Pictures: Pete Rose Manages Bridgeport Bluefish

Baseball legend Pete Rose, 73, signs autographs for fans, including Bryan Clark of West Haven (right), who said, “Rose was my idol growing up,” prior to the start of the Bridgeport Bluefish game Rose managed.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Pete Rose shares a laugh with Butch Hobson, manager of the Lancaster Barnstormers, during batting practice for the Barnstormers.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Pete Rose signs an autograph before managing the Bridgeport Bluefish for one game Monday.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Rose takes the field for batting practice with the Bridgeport Bluefish.   (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Pete Rose stands in the Bluefish dugout after the team took batting practice.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Pete Rose tips his cap to the crowd before managing the Bridgeport Bluefish for one game Monday.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Bluefish manager for the day Pete Rose jokes with plate umpire Manolo Alejandro about the strike zone prior to the start of the game against the Lancaster Barnstormers.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Kyle McMillen, Robby Hisert and Bridgeport Bluefish manager Willie Upshaw stand in a moment of silence before their game against the Lancaster Barnstormers to honor Tony Gwynn, a .338 hitter with eight batting titles and 3,141 hits who died Monday.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Pete Rose signs a ball for a fan before the start of the Bluefish game he managed.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Baseball great Pete Rose, 73, looks out over the Bridgeport Bluefish diamond as his team takes the field.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Baseball great Pete Rose, 73, takes the field as the Bridgeport Bluefish manager for a day.   (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Baseball great Pete Rose manages the Bridgeport Bluefish for a day Monday.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

The grounds crew for The Ballpark at Harbor Yard prepare the field before the start of the game. Pete Rose was managing the team for one game against the Lancaster Barnstormers.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Ahead of the tag from Wilson Batista of the Lancaster Barnstormers, James Simmons of the Bluefish slides safely back into a first base bag painted red and numbered 14 for Pete Rose.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

Baseball legend Pete Rose bows his head in the Bridgeport Bluefish dugout before the start of their game against the Lancaster Barnstormers.  (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)