Associate Claims Rose Bet on Reds, Paper Says

A body-builder has told investigators for the baseball commissioner’s office that he placed bets for himself and Cincinnati Manager Pete Rose on baseball games, including Reds’ games, according to a newspaper report.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported in its Sunday editions that Paul Janszen, a former Rose associate now serving time in a halfway house for income tax evasion, was not able to give investigators proof that Rose himself made a bet.

The newspaper said that investigators are trying to find evidence to substantiate Janszen’s allegations.

The commissioner’s office is investigating Rose’s alleged gambling. If Rose is found to have bet on baseball games, he would be suspended for a year. If he is found to have bet on Reds’ games, he would be suspended for life.

The newspaper quoted unidentified sources as saying that some documents were provided in support of the allegations, including copies of canceled checks from Rose to Janszen.

Janszen met with baseball investigators last week in Cincinnati and claimed he acted as a middleman who phoned in bets for himself and Rose, the newspaper said. Janszen said the bets were made with bookies in New York and Ohio, and involved some Reds’ games, the newspaper said.

Janszen alleged that Rose telephoned him from visiting team clubhouses during Reds’ trips early in the 1987 baseball season in order to place bets, according to the newspaper. It said investigators are checking telephone records to see if there is evidence such calls were made.

The newspaper quoted an unidentified lawyer involved in the case as saying, “So far, it’s alleged that he (Rose) always worked through others.” The lawyer said the commissioner’s office is “looking for some kind of evidence that would back up what he (Janszen) is saying. That is what is taking so long--anybody can make a charge, but you’ve got to get something that can back it up.”

Rose became acquainted with Janszen at a Gold’s Gym in Cincinnati, where Rose worked out. Janszen is serving a six-month sentence at a Cincinnati halfway house for evading federal income taxes from the sale of steroids.

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Post reported Saturday that Rose is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service for tax evasion and gambling.

The Post quoted anonymous sources as saying the IRS began investigating Rose last year.

“We’re talking about large-scale gambling,” The Post quoted an unidentified federal source as saying. “He (Rose) was not reporting all his winnings.”

Responded Rose: “They’ve got my tax records. I pay a lot of taxes. I’m not trying to hide anything from the government.”

Johnny Bench, a former teammate, said baseball is being hurt by the continuing allegations against Rose.

” All of a sudden we’re trying to find ways for Pete to step down gracefully,” said Bench, now a Reds’ broadcaster.