Banned Baseball Great Pete Rose a ‘High Stakes Gambler,’ Estranged Wife Claims

Pete Rose is allegedly a high stakes gambler who owes debts to both casinos and the Internal Revenue Service, despite the fact that he s making more than $1 million a year.

That s according to Carol Rose, the estranged wife to baseball s all-time hit leader due to illegal betting during his time as manager of the Cincinnati Reds.

In legal documents filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court, Carol, who married Rose in 1984, claims Pete blows most of his $1.2 million in annual income gambling. She asserts he s failing to pay financial support to her and their two adult children.

The majority of Rose s income comes from signing autographs and public appearances. He also works as a studio baseball analyst for Fox Sports.

Carol Rose is asking the court to properly asses both Pete s income and assets in order to come to financial terms on their divorce settlement. The couple filed for divorce in 2011, but the arrangement for the split has dragged on for the last seven years.

The Pete Rose Sports Bar Grill at Hawaiian Marketplace on the Las Vegas Strip did his estate no financial favors. The bar closed less than a year after opening.

Pete Rose s Major League Baseball hit record of 4,256 might never be broken. He s one of just two players in the history of the league to top 4,000 (the other Ty Cobb, 4,191 hits).

Rose also owns the record for the most games played (3,256), at-bats (14,053), and singles (3,215). He won three World Series rings, three batting titles, one MPV award, two Gold Gloves, and appeared in the All-Star game 17 times at a record five positions.

His statistical resume is second to none, but Rose remains barred from the National Baseball Hall of Fame for betting on games in which he managed. He admitted to placing wagers on the Reds, but maintains he never bet against his team or purposely threw games.

Numerous attempts by Rose and his supporters urging the HoF to reconsider his induction have been rejected.

Carol Rose s allegations that her husband is gambling should come as no surprise. It was just last year that Pete himself admitted to still fancying a bet from time to time (or day to day).

Who cares if I want to make a legal bet and go home and watch it? Pete asked on DirectTV s series Undeniable with Joe Buck. I m not hurting anybody. I m living my life.

While sports gambling was perhaps seen in a more negative light in the 1980s, today the public opinion has softened. The US Supreme Court is expected to on whether the current federal ban that outlaws the activity in all but four states should be repealed or replaced.

Regardless of whether legalized sports betting comes to casinos across the country, players, managers, and others directly involved in contests and games will remain prohibited from placing wagers on outcomes in which they re directly involved.