All-time MLB hits leader Pete Rose said he “can barely walk” and is in “poor health” as part of his divorce proceedings from his estranged wife.
The former Cincinnati Reds player and manager is in a legal battle to block his wife, Carol Rose, from receiving spousal support, TMZ reports. He also claims that his annual income has dropped significantly, to less than 50 percent of what it was a year ago — now sitting at $453,000.
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“[Rose] is currently disabled and can barely walk or travel,” court documents read, according to the news outlet. “[His] health is deteriorating and [he] has a heart condition and [is] on blood thinners.”
“I am in poor health and disabled … and have trouble walking,” Rose added.
The statements come as the latest developments in the 77-year-old’s divorce case, which has been ongoing since 2011. In April, TMZ reported that Carol asked the courts to reveal Rose’s full financial details as he reportedly has significant gambling debts to pay off to both casinos and the IRS.
Rose also claims that he lost two jobs last year: one from FOX Sports and another from Hit King, slashing his income by $550,000. He claims his $453,000 earnings are not enough to cover his major expenses like attorney’s fees and other “great debts.”
Rose and Carol married in 1984. Rose has been dating 38-year-old former Playboy model Kiana Kim for several years and now wants to marry her, which would require his divorce from Carol to be finalized.
The 17-time All-Star, three-time World Series champion and 1973 National League MVP is also attempting to block his wife from forcing him to cover legal fees related to the divorce, TMZ reports.
Rose was banned from baseball for life in 1989 for betting on the game. His most recent attempt to gain reinstatement (and therefore eligible to potentially be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame) was denied by commissioner Rob Manfred in 2015 — although he was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2016. He made multiple attempts in the early 2000s to then-commissioner Bud Selig to be reinstated, but to no avail.
