--- description: He broke Ty Cobb's record on Sept. 11, 1985 title: Pete Rose Breaks Baseball's All-Time Hit Record: See Photos image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3c469c622a7a413c/69886236e20a873028a8d12a/150903-pete-rose-02.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [History](/section/history/) ## History Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # See Photos of Pete Rose Becoming Baseball's All-Time Hits Leader  by [Lily Rothman](/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Sep 10, 2015 8:00 PM CUT  Pete Rose #14 of the Cincinnati Reds follows through with the hit against the San Diego Padres during a game on Sept. 11, 1985 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Pete Rose #14 of the Cincinnati Reds follows through with the hit against the San Diego Padres during a game on Sept. 11, 1985 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.Rich Pilling—MLB Photos/Getty Images  by [Lily Rothman](/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Sep 10, 2015 8:00 PM CUT The 1985 baseball season was nearing its end when the moment fans had been waiting for finally happened. Exactly 30 years ago Friday—on Sept. 11, 1985—in the first inning of the Cincinnati Reds win over the San Diego Padres, Pete Rose whacked his 4,192nd career hit, surpassing Ty Cobb’s career record. As TIME [noted](http://time.com/vault/issue/1985-09-23/page/58/ "undefined"), the new mark was set 57 years to the day after Cobb’s final major-league at bat (although there has since been [debate](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/31/sports/baseball/numbers-are-cast-in-bronze-but-are-not-set-in-stone.html "undefined") over whether Cobb’s record was slightly inflated). Later, in reflecting on the achievement, Rose claimed to have seen Cobb’s ghost up in the stands. In a cover story on Rose that August, TIME explained why the veteran star’s chase meant so much to fans: --- > “” --- Rose would go on to hit a [total](http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/milestones/index.jsp?feature=three%5Fthousand%5Fh "undefined") of 4,256 career hits—but his skill with the bat was eventually overshadowed. Before the decade was over, Rose was found to have gambled on major league games and was thus banned from baseball and its Hall of Fame. He recently [applied](http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2015/03/16/report-mlb-commissioner-rob-manfred-receives-reinstatement-request-from-pete-rose/24854149/ "undefined") for reinstatement, although reports of what appears to be [further confirmation](http://time.com/3930627/pete-rose-cincinnati-reds-gambling/ "undefined") of his gambling may dampen the effort. **_Read TIME’s August 1985 Pete Rose cover story, here in the TIME Vault:_** [Play Ball!](http://time.com/vault/issue/1985-08-19/page/1/ "undefined")  Outfielder Pete Rose #14 of the Cincinnati Reds salutes the crowd after surpassing Ty Cobb with his 4,192th hit that came against San Diego Padres pitcher Eric Show on Sept. 11, 1985, at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Focus On Sport—Getty Images  Pete Rose #14 of the Cincinnati Reds follows through with the hit against the San Diego Padres during a game on Sept. 11, 1985 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rich Pilling—MLB Photos/Getty Images  Cincinnati Reds Pete Rose (14) in action, rounding first base after setting hitting record with No. 4,192 career hit during game vs San Diego Padres. Tony Tomsic—Sports Illustrated/Getty Images  View of the scoreboard saying as Pete Rose #14 of the Cincinnati Reds made his 4,192th hit. Rich Pilling—MLB Photos/Getty Images  Outfielder Pete Rose #14 of the Cincinnati Reds is surrounded by teammates and lifted in the air by Tony Perez #24, after surpassing Ty Cobb with his 4,192th hit. Focus On Sport—Getty Images  Pete Rose #14 of the Cincinnati Reds stands with an announcer in victory on his 4,192th hit. 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