bad about Charlie Hustle. He was a deeply flawed human, but I'm not sure there was ever a player who played with the passion and intensity he did. RIP Pete.