Nov. 26, 1963 - Pete Rose, hustling Cincinnati second baseman who was not even on the Reds’ spring roster, was voted National League Rookie of the Year for the 1963 season today. The 22-year-old native of Dayton, Ohio, nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” because of his aggressiveness, received 17 votes from the panel of 20 sports writers. Ron Hunt, New York Mets’ second baseman, was named on two ballots, and Ray Culp, Phillie pitcher, got the other vote. Rose, who only a year ago played for Macon in the Class A Sally League, appeared in 157 games last season and batted .273. The sturdily built infielder had 170 hits, including 26 doubles, 9 triples, and 6 home runs. He scored 101 runs, drove in 41, and stole 13 bases. Pete was among the top fielding second basemen in the league with a .971 percentage. Rose was trained in switch-hitting from childhood by his father. Pete senior was a fine athlete in Cincinnati sandlot circles and played semi-pro football until age 42. As a boy, Rose recalls, he saw Enos Slaughter play and said to his father: “That’s the kind of ballplayer I want to be — always running.” Now, when the umpire says “ball four,” Rose takes off for first on a full run. A scout has clocked him in 4.1 seconds to first on a walk. At present, Private Pete Rose is taking his basic at Fort Knox, Ky., under the six-month training program. He has been in a month, and with accumulated leave time could be out in early April — shortly before the season opens. Rose, 22, will take one leave, for sure, in January — to wed Karolyn Engelhardt of Cincinnati.
