Revitalized Rose enjoys new chapter

CINCINNATI — In addition to signing autographs, conducting question-and-answer sessions with Reds broadcasters and mingling with fans, Pete Rose had another duty at Redsfest over the weekend: having his measurements taken.

No, Rose is not being fitted for a new suit. Rather, the sculptor who is designing of statue of the Reds great, which will be unveiled on Crosley Terrace next season, is meticulous. The goal is for Rose’s statue to be as proportionally correct as Rose himself, which means the littlest of details, like the size of Rose’s wrists, and the distance between his wrists and shoulders, must match the statue’s dimensions.

“They’re really together on all of that,” Rose said of the effort, spearheaded by local artist Tom Tsuchiya, the same sculptor who designed all four of the Big Red Machine statues that adorn Great American Ball Park.

Rose’s statue will be unveiled on June 17, 2017, marking the third time in a single calendar year that the all-time hit leader will appear at Great American Ball Park to be honored by his hometown team.

Last season, the Reds retired Rose’s No. 14 and inducted him into their Hall of Fame, events that drew many of Rose’s former Big Red Machine teammates, as well as sellout crowds, to Great American Ball Park. Next year’s statue unveiling will complete a trifecta for Rose, only the second player to surpass 4,000 MLB hits. (Ty Cobb had 4,191 according to MLB’s official statistics, while 4,189 is Cobb’s documented total in the eyes of additional researchers.)

“You can get your number retired and you can make the Hall of Fame, and those are great things,” Rose said. “But to have a statue at the ballpark that is going to be down there for the rest of the life of the ballpark … the statue’s really a part of history.”

Rose’s statue will join those of fellow Big Red Machine stars Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez on Crosley Terrace. Joe …

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