Reds Unveil Statue Honoring Pete Rose At Great American Ball Park

The Reds yesterday "unveiled a bigger-than-life sculpture" of former MLBer Pete Rose at Great American Ball Park for the "latest tribute to their favorite baseball son." Baseball HOFers Johnny Bench, Tony Perez and Joe Morgan "were among those attending the festivities" (AP, 6/18). With the Reds "still in a rebuilding phase on the field," the weekend honoring Rose with a sculpture "became their biggest promotion." They "drew 36,613 fans" for Friday's game against the Dodgers that kicked off the weekend festivities, their "largest crowd since Opening Day." Yesterday's game following the statue unveiling "drew the Reds' first capacity crowd since Opening Day" despite it being 90 degrees (ESPN.com, 6/17).

The statue is the "unprecedented effort of 74 designers, thinkers and makers" from across Cincinnati and Ohio (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 6/18). The CINCINNATI ENQUIRER examines the science and math behind the Rose statue.