By: HISTORY.com Editors

1981

Pete Rose sets National League hits record

Published: November 16, 2009Last Updated: May 27, 2025

On August 10, 1981, Pete Rose of the Philadelphia Phillies gets the 3,631st hit of his baseball career, breaking Stan Musial’s record for most hits by a National Leaguer. The record-breaking hit came in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals, the team with whom Musial had spent his entire career, and the former hits king was on hand to congratulate Rose.

August 10 marked Major League Baseball’s return to play from a seven-week player strike. The strike had begun on June 12 over the issue of team compensation for free agents. Owners wanted a player from the free agent’s new team as compensation, while the player’s union felt that such a concession would compromise the value of free agency as well as make signing free agents less appealing for teams. The players were largely supported by the media and fans, who believed that the owners were trying to wrest back the iron-fisted control they’d had over players’ contracts and careers for the first 106 years of professional baseball. Finally, on July 31, the two sides reached a compromise: Any team losing a premium free agent would receive a player from a pool of unprotected players throughout the majors.

When the season was suspended, Pete Rose was in the midst of a 15-game hitting streak, leading the National League in hits with 73. When play resumed on August 10, a capacity crowd at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia had to wait until the eighth inning to see Rose make the record-breaking hit. After he led off the inning with a single between third base and shortstop, the crowd rewarded him with a standing ovation, and Musial ran out to first base to offer his congratulations. Amazingly, it was only Rose’s 2,886th game; it had taken Musial 3,026 games to set the mark.

A side note: Musial’s 3,630 career hits were notable for the fact that he acquired exactly half of them (1,815) of them playing at home and the other half (1,815) on the road. The last two hits of his career came in a game against the Reds, and their rookie second baseman Pete Rose, in 1963.

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on August 10th

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Related Articles

7 Early NFL Quarterbacks Who Changed the Game

Benny Friedman was the league's 'first real quarterback,' and the Los Angeles Rams' Bob Waterfield, who was married to a famous actress, glamorized the position.

Kordell Stewart's 64-yard touchdown pass against Michigan in 1994

Colorado's Kordell Stewart called his 64-yard, game-winning touchdown pass against Michigan in 1994 'a gift from God.'

American football place kick

The game has ancient origins, but in the late 19th century, Walter Camp helped shape football—the American kind—into the sport we know today.

Close up, color image of a vintage football helmet and football, sitting on wood. Some desaturation and grain added for vintage feel.

Look back at the NFL’s strange first championship game, played indoors on a 60-yard field squeezed into a hockey rink.

About the author

HISTORY.com Editors

HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt Mullen, Christian Zapata and Cristiana Lombardo.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

Citation Information

Article title
Pete Rose sets National League hits record
Website Name
History
Date Accessed
September 11, 2025
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
May 27, 2025
Original Published Date
November 16, 2009

History Every Day

Sign Up for This Day in History

Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day! Learn something new with key events in history, from the American Revolution to pop culture, crime and more.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.More details: Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us
Flower