http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/1...all-player-1986

So personally I couldn't care less if he bet or not, the mans a HOF'er in my book...But I was wondering if anyone knew more about the bookie they mentioned in the article Michael Bertolini? They claim that this is Rose's link to the mob, but they never go into how Bertolini was connected just that he was from Staten Island and hes obviously Italian.

Anyone know more about him or can articulate his real life mob ties...ESPN's new website and everything they've changed just blows btw they used to have a little edge, now theyre full of PC jizzbags like Olberman

I agree, the new ESPN website is horrible!

This is all old news...I hated Pete Rose when he played, but since he's retired I've gained tons of respect for him when you see lazy bums like Carlos Beltran and David Ortiz....

Pete Rose ran faster to 1st base on a walk then Ortiz does on balls hit in play !!

Stop messing with the guy and put him in the HOF before he dies !!

Pete Rose does NOT deserve this bullshit. Its 30 years old and they keep hammering the guy for nonsense, gimme a break,

Nonsense...???? Baseball has one hard and fats rule, posted in every clubhouse, and that NO betting. Pete deserves everything he gets and has gotten.

Nobody but him and God knows how many games he may have influenced over the years..

Rose is liar about everything, I never bet, I never bet on my team, I never bet on my team to lose, yada, yada, yada.

Never, ever, ever for him in HOF, ever...

Scott Bernstein wrote an article about Pete Rose betting with Joey Pungitore and Ralph Junior Staino while he played in Philly

Even now, he cannot stop lying. I'd support him if he was upfront from the beginning. But, even as of a month ago, he's lied about what truly happened.

He's been linked to multiple groups and crews. Mike Magnifichi claims that he bet through an Outfit guy when he would go to Florida as well.

Pete's bookie in Cincinnati would often lay off on Dom Basso in Chicago for some of Pete's larger bets.

Bertolini, I believe, was a business partner of Rose's but I can't recall his role in the gambling.

He shouldnt be in hall for straight fact AZ guy said but... he is just part of baseball... mickey mantle dimagio etc, hung w gangsters, so did canseco and others...baseball and the hall need to accept their history with all the warts... tim raines sliding into 2nd w coke im back pocket in montreal pitcher throwing perfect game on lsd... all the 70s players doing speed during games... it is what it is and its american history... they need to embrace all the bs

I'm a fan of his playing---he was great, after all.

I read his book and it convinced me that he was just a hardcore gambling junkie and nothing else. A shell of a human.

Great baseball player...and nothing else...pretty much his own words.