"4192" hustles but is tagged out at home

There have been multiple books and multiple films covering the tumultuous career of former Cincinnati Red's player and manager Pete Rose. Add another documentary to the list.

AMC Newport on the Levee hosted the Cincinnati premiere of the Pete Rose
documentary "4192 — The crowning of the Hit King" Wednesday, July 14, to a sold-out audience that included local notables as restaurateur Jeff Ruby; radio personalities Andy Fuhrman, Dennis "Wild Man" Walker and Bob "The Producer" Berry; former Cincinnati Red centerfielder Cesar Geronimo and Rose himself.

The 1 hour, 55 minute film, produced by Covington, KY production company Barking Fish and narrated by actor J.K. Simmons (of Spider-Man, The Closer and Oz fame), is touted as a "love letter to baseball that highlights the playing career of one of the game's most honored and controversial stars."

Love letter, indeed.

Rose told the sold-out theater before the screening to, "Put our seatbelts on and enjoy not my ride, but our ride." Unfortunately, the entire movie was nothing but his 24-year ride to the record-breaking 4,192 hits.

From Rose's hardscrabble days growing up on Cincinnati's West Side learning baseball from his father to his later minor-league and major league careers, all you heard about was Rose, Rose and more Rose. His determination in making the major leagues. His determination to win batting titles and World Series championships. His determination to overtake Ty Cobb as the all-time hits leaders in baseball.

Essentially, no new ground was covered in what has been an already over-examined playing career, despite efforts of the filmmaker's to make the documentary fresh visually.

For anyone who has seen ESPN's "Sportscentury" documentary on Rose, imagine a version of that excluding the gambling/tax evasion portion of Rose's life with a somewhat interesting soundtrack by Robert Pollard of Guided by Voices.

That's what "4192" is.

The best part of the documentary was the humorous banter during interviews of Rose and former Red and Hall of Famer Tony Perez. The friends and former teammates ribbed each other's play and impact in various segments and lent an emotional element to the film concerning their friendship.

What was more notable, though, was that Perez, Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman and former Philadelphia Phillie Mike Schmidt were the only "friends" interviewed.

It makes you wonder just how much of an impact Rose made on his teammates in a 24-year career if only three offered their thoughts on Rose.

In fact, one portion of the documentary stuck out the most after leaving the theater — a segment where Rose praised his father, Harry, for teaching him how to play baseball the right way. Rose, however, didn't stop there. He also praised his father for teaching him how to live life.

Given Rose's past issues concerning his gambling addiction, tax evasion, paternity suits and other questionable behavior, that might have been something that producers should have considered leaving out of the film.

Rose may have been safe many times in his career, but despite hustling to be new, "4192" is tagged out at home and is a tired story which may arouse the goose bumps on only the most devoted Pete Rose or Reds fan.