Rose on Letterman: 'I took greenies'

[Eric]

Rose on Letterman: 'I took greenies'

/ Associated Press
Posted: 14 hours ago

NEW YORK (AP) - Pete Rose says he took "greenies" in his playing days, if only to lose a few pounds. Oh, and he doesn't bet on baseball anymore, but if he did, he'd pick the Twins and the Padres.

In an appearance on the "Late Show" taped Monday, Rose was asked by host David Letterman whether he ever used any performance-enhancing drugs as a player. Rose said he never did, but when prodded about "greenies," explained that he used them - though they were nothing more than "diet pills."

"Well, I don't think greenies would ever help you do anything," he said. "You know, I took greenies before in spring training only because I tried to lose some weight, see."
Letterman then asked whether the pills ever helped him ward off fatigue.
"No, not like steroids," Rose replied. "If I took steroids, I'd have gotten 5,000 damn hits."
Neither Letterman nor Rose used the word "amphetamines," which were commonly nicknamed "greenies" at the height of their supposed popularity in baseball. The sport added amphetamines to its list of banned substances last year.
Rose said he still enjoys watching baseball - as many as three games a day - and still holds out hope that he'll be reinstated. Letterman asked Rose who he likes in this year's playoffs.
"You sound like you're betting on baseball," Rose said, drawing laughter and applause. "You know, baseball's going to hate me - the two teams I like are San Diego and Minnesota. And I liked the Yankees until they lost Randy Johnson, I liked the Mets, who've had a fantastic year, until they lost (Pedro) Martinez. St. Louis is going into the playoffs playing as bad as you could play. Detroit, I don't think they have the experience."
He added that he can't bet on baseball anymore "because I know too damn much about it."
"It wouldn't be fair," he said.
Rose, the career hits leader banned from baseball for betting on games as a manager, also explained the story behind the balls he signed with the words "I'm sorry I bet on baseball" that hit the market last month. He said he signed the balls in 2005 for a friend who planned to keep them for 10 or 15 years. But the friend passed them on to a partner, and they wound up in the hands of a collector who put them up for auction - prompting Rose to sign and market his own apology balls.

[sportscentury]

My favorite was when he told Letterman that he is the finest ambassador of baseball there is. This was in between jokes with Dave about how he gambled on the game. Classic.

[Jonathan]

I did not like Rose's off color "joke" - "Ryan Howard should get the MVP, and we should give Pujols the Spanish MVP"....?

Could you imagine if he said it the other way around? - Pujols should get the MVP, and we should give Ryan Howard the the Black MVP....


As person with Spanish Heritage, let us just say, I did not laugh.

Pete Rose, The Ambassador of Baseball??.... I vote NO.

[trsent]

Funny, I remember when I did an autograph appearance with Rose he talked about betting the NBA all day long, but he kept telling us how he doesn't bet hoops.

I know he is betting college football, my buddy, a waiter, told me how Pete loves to show him his losing 3-team $5000.00 parlays.

[nate]

Wouldn't it mean Howard would win the American MVP rather than Black MVP? Or maybe the English MVP?

[Jonathan]

Wouldn't it mean Howard would win the American MVP rather than Black MVP? Or maybe the English MVP?

Yes, You could "IMAGINE" Rose would say something else - that would segregate a certain minority!!

I like Rose less, and less every time I hear him speak. I agree, he needs to stay out of Baseball.

[nycsports]

"Ryan Howard should get the MVP, and we should give Pujols the Spanish MVP"....?

Rose is a nutty guy, but this comment didn't surprise me in 2006. After all, a couple of years ago they had the "All Latino Legends Team." I could care less when they announced that, a baseball player is a baseball player and heritage or skin color doesn't matter to me. I mean you don't see anyone creating an "All White Legends Team."

[sportscentury]

I did not like Rose's off color "joke" - "Ryan Howard should get the MVP, and we should give Pujols the Spanish MVP"....?

Could you imagine if he said it the other way around? - Pujols should get the MVP, and we should give Ryan Howard the the Black MVP....


As person with Spanish Heritage, let us just say, I did not laugh.

Pete Rose, The Ambassador of Baseball??.... I vote NO.

Jonathan,

I caught that, too, and I immediately thought, "Leave it to Pete ... what a baffoon!" At best, it was a comment in poor taste.

I think most of the MLB powers-that-be would like see Pete quietly disappear. I will give Pete this, though: He is the greatest ambassador that baseball has among those who are banned from baseball for life.

Reid