The Clark County (Nevada) coroner released the cause of death for MLB legend Pete Rose.

Rose died from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, People magazine reported.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls. This buildup is called plaque. The plaque can cause arteries to narrow, blocking blood flow. The plaque also can burst, leading to a blood clot.”

The Cleveland Clinic said, “Hypertensive heart disease is a long-term condition that develops over many years in people who have high blood pressure. It’s a group of medical problems ― like heart failure and conduction arrhythmias ― that can happen when your high blood pressure (hypertension) is unmanaged.”

His death has been ruled natural causes, the Clark County coroner Melanie Rouse told People magazine.

Rose was 83 years old.

He died at his Las Vegas home on Sept. 30, found by a family member, ABC News reported.

Days before his death, Rose attended an autograph show in Nashville with Tony Perez, George Foster and Dave Concepcion.

Cincinnati Reds principal owner Bob Castellini remembered Rose, releasing a statement which read, “Our hearts are deeply saddened by the news of Pete’s passing. He was one of the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen, and every team he played for was better because of him. Pete was a Red through and through. No one loved the game more than Pete and no one loved Pete more than Reds Country. We must never forget what he accomplished.”

A switch-hitter, Rose, was the National League MVP in 1973 and World Series MVP two years later.

He was a record-holder for the number of games played at 3,562, plate appearances at 15,890 and hits at 4,256 beating Ty Cobb’s 4,191. His teammates Perez, Bench and Joe Morgan were all inducted into the Hall of Fame. But Rose as the lead-off of the team, was not honored with a Hall of Fame induction, despite all of the accolades and records.

Four years after being declared by then baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth that Rose had “reserved a prominent spot in Cooperstown” a “full inquiry into serious allegations” about Rose was opened. He was accused of betting on baseball, including games that involved the Reds.

Rose denied the charges against him.

But the 1989 investigation found. that the “accumulated testimony of witnesses, together with the documentary evidence and telephone records reveal extensive betting activity by Pete Rose in connection with professional baseball and, in particular, Cincinnati Reds games, during the 1985, 1986, and 1987 baseball seasons,” the AP reported.

Baseball’s Rule 21 states, “Any player, umpire or club or league official or employee who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible.’’

A. Bartlett Giamatti, who succeeded Ueberroth, said in August 1989, “One of the game’s greatest players has engaged in a variety of acts which have stained the game, and he must now live with the consequences of those acts.” He said that Rose agreed to a lifetime ban from the game. The Hall of Fame said that decision left Rose ineligible for the honor of being memorized.

Rose for a long time said he never bet on baseball and frequently said he would be reinstated.

But in 2004, Rose admitted that he would be in casinos for promotion, not gambling, adding that he had “messed up.”

In a 2019 memoir called “Play Hungry,” Rose said, “There are legal ways, and there are illegal ways, and betting on baseball the way I did was against the rules of baseball.”

Despite not being inducted into the Hall of Fame, he is still a presence in Cooperstown. His bat from 1978 and the cleats he wore in 1985 when he broke the record for hits are among the items in the museum.

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Remembering Pete Rose 1963 Tommy Harper, outfield, and Pete Rose, second base, Cincinnati Red's rookie All-Stars at Waldorf rookie ceremonies. (Bettmann/Bettmann Archive)

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