Pete Rose brushes off sexual misconduct questions at Phillies ceremony

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Pete Rose appeared at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia on Sunday as part of the Phillies honoring the 1980 World Series team.

As he was talking to the media, Rose got into a tiff with a female reporter from The Philadelphia Inquirer over questions about the organization scrapping plans to honor him in 2017 because of a woman’s claim she had a sexual relationship with him when she was a minor.

"It was 55 years ago, babe," Rose said.

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Pete Rose of the Philadelphia Phillies runs the bases during a game circa early 1980s at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Rose played for the Phillies from 1979 to 1983. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

The woman, identified as Jane Doe in 2017, said Rose called her in 1973, when she was 14 or 15, and they began a sexual relationship in Cincinnati that lasted several years. She also alleged Rose met her in locations outside Ohio for sex. Rose’s lawyer had said the claims were unverified.

Baseball’s hit king acknowledged in 2017 that he did have a relationship with the woman, but he said it started when she was 16 and denied ever having sex with her outside Ohio.

The allegations led the Phillies to scrap the plans to put Rose in their Wall of Fame.

"I'm going to tell you one more time: I'm here for the Philly fans, I'm here for my teammates, OK," he added. "I'm here for the Philly organization, and who cares what happened 50 years ago?"

Rose came out to a large ovation from Phillies fans.

Former Philadelphia Phillies player Pete Rose tips his hat to fans during an alumni day event before a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Washington Nationals,