In the realm of baseball’s iconic moments, pitchers are often remembered while catchers are usually overlooked. When Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb’s MLB record for most career hits, it was San Diego Padres pitcher Eric Show who delivered the historic pitch. The catcher, however, was Bruce Bochy, now the Texas Rangers’ manager.
Bochy’s career, which spanned from 1978 to 1987, was spent entirely in the National League, where he frequently faced Rose. On September 11, 1985, Bochy was behind the plate when Rose hit Show’s first-inning pitch into left-center for hit number 4,192. Speaking recently at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Bochy reflected on Rose’s career, focusing on the qualities he admired. Bochy, a lifelong Reds fan, recalled Rose’s impact on the game, especially during the Reds’ dominant ‘Big Red Machine’ era in the 1970s. Despite Rose’s controversial legacy, Bochy emphasized the passion and hustle that defined Rose’s career, calling it his lasting legacy.
