As a kid, we used to visit my aunt and uncle in Cincy. They lived in the same apartment complex as Dave Concepcion (SS for the Reds in the 70s). Later on I went to university in Northern Kentucky and then lived in Dayton Ohio for a bit in my 20's. Loved going to Reds games and loved the Big Red Machine and Pete Rose.
I was actually at the game on the night before Pete Rose broke the all time hit record. He went 0 for 4 that night and on his last at bat he hit a flare in the same direction that he got the record breaking hit on the next night.
We just watched the HBO documentary series:
Charlie Hustle and the matter of Pete Rose. It was great and only 4 episodes. During episode 3 I felt like Pete was screwed and deserved it and was never getting into Cooperstown. In episode 4 it had me feeling sad for him again and that he had done his penance.
I really wish someone had done the right thing and lifted the suspension before now. Sure, Mcgwire, Sosa, Bonds, and others will never be voted in due to their transgressions, but they weren't suspended either and should have been. What they did was on a much grander scale and had much worse impact on the game. And it is part of the reason I don't watch MLB to this day, the other being the back to back strikes in the mid 90s.
Link to HBO's website on the documentary. Give it a watch. (sorry but couldn't find a trailer other than the FB link below)
https://www.hbo.com/charlie-hustle-and-the-matter-of-pete-rose
https://www.facebook.com/hbodocs/videos/charlie-hustle-the-matter-of-pete-rose-hbo/477720758196280/