Sitting with Pete Rose and Baseball Legends

I text on a daily basis to a lot of players and a lot of different teams, and that makes me just a fan watching everybody and trying to help. I wish everybody could hit 300. I wish everybody could make the all-star team. Unfortunately, only two teams are going to the World Series.

Welcome to Young Hollywood. Hey, baseball fans. Nicky Novak here for Young Hollywood. We just hit a home run at the 11th annual the Harold Pump Foundation Gala. We chatted with some of the biggest legends in baseball history. Standing here with the incredible Pete Rose. How are you doing tonight?

I'm doing great. Thank you.

What does this evening mean to you?

Well, I'm here because I'm friends with Dana and David and the hospital. They do a wonderful job uh in memory of their father. He was a great guy and I know the mom and and uh I eat lunch with David, Dana all the time. They're great guys and uh it's safe to say that, you know, I've been doing these banquets all over the country: New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati. And this is the best one.

And what makes it the best one?

Well, I think because one of all the celebrity. It's pretty star-studded.

Yeah. It is. It's it's nice to uh to be a part of them. It's it's really nice. And can Pete Rose get starstruck by these celebrities?

I get a lot of, you know, I'm a I'm a sports fan. And I've been following these guys uh you know, for many, many, many years. And when you can, you know, shake hands with the greatest receiver in the history of football or you can shake hands with the greatest offensive lineman in the history of football.

And how does it feel to be one of them? I mean, you are one of the greatest baseball players in history.

It's the most fun. I mean, because I I I won the most games, and that's how you have fun winning.

Well, a lot of these players come to you for advice. Like what do you tell them?

I I go to a lot of games. I went to 13 games last year. I've been to five already this year. And uh I text on a daily basis to a lot of players and a lot of different teams. And that makes me just a fan watching everybody and trying to help. I wish everybody could hit 300. I wish everybody could make the all-star team. Unfortunately, only two teams are going to the World Series.

Sitting here with the wizard, Aussie Smith. How are you doing tonight?

I'm doing great. Thank you.

We're looking very dapper.

Oh, thank you. It's uh the occasion.

It is the occasion. Have you been watching a lot of baseball this season?

Not a whole lot. I play a lot of golf these days and uh

Golf. What's the handicap, come on.

Six.

Wow. No, so that's a lot of golf and it took a long time to get to a six. So you're almost as good a golfer as you were a short stop.

I wouldn't say that. Not yet, but uh I'm working on it.

So what do you think about the new trade with Raphael Furcal? He just came over from the Dodgers to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Well, you know, if he does stay healthy, he'll help he'll help the team.

Is that kind of the key in baseball, you think? Staying healthy?

Yeah. Well, yeah, for for for every team, uh injuries play a big part in the success of every ball club, and uh healthy you can stay, hopefully, the the better you play.

And what about the mental part of it? Because you were known to be sort of like, you're also like a really fun guy. You're known to be doing back flips and

Well, you know, there's a cerebral part part to it, too, and um you know, I've always prided myself on having a high baseball IQ. And those are the type of people that you look for.

What's a high baseball IQ?

Uh somebody that knows how to play the game and play the game the correct way.

And do you kick it off with back flips? Is that the way you do it?

It was one of those things that my teammates knew that I could do, and uh we're never able to do it during the season. So the final day of the season, which was Fan Appreciation Day, they thought it would be a good idea for me to do it on my way out to my position. And uh lo and behold, it became a trademark.

So you still do them?

Not intentionally, no.

Sitting here with a man that needs no introduction, Tommy Lasorda. How are you this evening?

I'm fine, thank you, and I'm happy to be here.

You're looking very lovely this evening.

Well, you know, when you're my age,

25?

When you're my age, you automatically look good because you're not dead.

So what brings you here this evening?

On behalf of the Pump brothers, when you get involved in in sickness and help other people, that's a great feeling when you can do that. And that's what these Pump boys do.

And baseball still excites you?

I've been with the Dodgers for 62 years. I just celebrated. It deserves a round of applause. I just celebrated last April our 61st wedding anniversary.

I was going to say that's longer than most marriages.

Yeah, we've been together about 10 times the length of most Hollywood marriages. And she said to me one time, Are you not going out and make another talk, are you, Tommy? I said, Yeah, honey, I have to go. She said, You want to know something? I finally realized after being married to you for 61 years that you love the Dodgers and baseball more than you love me. I said, Yeah, but I love you more than I do football and basketball.

But you look comfy here. You look like you don't want to leave. This this is a tough place to sit. You don't want to get up anymore.

True, true. I know what I'm doing, boy. You're bringing me over.