The Associated Press

BUFFALO, N.

Thursday, June 08, 2000

BUFFALO, N.Y – Pete Rose back in baseball? Well, sort of.

Rose, whose lifetime ban for gambling remains a hot topic, has agreed to manage a team of celebrity old-timers July 15 at Dunn Tire Park, the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons announced Wednesday.

It’s a one-time event organized by One Source Marketing, the Bisons marketing group. The event, which will include former major leaguers and celebrities, is billed as the Adam’s Mark Celebrity Old-Timers Classic.

Rose, the major league’s all-time hits leader and three-time World Series champ, agreed to a lifetime ban from baseball in 1989 that prohibits him from going on the field or doing anything more than an ordinary fan. Baseball made a one-time exception during the World Series last fall, allowing him to be introduced as part of the All-Century team.

Last weekend, however, he was not allowed to participate in a ceremony commemorating the 1975 World Series champion Reds at Cincinnati’s Cinergy Field. Rose continues to take part in non-major league-sanctioned celebrity baseball events and sports card shows.

Rose will manage one team while Terry Collins, a former Bisons manager, will run the other.

Among the former players scheduled to participate at the Celebrity Classic are Steve Carlton, Ozzie Smith, Ryne Sandberg, Dave Kingman, Fred Lynn, Vida Blue, Dave Parker and Luis Tiant. Others taking part are Buffalo Sabres captain Michael Peca and celebrities Wendie Malick, a Buffalo-born actor who stars on the NBC sit-com ”Just Shoot Me,” and Wilder Valderrama, who stars on Fox-TV comedy ”That 70s Show.”

Along with playing a three-inning game, the players will be involved in a hitting challenge. A $50 premium ticket will buy a fan the right to meet the players on the field for an autograph and photo session.