Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball by Keith OBrien

Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball Reviews

• 
  Katie B

  4.5 stars
  
  I was too young at the time to have memories of Pete Rose’s baseball career but I do remember the controversy when he was banned due to his gambling on the sport. It’s fair to say Pete is his own worst enemy and honesty is not his strong suit. His spectacular fall from grace is on him and this nonfiction book about Pete’s childhood, professional career, and scandals makes that apparent. A well-researched book and a fascinating read even if you aren’t a big baseball fan.
  
  Thank you to Pantheon for sending me a free advance reader’s copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
• 
  Traci Thomas

  I loved this book. I knew a bit about Pete Rose but this book puts it all on the page. Well researched. Wild story. A great time.
• 
  Bonnie DeMoss

  I grew up in Cincinnati, and I was 11 and 12 years old when the Reds won the World Series in 1975 and 1976. It was a wonderful time. In school, we were shown Pete Rose as an example of how even mundane tasks, like running to an almost sure out at first, can make a difference if you put every effort you have into it, and "hustle." It changed how many of us looked at even the little things we had to do. For that, plus his stellar body of work in Major League Baseball, he should go into the Hall.
  
  The author makes a great case that Pete is not a nice guy. But that shouldn't keep him out of the Hall. A lot of people didn't like Pete, and apparently for good reason. But a lot of people didn't like Ty Cobb, and he's in the Hall.
  
  It's obvious Pete had a gambling problem and that he bet on the Reds, but he never bet against the Reds so he could not be accused of throwing a game. To me, there's a difference.
  
  Yes, Pete sounds like an asshole who cheated on his wife AND his mistresses, but that is not something that should keep him out of the Hall. I feel the Hall of Fame is about a player's body of work on the field, and Pete has more than earned it.
  
  For most of the book, the author seemed objective, but I feel throwing in some unsubstantiated allegations about corking his bats was a low blow, possibly designed to argue against those of us who say that only Pete's on-field work matters.
  
  In the end, I got the feeling the author doesn't want Pete in the Hall. I disagree. I struggle to give this book four stars when I really want to give it three, but I'm being objective and fair, and it's well-researched, so four stars it is.
  
  I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
• 
  Wendi Manning

  Pete Rose is an enormous jerk. That’s common knowledge. Does he belong in the Hall? Definitely. That should be common knowledge as well.
  
  He worked harder for what he achieved than anyone else. What he did outside of the stadium wasn’t particularly nice or legal, but not surprising. He loved baseball, and never bet against his team, so bring him in.
  
  There’s a lot of reasons Pete should never have played baseball, but he got a few lucky breaks and then completely proved himself worthy of that break. What happened after that was pretty much guaranteed.
  
  This book was amazingly well researched, but the reliance of certain phases, “He ran to first base, on a walk”, was really annoying and could have been a drinking game if you’re so inclined. The writing was mildly biased against him being in the Hall, which kind of surprised me.
  
  But, I learned more about Pete, and baseball than I ever would have guessed! I really recommend it.
  
  Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
• 
  Brendan (History Nerds United)

  I had preconceived notions before reading this book. The first, that Pete Rose is a bad person. The second, that Keith O'Brien was still going to be able to suck me into this story. Both of them turned out to be true!
  
  If you somehow don't know who Pete Rose is, he was a baseball player who had the most hits ever. This is a big deal. In O'Brien's Charlie Hustle, you get to the full Pete Rose story. O'Brien has a knack for somehow taking these big stories, like his previous (and amazing) book Paradise Falls, and telling them in a way that is both interesting throughout but never manipulative. There is a version of this book where the author could excuse everything Rose did or make the argument he has lost enough. Another version focuses on his many negative actions or just his general personality.
  
  Which brings me back to my preconceived notion. I was already knowledgeable enough about Rose to know I wouldn't like him any more than when I started. However, O'Brien made it so that when I tell people why, I have way more facts to bolster my view. In fact, I bet someone who wants to stick up for Rose would say the same. Whichever view you have, you are going to enjoy it. That's why this is such a damn good book.
  
  (This book was provided as an advance copy by the author.)
• 
  Lance

  Pete Rose is one of the most polarizing figures in baseball history. Even people who have never followed the game but know about him through the news about his gambling, conviction on tax evasion and his banishment from baseball will have an opinion on him. Whatever one’s opinion is about Rose, it is unlikely to change, even after reading this excellent biography of Rose by Keith O’Brien.
  
  Before getting to all the excellent aspects of the book, I will the two criticisms I have out of the way. One is a passage about how baseball changed, for the worse in O’Brien’s view, during the steroid era after Rose was banished from the game in 1989. That fits the subtitle of this book and is an opinion held by many but it just felt out of place – not only where it was placed in the book but by being included at all. Rose was never believed to use steroids so why is that included in a book on him?
  
  The other detail that was a negative is that in later passages, when mentioning the number of children Rose had, it always stated four – the four he had with his two wives. There was another daughter who Rose fathered with one of his mistresses, but aside from when she was little, she is ignored and forgotten the rest of the book. For the record, Pete Rose fathered five children, not four.
  
  With that out of the way, time to talk about all of the good things about this book and there are plenty. The first is that O’Brien was able to get many quotes, stories and pieces of information from Rose himself. For a such a controversial figure, it was remarkable that the author was able to glean this much from Rose and it made for more authenticity. Now, whether one believes that Rose is lying, as he did in many of his public statements about his gambling, that doesn’t really matter as the reader will be getting the story from the person himself.
  
  About that gambling – the detail with which O’Brien writes about Rose’s betting is what truly shines in this book. As many know, Rose gambled on more than just baseball. It was interesting to read about Rose’s “triple header” days in Florida during spring training. After the games, he would often head to the dog races, the horse races and the jai alai centers for placing bets. This would often take place with some characters who were less than desirable. This became known to many who befriended Rose through baseball and they had concerns. Teammates, managers and front office personnel alike all had questions about Rose’s acquaintances, but because of his success on the field, this wasn’t an issue for awhile.
  
  That is until the FBI and the Department of Justice started investigating some of those acquaintances such as Tommy Gioiosa and Ron Peters. The latter’s testimony to the agents working for these agencies was the most damaging and O’Brien brings their stories to life in riveting pages. The same goes for the investigation by John Dowd for Major League Baseball and his report. The reader will think that they are right there in the room with Dowd and the baseball commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti when reading about this investigation and the banishment of Rose from the game.
  
  These are just a few of the excellent topics covered in this book. I haven’t even mentioned anything about O’Brien’s writing about Rose’s accomplishments on the field. The beginning of the book that describes the night when Rose became the all-time leader in hits will give you an idea of how he covers that aspect of Rose as well – which is excellent.
  
  No matter how one feels about Rose as a person or whether or not he belongs in the baseball Hall of Fame, one who cares at all about him or baseball should read this book. It deals with a very controversial baseball figure fairly and leaves the reader to make the final judgement for themselves.
  
  I was provided a review copy via NetGalley and the opinions expressed are strictly my own.
  
  
  https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
• 
  Jay

  4.5 Stars.
  
  Please note that this is not a nigh 700 page book per Amazon. O'Brien was so meticulous with his research and his interviews that there are over 200 pages of notes along with an extensive index.
  
  While Pete Rose's story has been rehashed a million times - what sets this book apart from the rest of the Rose oeuvre is O'Briens access to government and FBI documents, three interviews with Pete Rose himself before Rose stopped returning his calls, and interviews with most of the gamblers in Pete's orbit.
  
  O'Brien paints the picture of a young Pete instructed by his father not to be a "sissy," and how Pete's life as a baseball player reflected that mantra. Rose was not the most physically gifted player during his era, but his compulsion to achieve perfection with his swing propelled him to the all-time hit king. Alas, Pete's compulsive behavior stretched into other areas of his life, none of them positive.
  
  Pete is a complex person - a gambler who accrued massive losses, a user of women and anyone willing to be a sycophant, a narcissist, and a pathological liar. However, he gave the proverbial "110 percent" in any game he played, had a beautiful swing, fan-friendly as a player, and was a working class icon who left so many fans with wonderful memories of his on the field exploits.
  
  I will allow others to pass judgment on him as a person after reading this book. I will pass judgment on the book though. 4.5 Stars. The only thing preventing it from being 5 of 5 is this book doesn't focus much on his prison stint and the 5-10 years after it.
  
  Whether you're a Rose obsessive or just a casual fan of baseball, I highly recommend this book.
  
  
• 
  Fay

  Thank you #partner Pantheon Books for my #gifted copy and thank you PRH Audio for my #gifted listening copy Charlie Hustle! #PRHPartner
  #PRHAInfluencer #PRHAudioPartner
  
  𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥
  𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐊𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐎’𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧
  𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐫
  𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
  
  ★★★★★
  
  Charlie Hustle is a MUST READ for any fan of baseball! The amount of research that went into this book is unmatched. As someone who lives in Cincinnati, I am very familiar with Pete Rose, but it was not until reading this book that I was able to better understand Pete Rose and his rise and fall.
  
  I found this book to be truly fascinating. O’Brien included firsthand interviews, FBI archives, court records, and interviews with people who knew Rose the best. As someone who lives in Cincinnati, I thought I knew a lot about Pete Rose prior to reading this book. I can honestly say I learned so much more from this book and I am going to be recommending this book to all of my baseball loving friends!
  
  🎧I alternated between the physical book, and the audiobook, narrated by Ellen Adair. I found Adair to be a phenomenal pick for this audiobook an I found her engaging and I really enjoyed my listening experience. I would highly recommend this book in either format!
• 
  Jeff

  An unvarnished look into the rise, and downfall, of MLB's Hit King. All the way from childhood to high school, minors to majors, hero to villain, O'Brien got access to the real Pete Rose.
  Well written and densely detailed, this is the sad, true story of a broken man who should be in baseball's Hall of Fame but because he refused for decades to apologize, he probably won't be enshrined while he's alive.
  
  MLB will probably soon advertize sports gambling on its uniforms as often as it does on its broadcasts. There is a sad irony in that.
  Put Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame.
• 
  Star Gater

  Thank you Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Pantheon for allowing me to read and review Charlie Hustle The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball on NetGalley.
  
  Published: 03/26/24
  
  Stars: 4
  
  I lived this. My first Major League Baseball game was in Cincinnati and of course I wanted to sit with my eyes on first base. Did I? I don't recall. I was young and sat where my dad pointed. I have only fond memories. There would have been a quick and nonsensical stop to any complaining; replacing the negative with the positive (everybody wants to see Pete, very few people ever see a game in their lifetime). I was taught to work hard and never give up like Pete. The lesson was there and I'm the woman I am today as a result. Pete made nonsporting news a few years after my introduction to him.
  
  Charlie Hustle timelines Rose's life. I didn't realize reading this would bring back all the emotions: sadness, disgust, and disbelief I felt as this played out. Mainly I didn't expect to feel disappointed again.
  
  I would gift this to a multi-thinker with interests in sports, social and psychological dynamics, and statistics.
• 
  Jake Jamison

  Really good. It seems like most everyone knows Pete Rose's story so It's interesting to see the author reframe it as indicative of the death of baseball's dominance as America's pastime and how its subsequent soured innocence paved the way for the steroids scandal shortly thereafter. Official Dad Book™ seal of approval.
• 
  Lisa

  Biased, because Pantheon, but publisher or not—one of the best sports books I’ve read in YEARS AND YEARS. Definitive and compulsively readable. And in light of the Ohtani news, couldn’t be more relevant. A showstopper.
• 
  Jake

  Keith O'Brien did the research for this one and interviewed a lot of people on the record specifically for this book. My favorite sections dealt with the time period in the late 1980s when Rose was battling with Giamatti and Vincent as well as all of the details of Rose's circle of friends and acquaintances.
  
  Thank you to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Pantheon as well as NetGalley for the ARC.
  
• 
  Debbie Lemonte

  "Charlie Hustle" by Keith O'Brien is a captivating exploration of the life and career of baseball legend Pete Rose. O'Brien skillfully weaves together Rose's journey from a small-town kid with an unmatched work ethic to his rise as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. The book not only delves into Rose's on-field achievements but also sheds light on the controversies that surrounded his career, particularly the infamous gambling scandal that led to his banishment from baseball.
  
  O'Brien's writing is both informative and engaging, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of Rose's complex personality and the challenges he faced. The author seamlessly blends sports history with personal anecdotes, creating a well-rounded portrait of a man who became both a hero and a pariah in the world of baseball. "Charlie Hustle" is a must-read for baseball enthusiasts and anyone intrigued by the intersection of talent, ambition, and the consequences of one's choices in the pursuit of greatness. O'Brien's meticulous research and compelling narrative make this biography a standout contribution to the literature on America's pastime.
• 
  Michelle Herzing

  I remember the Pete Rose scandal of the 1980's, but as someone who enjoys baseball without following it closely, I really knew very little about the man or the events surrounding his downfall. After reading Charlie Hustle, I have a great respect for him as a player, and simultaneously, I find his actions off the field deplorable. Keith O'Brien does a fantastic job of showing both sides of the legendary player, as well as the entire world of baseball, in a well-researched, very readable biography. The author portrays Pete as a hustler on the baseball field who worked harder than most others to reach the top, and delves into the politics and leadership of baseball commissioners and owners, who had roles in his career.
  
  As a casual baseball fan, I found the book an easy, informative and entertaining read. Those who are more enthusiastic fans will enjoy the deep dive into baseball of the era, and the backstory behind Pete Rose's implosion.
  
  Thank you to Netgalley and Pantheon Books for the digital ARC of Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball by Keith O'Brien. The opinions in this review are my own.
• 
  Susie

  Pete Rose is one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
  Pete Rose is a deeply flawed person who consistently made choices which support his lifetime ban from Major League Baseball.
  Cooperstown is not filled with saints.
   
  All three of these things can be true.
   
  Yet, until I read Keith O’Brien’s meticulously researched biography of Rose, “Charlie Hustle,” I’m not sure that I would have felt the second statement was true. The story which has filtered down through the public consciousness about Rose is that he was the victim of an overzealous prosecution by the commissioner of baseball who had an axe to grind.
   
  He also was painted as a man who made a small, isolated mistake. So, who are we to deny this man a spot in the hallowed hall next to guys like Ty Cobb who committed the same infraction themselves?
   
  But the Rose most of us think we knew isn’t a real person. He’s a carefully crafted character from back in a time before cameras were able to track sports figures obsessively.
   
  Had the world of social media existed for Pete Rose, maybe the very first season his horse track gambling got out of hand it would have been nipped in the bud.
   
  Or his career would have ended when he had an affair on his wife with a fifteen-year-old girl.
   
  He may have gone to Federal Prison for his association with bookies, cocaine, and steroids.
   
  Is it possible we would know nothing of Rose because his personal demons were so great and unmanageable that his career was over before it started. Or would he have gotten the help he needed so early on that this conversation would never have happened at all, and Rose would be firmly ensconced in the Hall where his talent belongs.
   
  We will never know, which makes this book a tough but fascinating read for the myriad of What If’s. 
   
  O’Brien manages to thread an extremely difficult needle here by presenting a mountain of facts without passing judgement. We know at the start that Rose himself cooperated for 27 hours of interviews on this book before disappearing from the project. By the end, this action is a perfect encapsulation of all Rose’s relationships - not just the people he consumes then discards, but with institutions too.
   
  Even now, as he spends his days haunting memorabilia shows to make money, Rose seems to remain the same. If anything, he appears confused that he still needs to dodge the debris of all the bridges he burnt.
   
  Ultimately that is the biggest takeaway from this bombshell of a bio: Even if Pete Rose was given back the one thing denied to him thus far, reinstatement and a shot at the Hall of Fame, it’s doubtful that would matter to him in the end. Charlie Hustle is only about the chase.
   
  _________
   
  Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the Advanced Reader Copy.
• 
  Patti

  Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Pantheon, and Keith O’Brien for the advanced reader copy of the book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.
  
  I’m old enough that I can say I saw Pete Rose play. As a Mets fan, I had to have some anger over his fight with Bud Harrelson during the 1973 playoffs. I also saw his fall from grace. In recent years, I thought he still belonged in the Baseball Hall of Fame, as they had never proved that he did anything to alter the course of a game while he was in debt to the gamblers he owed money to. However, after reading Charlie Hustle by Keith O’Brien, I’m rethinking that opinion.
  
  Charlie Hustle will likely become the definitive biography of Rose. It’s presented without the bias that Rose’s own books have. In it, O’Brien paints the portrait of a man whose entire life was consumed by baseball. He lived and breathed it, working out throughout his life more than was ever asked, and always trying to better himself. Unfortunately, he was also consumed by gambling, which would be his downfall.
  
  O’Brien starts at the beginning of Rose’s life as he grows up in the rough-and-tumble blue-collar area of Cincinnati. His father was devoted to Pete to the exclusion of his other children. Rose was trained as a prize fighter. When that didn’t work out, he turned his attention to baseball. The nickname “Charlie Hustle” was a derogatory name given to him by Mickey Mantle. Rose didn’t care; he ran with it and owned it.
  
  To read my full review, please go to:
  Book Review – Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball by Keith O’Brien
• 
  Patten

  I have read a lot of baseball biographies in my life, but I haven’t read many that hit me as squarely in the chest and left me as confused about a human as Keith O’Brien’s 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦.
  
  When I was seven-years-old, my grandfather took me to an exhibition game at Greer Stadium in Nashville between the Cincinnati Reds and the Nashville Sounds. I went down to the dugout with a ball and asked the Reds manager for an autograph. The manager, Pete Rose, didn’t look at me. For most of my life, that’s been my main memory of Pete Rose. A year later, he was banned from baseball and, to be honest, because I was so young I just kind of accepted that there was some debate over that happening (there are thousands of pages of hard evidence).
  
  O’Brien sets up his book like a five-act tragedy. Literally, there are five acts: Rise, Shine, Fame, Fall, and Wreckage. Pete Rose is complicated and O’Brien doesn’t shy away from that. On one hand, he’s baseball’s all time hits leader, he befriended the black players on his team when that was certainly not common, he was good to fans (seven-year-old me not withstanding), but he was also a hardcore gambler, a philanderer, an absent father, and possibly a pedophile. O’Brien covers it all, interviewing Pete himself, his friends, his teammates and other people around him. As he states in the intro, he sticks to just known facts because that story in and of itself is enough. He tries to stray from opinion and weighing in on some of baseball’s biggest debates, but it’s hard to avoid and I think he does it deftly.
  
  Pete Rose is a tragic figure: he was at the top, one of the greatest of all time, and fell to the lowest of the low, all through his own hubris. O’Brien captures it all perfectly. It’s one of the best baseball biographies I remember reading.
  
  Note: I did eventually get that autograph, but I had to pay him for it.
• 
  Linda Schuler

  Thank you to the Pantheon publishers and to the Goodreads "Giveaway" section for giving me a chance to win Charlie Hustle, and for sending it to me so quickly.
  
  Because I was born in 1948, I was even more fascinated by all the names and stories in the book (most of which I am familiar with because of the timeline). I LOVED IT ALL. It is well-written, clear and coherent. Every page was interesting and told me something I had not known or had forgotten years ago. Excellent reporting of a fascinating story. However--unlike many of the reviews I read: I had no moral pre-judgments, no harsh judgments while reading (except for an occasional feeling), and no judgment at end of book. I enjoyed every page, every detail; and the ending POPPED and surprised me (very satisfying). If it had been a novel of fiction, it could have been a great one--but nothing is truly stranger or more interesting than real life.
• 
  Joe Sobieski

  First, let me thank Pantheon Books for the free copy I won through the Goodreads app.
  
  Second, let me say this is an honest, unbiased, well written, researched & documented book.
  
  While I appreciated the contents of the book; I don’t know if I could say I “enjoyed” reading it. After reading it, I realize that Pete Rose is an even bigger asshole than I had previously thought. I almost…ALMOST…feel sorry for him.
• 
  Pegeen

  For the Greeks, who introduced us to both hubris and tragedy, a tragedy requires "some element of moral failure, some flaw in character” . In that original use of the word, this book sets out the flawed character and moral failing(s) of the larger than life Pete Rose. Even- handed and well researched, O’Brien’s book is never boring and shines a light as well on baseball’s history, as epitomized by Charlie Hustle. Recommended.
• 
  Brian

  Keith O'Brien perfectly captures the American tragedy of Baseball and Pete Rose. Rose's strengths on the field were the fatal flaws that led to his destruction off the field. Like a character out of O'Neill or Miller, we see the arrogance, stubbornness, and seediness of Rose. O'Brien counterbalances this by showing why and how Rose was adored (and still is by some people). The book is timely and an excellent read even if you don't love baseball.
• 
  Brant

  The book began and ended with the author attempting to situate Pete Rose and his scandal within context of modern baseball’s close relationship with sports gambling. It is a challenging path to chart, and the author repeatedly makes the case that something more scandalous is bound to happen. Pete Rose remains a pariah today, but this book humanized him and left me with mixed emotions. Such a tragic figure!
• 
  Rosalind

  Incredibly gripping - even games that I knew the outcome of, like any good baseball fan, I couldn’t help but wonder if the outcome was somehow different than I thought. An insightful portrait of a complicated man.