The Sports Report: Pete Rose dies at 83

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From Mike Kupper: Pete Rose, who played baseball with such boyish and fierce enthusiasm that he was known as Charlie Hustle but whose certain entrance to the game’s Hall of Fame was doomed by his lifelong suspension for betting on games, died Monday, according to multiple reports. He was 83.

Rose’s agent, Ryan Fiterman, told TMZ.com that Rose had died at his home in Las Vegas. The Cincinnati Reds also announced Rose’s death.

Rose finished with more hits than any other player in the history of Major League Baseball and once was one of the country’s best known and most admired athletes. For years, he denied he’d bet on games while a player and manager for the Reds — a team he’d led to glory again and again. Even when he finally came clean with a lucrative book deal and renewed hope of reinstatement hanging in the balance, he continued to insist that he’d never bet against his own team.

“I bet on my own team to win,” Rose told NJ.com. “That’s what I did in a nutshell. I was wrong, but I didn’t taint the game. I bet on my team every night because that’s the confidence that I had in my players. And I was wrong.”

Though he had been banned from baseball since 1989, served five months in a federal prison camp for income tax evasion, was a known philanderer and a largely unsuccessful gambler, Rose remained one of the most beloved former athletes in the nation. The Hall of Fame might not have wanted him, but fans clung to him.

Such is the dichotomy of Peter Edward Rose.

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DODGERS

From Jack Harris: In what is one of the more wide-open playoffs in recent Major League Baseball history, the Dodgers epitomize the relative state of parity.

If all the pieces fall in place, and they couple a star-studded offense with the right combination of pitching, the team could make a run at its second World Series title in the last five seasons.

If their patchwork rotation falters, or their best players again go missing, they could just as easily suffer an early elimination as they did the past two postseasons.

The Dodgers are entering October riding high, holding the top overall playoff seed and the second-best record in the majors since the All-Star break. But their path to a championship is also littered with obstacles, many created by their own roster deficiencies.

As the team waits to learn its opponent in the National League Division Series, which begins Saturday, here are reasons for confidence — and concern — entering yet another postseason.

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MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

Wild-card round
All times Pacific

National League
No. 6 NY Mets at No. 3 Milwaukee
Tuesday at Milwaukee, 2:30 p.m., ESPN
Wed. at Milwaukee, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
*Thursday at Milwaukee, 5:30 p.m., ESPN2

No. 5 Atlanta at No. 4 San Diego
Tuesday at San Diego, 5:30 p..m., ESPN
Wed. at San Diego, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
*Thursday at San Diego, 4 p.m., ESPN

American League
No. 6 Detroit at No. 3 Houston
Tuesday at Houston, 11:30 a.m., ABC
Wed. at Houston, 11:30 a.m., ABC
*Thursday at Houston, 11:30 a.m., AND

No. 5 Kansas City at No. 4 Baltimore
Tuesday at Baltimore, 1 p.m., ESPN2
Wed. at Baltimore, 1:30 p.m., ESPN
*Thursday at Baltimore, 1 p.m., ESPN

*- if necessary

Note: Thursday’s game times are subject to change if other series end early.

LAKERS

From Dan Woike: LeBron James was staring at his basketball mortality in the face.

His team had been swept in the Western Conference finals the prior spring and his body was showing undeniable signs of age, the mileage mounting while James’ willingness to keep fighting seemed to lessen.

“I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest,” he said the night the Lakers got bounced in 2023. “Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about.”

A little more than 16 months later, the questions about the future feel like ancient history. With the dawn of his 22nd NBA training camp a day away, James bounced with energy. The greys had all been erased from his beard. His oldest son is now his teammate. And the shine from his latest gold medal hasn’t come close to deadening.

“I feel damn good. I had a great summer. I had a great summer,” James repeated on Monday. “Body was responding very well overseas along with Team USA. So [I] took care of that. And I kept that going. Even when we stopped playing, I kept it going. So I feel really good physically. Mentally, I feel really good. Really sharp. Very fresh. Looking forward to getting to work tomorrow. I have not thought about what the future holds. Kind of just living in the moment. Especially with Bronny being here too.

“I don’t want to take this moment for granted. I’ve always kind of never gave myself an opportunity to kind of just, like, you know, I guess, take in the moments.”

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CLIPPERS

From Broderick Turner: Kawhi Leonard said Monday his goal is to play in the Clippers’ regular-season opener against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 23.

But Leonard continues to deal with inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee and that’s why there has been some uncertainty about when he’ll be healthy enough to play, especially after reports that he had procedures on the knee over the summer.

The Clippers’ plan is to limit Leonard’s activity in training camp, which starts Tuesday in Hawaii.

Leonard was asked if he planned on starting for the Clippers on opening night.

“That’s the plan,” he said at the Clippers’ media day at Intuit Dome. “I never plan to miss games, but it just about my body. I’m a human being and we’re playing basketball, so it all depends on what we want and what we figure out and how my body is feeling. But right now I think it is a positive thing to think that I will play. But we take it day by day.”

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RAMS

From Gary Klein: The Rams and their injury depleted roster finally could get some relief.

Star receiver Cooper Kupp will remain out for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers because of an ankle injury, but cornerback Darious Williams and defensive lineman Larrell Murchison, who have been on injured reserve since the start of the season, are eligible to begin practicing this week and could possibly play against the Packers, coach Sean McVay said Monday.

“I don’t want to put any unnecessary timetables on those guys, but I know they’re making good progress,” McVay said during a videoconference with reporters. “That certainly isn’t something I would rule out — the possibility of them going.”

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DIKEMBE MUTOMBO DIES

Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.

His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

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WNBA PLAYOFFS

Semifinals
All times Pacific

No. 1 New York (32-8) vs. No. 4 Las Vegas (27-13)
at New York 87, Las Vegas 77
Tuesday at New York, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2
Friday at Las Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2
*Sunday at Las Vegas, TBD
*Tuesday, Oct. 8 at New York, TBD, ESPN2

No. 2 Minnesota (30-10) vs. No. 3 Connecticut (28-12)
Connecticut 73, at Minnesota 70
Tuesday at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2
Friday at Connecticut, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2
*Sunday at Connecticut, TBD
*Tuesday, Oct. 8 at Minnesota, TBD, ESPN2

*-if necessary

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1903 — The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Boston Pilgrims 7-3 in the first World Series game. Jimmy Sebring hits the first Series homer, Deacon Phillippe is the winning pitcher and Cy Young the loser.

1932 — Babe Ruth made his legendary “call” as he points to center field before hitting a home run into the Wrigley Field bleachers in the 5th inning of Game 3 of the World Series. Yankees go on to win, 7-5.

1945 — World heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis is discharged from US army after being awarded the Legion of Merit.

1961 — Roger Maris hits his 61st home run of the season, against Tracy Stallard of the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. The blow gives New York a 1-0 victory and eclipses Babe Ruth’s 34-year-old single-season home run record.

1967 — Richard Petty continues phenomenal NASCAR winning streak by taking the Wilkes 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway; unprecedented 10th consecutive victory.

1975 — In the “Thrilla in Manila,” Muhammad Ali beats Joe Frazier in 14 rounds to retain his world heavyweight title.

1977 — 75,646 fans come to the Meadowlands to see soccer great Pelé play his farewell game. Pelé plays the first half with the New York Cosmos and the second half with his former team, Santos of Brazil.

1988 — Flamboyant American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner wins her third gold medal of the Seoul Olympics anchoring the victorious US 4 x 100m relay team.

1988 — Steffi Graf beats Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 6-3 to win the women’s singles tennis gold medal at the Seoul Olympics; clinches first and only Golden Slam in history (Grand Slam & Olympics).

1993 — In his first World Boxing Council heavyweight title defense Lennox Lewis beats fellow Londoner Frank Bruno by TKO in 7 at the National Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

2000 — NBA stars Ray Allen and Vince Carter each score 13 points as the U.S. beats France 85-75 to win the men’s basketball gold medal at the Sydney Olympics.

2000 — United States wins the most medals (97), and the most gold medals (40) in Summer Olympics held in Sydney, Australia.

2004 — Ichiro Suzuki sets the major league record for hits in a season, breaking George Sisler’s 84-year-old mark with a pair of early singles as the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 8-3. Sisler set the hits record of 257 in 1920 with the St. Louis Browns over a 154-game schedule. Suzuki breaks it in the Mariners’ 160th game of the year.

2006 — Tiger Woods matches his longest PGA Tour winning streak of six at the American Express Championship. Woods finishes with a 4-under 67 for an eight-shot victory. It’s also his eighth victory of the year, making him the first player in PGA Tour history to win at least eight times in three seasons.

2017 — Todd Gurley scores the go-ahead touchdown on a 53-yard catch-and-run, and Greg Zuerlein kicks a career-high seven field goals to lead the Rams to a 35-30 win over Dallas.

Compiled by the Associated Press