CLEARWATER — Pete Rose has stories.
From all along the path to an unlikely-to-be-broken record 4,256 hits to the mistakes that left him on the outs from the game he loves.
And a whole bunch in between, for example, chuckling over the memory of winning the 1961 Florida State League championship with the Tampa Tarpons (managed by Johnny Vander Meer) and getting the disappointing reward of a Zippo lighter.
"And not one of us smoked," Rose said. "We're looking for a $500 cash grant, or $250. And we all got a Zippo lighter. I wish I still had that damn thing, it's probably worth a lot of money.