Judge Delays Hearing on Rose’s Suit

A judge today put off until Thursday a hearing on Pete Rose’s request to prohibit baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti from deciding whether the Reds manager should be banned from the sport.

Following a 30-minute hearing in his chambers this morning, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Norbert Nadel also said the commissioner’s office agreed not to take action against Rose until at least Sunday.

Rose’s lawyers filed a lawsuit in state court Monday to block Giamatti from deciding whether Rose bet on games involving his teams. The suit says Giamatti and his investigators have been “unfair and outrageous” in their probe.

News that the hearing would be held Thursday was welcomed by Giamatti. “I am gratified that the judge is aware of my desire to have baseball’s hearing on the merits on June 26 as scheduled,” the commissioner said.