With all of the breaking news last week – Supreme Court decisions, removal of the Confederate flag from flagpoles and signage across the country and President Obama’s stirring address at a funeral ceremony – the end of the Pete Rose saga might have been missed by some.

Last week’s discovery of notebooks detailing Rose’s gambling as both a manager and a player was likely the death knell of his hall of fame campaign.

For a lifelong fan of the Cincinnati Reds, what I’m about to say hurts.

Rose does not belong in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

While others came to that conclusion years ago, I held out hope that he would be forgiven for betting on the game and would later be enshrined in Cooperstown.

Even though I never got to see him play in person, Rose was my favorite baseball player.

Watching old footage of his days as a player, and then player-manager, I could see from a young age he played the game it should be played — all out, all the time.

He loved the game, and it showed in every hit.

Photos and videos of him diving into third base or taking out an opposing catcher at home plate have become part of baseball lore.

There have surely been hundreds of ballplayers with the same first name, but there will always be only one Pete.

And there will never be another Charlie Hustle.

Both of those names used to be synonymous with tenacity, a will to win, and a drive to be the best.

Now, they will be synonymous with lying.

Nothing more.

It’s hard to imagine the Pro Football Hall of Fame not featuring stories about Jim Brown, Dan Marino or — one day — Tom Brady.

It’s hard to imagine Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson left off a list of the best players in professional basketball.

Outside of diehard Reds’ fans, Pete will no longer be thought of

Instead of being an illustration of how to play the game, Pete has become a textbook example of how it can all go to waste.

His story can serve as a lesson to younger generations — follow the rules or be forgotten.

If anyone ever collects more than Rose’s 4,256 hits — and does it without betting on the game — they will go down as the greatest player of all time.

My only hope is that someone eventually passes Pete’s record, and they do it without shaming the game.

Jay Sowers is photo editor of Gulf Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at jay@gulfcoastmedia.com.