The HBO Original four-part sports documentary series CHARLIE HUSTLE & THE MATTER OF PETE ROSE, directed and executive produced by Emmy®-winner Mark Monroe, debuts WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO followed by episode two (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT). Episodes three and four will debut Thursday, July 25 at the same time. All four episodes will be available to stream Wednesday, July 24 on Max.
Synopsis: In 1989, Major League Baseball (MLB) legend Pete Rose was handed a lifetime ban from the sport of baseball after an MLB investigation revealed that he had bet on games during his tenure as the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. CHARLIE HUSTLE & THE MATTER OF PETE ROSE takes a retrospective journey, spanning more than 60 years, to tell the story of baseball’s all-time hits leader whose on-field achievements and off-field transgressions have made him one of the most polarizing figures in all of sports.
The documentary series features intimate new interviews and verité footage of Pete Rose, chronicling his life and career in baseball. Extensive archival footage and contextual interviews from teammates, family, friends, and journalists detail Rose’s heroic rise and subsequent banishment from the game and, years later, his bid for reinstatement and place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Brash and cocky, Rose earned the nickname “Charlie Hustle” for his do-or-die tenacity, going on to win three World Series titles and breaking Ty Cobb’s record for the most career hits. However, his troubles away from the field would eventually put him in prison for tax evasion and get him expelled from baseball for gambling leading to a permanent stain on the game. Aided by Rose’s ever-colorful insights, CHARLIE HUSTLE & THE MATTER OF PETE ROSE is a fascinating portrait of a complex individual full of contradictions – one seeking redemption but not quite ready for full atonement.
Featured Participants: Pete Rose is joined by his son Pete Rose Jr.; former teammates Mike Schmidt, Ken Griffey Sr., and Tommy Helms; former MLB players Eduardo Perez and Ron Cey; broadcasters Al Michaels, Lesley Visser, Marty Brennaman, and Jon Miller; actor, Chad Lowe; and journalists Larry Keith, Ted Keith, C. Trent Rosecrans, and Jay Jaffe.
Episode One: “THE LONGSHOT”
Debut date: WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 (9:00-10:00p.m. ET/PT)
At the age of 81, more than three decades after receiving a lifetime ban for gambling, former Cincinnati Reds star Pete Rose reignites his quest for reinstatement into Major League Baseball (MLB) while recounting his unlikely rise to the top of the sport.
Episode Two: “THE DIRTY WORK”
Debut date: WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” for his down and dirty work ethic, Pete Rose becomes the face of baseball. Rose helps transform the Cincinnati Reds into the “Big Red Machine,” winning back-to-back World Series titles in the ‘70s. Behind the scenes, however, his family life begins to fall apart.
Episode Three: “ONE OF ONE”
Debut date: THURSDAY, JULY 25 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Pete Rose becomes the highest paid player in baseball and eventually cements his legendary status in 1985 when he breaks Ty Cobb’s record to become MLB’s all-time career hits leader. But a shocking gambling scandal leads to a prison sentence and lifetime banishment from the game he loves.
Episode Four: “ONE LAST RECORD”
Debut date: THURSDAY, JULY 25 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
After years of denial, in 2004, Pete Rose publicly admits that he bet on the game of baseball. Now, two decades after coming clean, Rose confronts the truth about his public image and makes one last bid for MLB reinstatement and enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Jason Price founded the mighty Icon Vs. Icon more than a decade ago. Along the way, he’s assembled an amazing group of like-minded individuals to spread the word on some of the most unique people and projects on the pop culture landscape.
