Pete Rose was criticized on Sunday for comments he made at the Philadelphia Phillies Alumni Day game about a previous claim that he had sex with a woman before she was of legal age.
A reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer asked Rose about the allegation during a media presence at the dugout.
“No, I’m not here to talk about it,” Rose said, according to the Inquirer. “Sorry. That was 55 years ago baby.
“Who cares what happened 50 years ago?” he added. “You weren’t even born yet. So you shouldn’t talk about it because you weren’t born.
Rose later apologized directly to the reporter.
The all-time hit leader, who was banned for life by Major League Baseball in 1989, also appeared on the Phillies’ television show during Sunday’s game and used swear words on several occasions, including in reference to announcer John Kruk, who survived testicular cancer.
The 81-year-old was set to be inducted into the franchise’s Wall of Fame in 2017, but the ceremony was canceled after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against him. Rose’s attorney has dismissed claims that Rose approached a woman when she was 14 or 15 and began a secret sexual relationship with her in Cincinnati.
Known primarily as the Cincinnati Red, Rose spent five seasons (1979-83) with the Phillies and was an All-Star four times during that span. He had a .291 batting average with 826 hits, 255 RBIs and 51 stolen bases during his time at the club.
Rose was part of Philadelphia’s 1980 championship team honored Sunday after a two-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.