Pete Rose dismisses questions over statutory rape claims in Phillies return

Pete Rose dismissed questions on Sunday about a woman’s claim she had a sexual relationship with the former MLB star when she was a minor.

“It was 55 years ago, babe,” Rose told a female baseball writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Rose, though, had no trouble reminiscing about the 1980 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies team that was honored before Sunday’s game. After initially getting booed lightly, the 81-year-old Rose received a standing ovation from Phillies fans when he walked onto the Citizens Bank Park field for the first time since he received a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball in August 1989.

“They made me feel real good today,” Rose said of the cheers. “I don’t want to say I expected it. I guess I did expect it from Philly fans. That’s the way they are. They love their sports heroes.”

Rose’s already stained reputation suffered another blow in 2017 when the Phillies called off a planned induction into the team’s Wall of Fame because of the sexual misconduct accusations levied against him. Rose brusquely responded to the reporter’s question before the game – and later apologized to her following Sunday’s ceremony after initially saying, “will you forgive me if I sign 1,000 baseballs for you?” – and was just as combative on the topic after the pregame celebration.

“I’m going to tell you one more time: I’m here for the Philly fans, I’m here for my teammates, OK,” Rose said. “I’m here for the Philly organization and who cares what happened 50 years ago.”

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