My Prison Without Bars (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Rick Hill (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Pete Rose's My Prison Without Bars is written for a purpose: to make Pete Rose's case for the Hall of Fame. On paper, Rose's credentials seem unassailable. The all-time career hits leader, Rose owns seven Major League and twelve National League records from his 24 years in baseball.

The controversy comes down to Major League Baseball's Rule 21: "Any... employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible." In 1989 Rose was suspended from baseball after allegations that he gambled on the sport, allegations Rose denied. Thereafter, fans and sportswriters have speculated that baseball officials would re-instate Rose if only he admitted his guilt. In the book, Rose confesses--for the first time--that he did in fact bet on Reds games while he managed the team, though he claims that he never bet against the Reds. This would seem to be the "coming clean" that baseball was looking for.

Rose, however, doesn't seem ready to give up his fight. The book attacks John Dowd and Commissioner Bart Giamatti for the 1989 report which ultimately led to Rose's suspension. Rose picks apart the report showing that the evidence was either falsified or from unreliable sources. Yet, he admits that the document's conclusion--that he bet on baseball--was accurate. Rose declares guilt but still seems to believe, as he says, that gambling is a "victimless crime" and that his punishment does not fit the crime. He won't "act sorry or sad or guilty" because he is "just not built that way."

Admirers of Rose the athelete will likely be disappointed by the book. After a too-short recollection of his life in baseball, Rose dwells heavily on the gamblers, bookmakers, runners, and memorabilia dealers who made up his world when he could no longer compete as a player. In the end, My Prison Without Bars is an interesting historical document in one of the greatest baseball scandals of all time, but those looking for a record of Rose's amazing baseball achievements are better off consulting The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. --Patrick O'Kelley

Product Description

Pete Rose is an enduring baseball celebrity. Fourteen years since he was banned from the game of baseball in a scandal that has overshadowed the game itself, speculation about Pete Rose's future still makes front-page news. lThe first book by Pete Rose since 1989 lTimed to release at the beginning of baseball season

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books; illustrated edition edition (January 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579549276
• ISBN-13: 978-1579549275
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #322,343 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Charlie Hustle's New Hustle, January 9, 2004

By	James Sadler (Plano, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I was a kid and still loved baseball, Pete Rose was Charlie Hustle, a nickname given him by Whitey Ford. And he was among my favorite players. The nickname was a reference to Rose's all-out play and determination (this was guy that ran to first base even when he got a walk). With the publication of this book, it's clear he is still Charlie Hustle, only the hustle is a completely different kind that he's trying to run by the public at large.

In his forward, Rose explains that he's finally confessing to betting on baseball because "it's time" and because someone "else might benefit." But as you read the book, it becomes apparent very quickly exactly who is meant to benefit-- Pete. After all, it's no secret Rose has been hustling for money for years and he reportedly received a one million dollar advance for this book. Sadly, it's clearly an autobiography intended to sell the public on granting absolution, with as little contriteness as possible.

Ross was banned from baseball in 1989 for his gambling activities. For years he denied it, excoriating others who accused him of having done so. Why 14 years later it is suddenly time to come clean, other than for the money and the chance to be reinstated in baseball, is beyond me. And if this is supposed to be a confession, it sure is an odd one. The book acts more as a rationalization for Rose's actions, going so far as to try to justify some of Rose's actions by having a doctor state Rose is a textbook case of ADHD attention disorder. Heck, he even gets into blaming his childhood teachers because they didn't understand him. Please...

Rose occasionally musters enough self-respect to say that he blames himself for his problems, but that rings pretty hollow in light of all the other pages spent pointing fingers at others. He does admit to betting on baseball four to eight times a week, including games he was managing, but almost seems to brush off criticism by saying he never bet against his team or tried to fix a game (after 14 years of lying, why should we believe him now?).

Rose appears to be going for some form of martyrdom, but with as little personal sacrifice as possible. He tries to play the victim throughout the book when in fact he victimized others. It's probably noteworthy that he never really bothers to apologize to those who have been lambasted for raising the issue of his cheating in the past.

Ultimately, it's not a very well written book, either. (I don't know who Rick Hill is, but he might want to leave this one off his resume). The book is so slanted that it really cannot be accepted as a true autobiography.

Thankfully, I did not have to pay full price for it.

23 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Shallow, January 9, 2004

By A Customer

Ghost written BS. A poor campaign for reinstatement so he can get into the hall of fame. Great ball player of the past. always an immature, narcisist who wouldn't know truth or honor if it beaned him in the forehead. Read the various articles over the years from Sports Illustrated if you want to know about the real Pete Rose. Read the book if you want to read a hallmark card to himself.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Rose strikes out in life, July 6, 2005

By	Jorge Oxley (Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This is the latest autobiographical book by Pete Rose. He chronicles his
whole life; from his childhood and hero worship of his father, to his time
spent in the federal penitentiary. He also writes several chapters about his
career in the Major Leagues. The main focus of the book, however, is Rose's
gambling. For over ten years he denied gambling on baseball. This book was
to have been his admittance and the beginning of his return to baseball in
some capacity. The problem is he comes off in the book as having not given
up gambling nor very penitent about his actions. It seems Pete wanted to
make excuses about every wrong he ever did. Nothing is his fault, either he
had bad friendships or did things that were bad but not quite as bad as
other things. The theme seemed to be "What about everyone else's mistakes?"
instead of standing up and admitting his own. As for the book itself and the
way it is written, this seems to be Rick Hill's first collaboration as an
author and the results are lackluster. The book jumps around a lot and loses
focus to many times. It is worth reading if for no other reason than to read
how Rose's wife would sneak in food at the prison for her hubby and inmate
friends.