Pete Rose on Racism in MLB: I was Told I was Hanging with Black Players Too Much (Part 6)

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Legendary baseball player Pete Rose recently reflected on his time in Major League Baseball during the early 1970s. He addressed perceived racism in the sport, explaining that he spent lots of time with his black teammates, who treated him as "one of them." This included Frank and Vader, Jesse Gonder, and Tommy Harper. Rose attributed part of his success to these teammates, who saw something in him that other players didn't. He dismissed the notion that he spent time with them due to their race, stating he saw them as teammates, not black players. In terms of the development of the "Big Red Machine," Rose credits Dave Bristol for assembling the team and Sparky for developing it into the powerhouse it became. He described how gradually, over several years, the team developed into a talented bunch of Hall of Famers such as Joe Morgan and Tony Perez.