Pete Rose Confessional Inscription

[allstarsplus]

Updated: Sep. 18, 2006, 9:54 AM ET
Rose signed balls: 'I'm sorry I bet on baseball'


ESPN.com news services


Pete Rose is sorry -- and for the right price, you can own a baseball with him saying just that.

Baseball's all-time hit king, banned from the game in 1989 for betting on baseball, has signed basballs with a confessional inscription: "I'm sorry I bet on baseball -- Pete Rose," the New York Daily News reported.
And they're for sale.

Robert Edward Auctions, a New Jersey auction house, plans to sell 30 of the baseballs.

"This is where the baseball collectibles field has impact on the history of the game," Rob Lifson, president of Robert Edward Auctions, told the Daily News. "The collectibles field is not just shadowing the game -- it's affecting its history."

Baseballs with Rose's signature sell for $25 to $50, but Lifson expects the "Confession Balls," as he will label them in the auction, will sell for $1,000 each, he told the newspaper.

Rose's agent Warren Greene and attorney Roger Makley did not return calls seeking comment, the Daily News reported. But Greene told Sports Collectors Digest that Rose did sign the balls.

"Pete told me he signed a couple of dozen as a favor to the guys in Cooperstown," Greene is quoted as saying in a story slated to appear in Sports Collectors Digest this week, the Daily News reported. The "guys in Cooperstown" are Tom Catal and Andrew Vilacky, two memorabilia dealers affiliated with Pete Rose Collectibles and the Pete Rose Museum, on the third floor of Catal's collectibles store in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Robert Edward Auctions obtained 30 of the balls from the estate of Barry Halper, a New Jersey businessman, limited partner in the Yankees and memorabilia collector who died last year. According to Lifson and Sports Collectors Digest reporter T.S. O'Connell, autograph authenticator James Spence has found several additional balls on the open market. O'Connell told the Daily News "40 to 50" of the balls are known to exist.

[metsbats]

What a novel idea. We all know what's coming next...


"I'm sorry I took steriods"

"I'm sorry I hit my wife/girlfriend"

"I"m sorry about that paternity suit"

"I'm sorry I took coke"

"I"m sorry I got caught "fill in the blanks"

I'm sorry I couldn't resist!

David

[Eric]

Pete's signs of his sorry times

BY MICHAEL O'KEEFFE and TERI THOMPSON
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Pete Rose
Boy, is Pete Rose sorry.
Baseball's disgraced all-time hit king may have hit an all-time low by signing balls with this shocking inscription: "I'm sorry I bet on baseball - Pete Rose."

Thanks to a New Jersey auction house, you, too, can share in Rose's sorrow. Robert Edward Auctions plans to sell 30 of the baseballs for an expected $1,000 a pop.

"This is where the baseball collectibles field has impact on the history of the game," said Rob Lifson, president of the Watchung-based Robert Edward Auctions. "The collectibles field is not just shadowing the game - it's affecting its history."

It also could dash any hope Rose, who was banned from the sport he loved in 1989 for betting on baseball, has of getting into the Hall of Fame.

The bizarre ball signing marked the latest chapter in the sad saga of a man who was once one of baseball's most revered - and successful - figures.

Rose formally applied for reinstatement in 1997.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig extended an olive branch by meeting with him in 2002 to discuss his possible return - a meeting based on Rose's denials that he never bet on the game.

But then Rose became embroiled in a series of incidents in which he was seen gambling at casinos and sports books, and was hit with a lien from the IRS claiming he owed almost $1 million in back taxes.

In 2004, after almost 15 years of denials, Rose did an about-face and admitted in his autobiography "My Prison without Bars" that he bet on the game as a player and manager for the Cincinnati Reds. He repeated his admissions in an interview on ABC's "Primetime."

And now there are these damning baseballs.

Rose's agent Warren Greene and attorney Roger Makley did not return calls from the Daily News. Greene, however, acknowledged to Sports Collectors Digest, a hobby publication, that Rose did sign the balls.

"Pete told me he signed a couple of dozen as a favor to the guys in Cooperstown," Greene is quoted as saying in a story set to appear in Sports Collectors Digest this week.

He was referring to Tom Catal and Andrew Vilacky, two upstate memorabilia dealers who are friendly with Rose and are affiliated with Pete Rose Collectibles and the Pete Rose Museum, a shrine on the third floor of Catal's collectibles store, in Cooperstown. Robert Edward Auctions obtained 30 of the inscribed balls from the estate of Barry Halper, the New Jersey businessman and limited partner in the Yankees who died last year at 66.

Halper is best known for assembling the most extensive sports memorabilia collection in history. Most of his collection was sold in 1999 for $25 million at Sotheby's.

But this year, Halper's family contacted Lifson, who supervised the 1999 sale, about consigning pieces the legendary collector picked up after the historic auction.

"I went out to do an inventory," Lifson said, "and there they [the Pete Rose balls] were in a box."

According to Lifson, Rose approached Halper around the time his book was released in 2004 asking the collector to help him find a way to make money off his memorabilia.

The two then cooked up a plan for the autographed apology balls, Lifson said.

The Halper family believed Rose had signed 300 of the balls, although they are in possession of only 30. The ones Lifson will auction fall between No. 215 and No. 296, and feature the Pete Rose Collectibles insignia above the numbering.

According to Lifson and Sports Collectors Digest reporter T.S. O'Connell, autograph authenticator James Spence has come across several additional balls on the open market. O'Connell said there are "40 to 50" known to exist.

Rose remains a favorite with many fans. But there are a lot autographed Rose items on the market, and supply clearly outstrips demand.

Baseballs with Rose's signature sell for $25 to $50, Lifson said, but he expects the "Confession Balls," as he will label them in the auction, to fetch upward of $1,000 each.

And Lifson will also offer another bit of Rose's history in his auction - his Hall of Fame pass, inscribed with its own plea to Halper: "Barry, I shouldn't need this pass to get into the Hall of Fame, Pete Rose."

"Barry was very good friends with Pete Rose," Lifson said. "His Hall of Fame pass was the kind of thing Barry would keep at his desk and surround himself with and pull out and show people."

With Bill Madden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hit king's ups & downs

Here are some key dates in the amazing career and downfall of Pete Rose:


April 8, 1963: Makes debut in major league career built on grit. Earns the nickname "Charlie Hustle" for his no-holds-barred style.

Sept. 11, 1985: Passes Ty Cobb to become baseball's all-time leader in hits.

Aug. 17, 1986: Retires with an amazing 4,256 hits, mostly with Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies.

Aug. 24, 1989: Banned from baseball by Commissioner Bart Giamatti for betting on baseball.

April 20, 1990: Pleads guilty to federal tax-evasion charges and is sentenced to five months in prison.

Feb. 4, 1991: Removed from Hall of Fame ballot.

Sept. 26, 1997: Pleads for reinstatement in letter to Commissioner Bud Selig. No action is taken.

Oct. 24, 1999: Wins rousing ovation from fans during introduction of All-Century Team at World Series game. Spars with announcer Jim Gray, who grills him about betting charges.

Nov. 25, 2002: Joined by Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, meets secretly with Selig to discuss reinstatement.

Jan. 5, 2004: Ending years of lies, admits to betting on baseball in book, "My Prison without Bars."

Today: Daily News reveals sale of autographed baseballs with Rose's autograph and handwritten message, "I'm sorry I bet on baseball."

Originally published on September 18, 2006

[suave1477]

Ok im sorry maybe im missing the whole hoopla about this!!!


First of all they expect the balls to sell for a $1000, then what would stop the average autograph collector to go to a Pete Rose signing for say $50 and getting a $10 inscription of him saying the same thing?????

Does someone have the exclusive rights to Pete Rose saying that?

You might say well he might not sign that inscription again, but if he did it before im sure he would do it again??? Whats the big deal!!!

What if he says NO??? Well what If I paid double of $10 for the inscription or Triple I am sure at some point he would have his price to say OK.

$1000 I THINK THATS A BIT RIDCIULOUS!!!

[otismalibu]

Save your money for the Ray Lewis "I'm sorry..." orange county jumpsuit.

Much nicer display piece, IMO.

[allstarsplus]

$1,000 as an estimate for a (possible) :rolleyes: non-exclusive inscription???? Pete may have a new "premium" inscription at his next public signing.

[Ripken]

Actually, the story isn't quite accurate. I talked to Rob Lifson this morning and he told me the $1,000 is just an estimate..they're not "selling" the balls outright. They'll be part of the company's auction in April.

They are numbered to 303 and it's believed there are no more than that many in existence as part of an agreement Rose made.

Pictures, link, etc: http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/sports-collectors-daily.html

[flaco1801]

if those balls sell for that kind of money or anywhere close i think youll see many more of em.

[suave1477]

Well this is making pretty big News, what's the big deal????????


Rose 'I'm sorry' baseballs will be auctioned

Rose 'I'm sorry' baseballs will be auctionedBy JOE KAY, AP Sports Writer
September 19, 2006

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Pete Rose never expected baseballs bearing his autograph and a printed apology for betting on baseball to be sold publicly, his business agent said Monday.
A New Jersey auction house plans to put 30 such balls up for bid in April, unsure how much they'll fetch. The baseballs belonged to a memorabilia collector who died last December.
ADVERTISEMENT
on error resume nextFor mp_i=11 To 6 Step -1If Not IsObject(CreateObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash." & mp_i)) ThenElse mp_swver=mp_i Exit ForEnd IfNext http://adfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/bn/711-40756-1843-18?mpt=1158698973165255 (http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12icdmko9/M=552442.9309395.10058591.1806201/D=sports/S=95861673:LREC/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1158706173/A=3969388/R=1/SIG=12anpdtvm/*http://adfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ck/711-40756-1843-18?mpt=1158698973165255)if (window.yzq_a == null) document.write("");if (window.yzq_a){yzq_a('p', 'P=Sv4nD86.I.YXXwmqRQ_u_QoGl8pmUkUQV90AAkTH&T=13rksmp5k%2fX%3d1158698973%2fE%3d95861673%2fR%3d sports%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d1.1%2fW%3d8%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3 d1545340916%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3dDE33BECE');yzq_a('a', '&U=13armfset%2fN%3d1NGMAs6.IsM-%2fC%3d552442.9309395.10058591.1806201%2fD%3dLREC% 2fB%3d3969388');}http://us.bc.yahoo.com/b?P=Sv4nD86.I.YXXwmqRQ_u_QoGl8pmUkUQV90AAkTH&T=140hhhoe9%2fX%3d1158698973%2fE%3d95861673%2fR%3d sports%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d2.1%2fW%3d8%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3 d1936597985%2fQ%3d-1%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3dDE33BECE&U=13armfset%2fN%3d1NGMAs6.IsM-%2fC%3d552442.9309395.10058591.1806201%2fD%3dLREC% 2fB%3d3969388Baseball's banished hits king signed the baseballs for some of his friends about a year ago, but didn't want them put up for sale, according to business agent Warren Greene.
"These guys are collectors. Pete signed for them," Greene said, in a phone interview. "Pete made zero dollars for signing them."
The baseballs say "I'm sorry I bet on baseball" in block letters, with Rose's autograph directly below. Greene didn't know who suggested the inscription.
The New York Daily News first reported the story in Monday's editions.
Rose accepted a lifetime ban for gambling in 1989, but denied for nearly 15 years that he bet on baseball. He finally acknowledged in his latest autobiography, published in January 2004, that he made baseball wagers while he managed the Cincinnati Reds (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/cin/).
During his exile from baseball, Rose has made a living in part off his memorabilia signings. During an appearance years ago, he agreed to sign a fan's copy of baseball's Dowd Report, which contained the evidence that he bet on baseball.
Greene said a collector who got some of the "I'm sorry" baseballs gave 30 of them to Barry Halper, a limited partner in the New York Yankees (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/nyy/) who died last December. The family contacted Robert Edward Auctions to sell his sports memorabilia. "There was a box of these baseballs," auction house president Robert Lifson said. "When I saw them, I couldn't help but thinking, 'Wow."' Lifson couldn't guess how much fans will bid for the apology baseballs. Rose's Web site features autographed balls for $86.99. Other balls with inscriptions such as "Hit King" are offered for $104.

[worldchamps]

On peterrose.com you can now buy these balls from him for $299.....I bet Robert Edwards Auction is furious!!!!

[trsent]

On peterrose.com you can now buy these balls from him for $299.....I bet Robert Edwards Auction is furious!!!!

You may wish to go to the web site:

http://www.peterose.com/

To find those baseballs.

Great find, there are right there for sale. I should buy one.

[allstarsplus]

Pete Rose will be on the Stephen A. Smith show on ESPN2 tonight.

[shafrancollectibles.com]

Pete just undercut that whole market!!! Robert Edwards still got HUGE publicity - main story on Yahoo for most of the day today. I too am tempted to buy one right now but knowing Rose, he'll sign thousands of these by the end of the month.

[suave1477]

Thats what I dont understand Pete Rose I bet will do these at autograph signing shows which cost less then even if you bought it from him directly.
He has a show coming up in 1 month in New Jersey I am going to try to see if I can get him to do it there. Ill update you guys on his answer.

[TNTtoys]

Thats what I dont understand Pete Rose I bet will do these at autograph signing shows which cost less then even if you bought it from him directly.
He has a show coming up in 1 month in New Jersey I am going to try to see if I can get him to do it there. Ill update you guys on his answer.

What show is coming up in NJ that features Pete Rose? That's my neck of the woods... always interested in a good signing w/ either hall of famers or past NY Mets (and yes, in my eyes, the hit king falls into one of those 2 categories ;) )

[Eric]

Pete Rose is on the Stephen A Smith show on espn2 right now 11:00 pm eastern tuesday. He's about to talk about the inscription situation.
Eric

[earlywynnfan]

So what did he say??

Ken

[suave1477]

Tnt your in luck Pete Rose is going to be at a show in New Jersey with a bunch of plaers including other hall of famers / als a month lathere there doing a huge Mets show from players since 1962 till now.

Pete Rose will be in New Jersey oct 15th - Crowne Plaza
Mets Mania Show will be in New Jersey Dec 9th & 10th - Crowne Plaza

[metsbats]

Pete just undercut that whole market!!! Robert Edwards still got HUGE publicity - main story on Yahoo for most of the day today. I too am tempted to buy one right now but knowing Rose, he'll sign thousands of these by the end of the month.


They don't call him Charlie Hustle for nothing:D

[Eric]

About the memorabilia story, Pete said he signed a bunch of balls this way for a friend in Cooperstown. The goal was to hold them for 15 years and then sell them. Apparently the guy gave some of the signed balls to a partner who consigned them with Robert Edwards Auctions (again this is according to what Pete said last night).

Pete got pissed that someone was trying to cash in on this right now. Pete made it clear that he's not making a dime off the REA sale. He said that since there seems to be a demand for the baseballs, he's going to sell them himself on his website to the fans who are demanding it.

It's funny- he kept trying to clear his name by saying he wasn't cashing in on the $1000 REA baseballs, but at the same time he's selling them (for $299) on his site.

it was a terrific interview. Stephen A Smith pulled no punches. If it's rerun, make sure to catch it.
Eric

[metsbats]

ON www.cnnn.com (http://www.cnnn.com) Rose did an interview on HLN (Headliners). Search for Rose Behind the Plate and you can watch this interview too.


David

[sportscentury]

ON www.cnnn.com (http://www.cnnn.com) Rose did an interview on HLN (Headliners). Search for Rose Behind the Plate and you can watch this interview too.


David

David,

Is that the correct link? I couldn't find it. Thanks,

Reid

[flaco1801]

rose will sign anything he was signing packs of cigarettes in jail he even signed the numbered indictment that was made public. jeff

[sammy]

For the Pete Rose interview on CNN, click on the link below and type in "Pete Rose" in the "Search Video" box.

http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?section=/mostwatched&wm=10 (http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?section=/mostwatched&wm=10)

[worldchamps]

For $349 he will personalize the ball to you also.

http://www.fansedge.com/Players/ProductDetail.aspx?storeId=402&pfId=33-59804


I wonder if you said your name was Bart Giamatti , would he sign it???

[sportscentury]

For the Pete Rose interview on CNN, click on the link below and type in "Pete Rose" in the "Search Video" box.

http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?section=/mostwatched&wm=10 (http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?section=/mostwatched&wm=10)

Sammy,

You're the man. Thanks,

Reid

[metsbats]

David,

Is that the correct link? I couldn't find it. Thanks,

Reid


Hi Reid,

www.cnn.com (http://www.cnn.com)

do a seach for Pete Rose Behind the plate and the streaming video of the interview should display on the page "WATCH" headline

Sorry for the typo

David

[metsbats]

Hi Reid,

www.cnn.com (http://www.cnn.com)

do a seach for Pete Rose Behind the plate and the streaming video of the interview should display on the page "WATCH" headline

Sorry for the typo

David


or follow this link it's easier:

http://news.yahoo.com/video/2460


The Rose interview is on this page..

David

[TNTtoys]

Tnt your in luck Pete Rose is going to be at a show in New Jersey with a bunch of plaers including other hall of famers / als a month lathere there doing a huge Mets show from players since 1962 till now.

Pete Rose will be in New Jersey oct 15th - Crowne Plaza
Mets Mania Show will be in New Jersey Dec 9th & 10th - Crowne Plaza


Suave

Mets Mania...?

Which Crowne Plaza -- the one in Seacaucus?
I have not heard anything about this event and cannot seem to find anything online. Who's organizing it? Which Mets are going to be appearing?

Thanks
Nick

[suave1477]

Tnt this event has been advertised for about 2 months.

It will be at the one in seacuacus
Here are listings for the players that will be there and they will be adding more.
RICK AGUILERA CRAIG ANDERSON
DON CARDWELL ED BOUCHEE
GARY CARTER CLIFF COOK
ED CHARLES JOE CHRISTOPHER
KEVIN COLLINS GREG GOOSEN
DUFFY DYER JAY HOOK
WAYNE GARRETT SHERMAN JONES
JERRY GROTE CLEM LABINE
KEITH HERNANDEZ HOBIE LANDRITH
AL JACKSON DOC MEDICH
BOB JOHNSON KEN McKENZIE
ED KRANEPOOL BOB MILLER
SKIP LOCKWOOD FRANK THOMAS
J C MARTIN
JIM McANDREW
AMOS OTIS
DARRYL STRAWBERRY
RON SWOBODA
RON TAYLOR

[trsent]

Jason, let me know when Straw and Doc are appearing at the same show again and I'd like to mail you a photo to have signed for me.

[allstarsplus]

Just received this email:

It has been widely reported that thirty baseballs signed by Pete Rose with the inscription “I’m sorry I bet on baseball” were discovered among the Barry Halper Collection materials which will be featured in Robert Edward Auctions’ spring sale. These thirty baseballs have been withdrawn from auction. An offer to purchase all thirty Pete Rose baseballs for $30,000 was made to us by ESI Entertainment Systems Inc., a gaming service industry company from British Columbia, Canada. REA has never before withdrawn an item from auction that has been scheduled for auction, but in this unique instance, in light of the fact that Pete Rose is now selling baseballs signed in an identical manner on his website for $299, we advised our consignors (the Halper family) that it was our opinion that this offer should be accepted. We were given the authority to proceed in whatever manner we felt best. Our job is to make the best decisions possible for our consignors, and we have therefore executed
the sale of the thirty baseballs to ESI Entertainment Systems Inc for thirty thousand dollars. We apologize for any inconvenience to the hundreds of collectors who have contacted us during the week regarding these Pete Rose baseballs, but in this very unusual circumstance we believe that it was appropriate to recommend an outright sale. We are confident that collectors will appreciate our thought process, and hope that any inconvenience is more than remedied by the fact that baseballs bearing this identical inscription can now be purchased directly from Pete Rose at www.PeteRose.com. Please note that the buyer was made fully aware by Robert Edward Auctions that baseballs signed in an identical manner could be purchased directly from Pete Rose, but they specifically wanted the REA auction examples. We wish Pete Rose all the best and we will be referring all future (and previously received) inquiries regarding Pete Rose baseballs to www.PeteRose.com. For information about the
withdrawn thirty baseballs, which will always have a special historical significance as the original thirty Pete Rose balls discovered in Barry Halper’s basement, contact: ESI Entertainment Systems Inc. (TSX:ESY), 15th Floor, 4710 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5H 4M2.

Sincerely,

Robert Edward Auctions LLC

www.RobertEdwardAuctions.com

[metsbats]

http://www.mabcelebrity.com

Here's a link to the promoter's site for the Mets Mania show.

David

[cohibasmoker]

Anyone interested in a copy of the Dowd Report? I have a bound copy of the 135 page report. A few years ago, I tried to have Rose sign it but he refused. Go figure. I wonder if he'll sign it now since he's come out.

Jim Papaycik

flaa1a@comcast.net

[suave1477]

Trsent I will let you know when Strawberry and Doc are around unfortunately as we all know Doc is doing his time we should see him in the next couple of years

[Eric]

So far the Pete Rose apology baseballs have closed with bids at

$1000, $599, $599, and 7 at $299 each (2 did not sell at $299)

And are currently bidded up in separate lots for
$1325, $600, $535, and $399

There are some currently open with buy it now prices of
$2199, $999, $750, $699, $599, $399 and $349

Eric

[staindsox]

Pete is selling them on his website now, I think for $250. For an extra $50, he'll personalize it to you.

[sportscentury]

Just received this email:

It has been widely reported that thirty baseballs signed by Pete Rose with the inscription “I’m sorry I bet on baseball” were discovered among the Barry Halper Collection materials which will be featured in Robert Edward Auctions’ spring sale. These thirty baseballs have been withdrawn from auction. An offer to purchase all thirty Pete Rose baseballs for $30,000 was made to us by ESI Entertainment Systems Inc., a gaming service industry company from British Columbia, Canada. REA has never before withdrawn an item from auction that has been scheduled for auction, but in this unique instance, in light of the fact that Pete Rose is now selling baseballs signed in an identical manner on his website for $299, we advised our consignors (the Halper family) that it was our opinion that this offer should be accepted. We were given the authority to proceed in whatever manner we felt best. Our job is to make the best decisions possible for our consignors, and we have therefore executed
the sale of the thirty baseballs to ESI Entertainment Systems Inc for thirty thousand dollars. We apologize for any inconvenience to the hundreds of collectors who have contacted us during the week regarding these Pete Rose baseballs, but in this very unusual circumstance we believe that it was appropriate to recommend an outright sale. We are confident that collectors will appreciate our thought process, and hope that any inconvenience is more than remedied by the fact that baseballs bearing this identical inscription can now be purchased directly from Pete Rose at www.PeteRose.com (http://www.PeteRose.com). Please note that the buyer was made fully aware by Robert Edward Auctions that baseballs signed in an identical manner could be purchased directly from Pete Rose, but they specifically wanted the REA auction examples. We wish Pete Rose all the best and we will be referring all future (and previously received) inquiries regarding Pete Rose baseballs to www.PeteRose.com (http://www.PeteRose.com). For information about the
withdrawn thirty baseballs, which will always have a special historical significance as the original thirty Pete Rose balls discovered in Barry Halper’s basement, contact: ESI Entertainment Systems Inc. (TSX:ESY), 15th Floor, 4710 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5H 4M2.

Sincerely,

Robert Edward Auctions LLC

www.RobertEdwardAuctions.com (http://www.RobertEdwardAuctions.com)

Andrew,

This is fascinating. Besides the provenance difference, is there any noticeable difference between these 30 baseballs and the baseballs signed on peterose.com (e.g., National League baseballs versus Official League baseballs)? $30,000 versus $9,000 makes me think that something else must be different about them (i.e., they must be distinguishable by some physical characteristic).

Thanks,

Reid

[suave1477]

JUST UPDATED!!!

Which was mentioned earlire in this thread the Mets show.
Just added for signing

John Franco
Cleon Jones
Julio Franco
Paul LoDuca
Don Zimmer
Steve Tracshel
Tim Corcoran