clarinews@clarinet.com (02/03/90)
CINCINNATI (UPI) -- Former Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose is denying the latest claim that he gambled on baseball. Tommy Gioiosa, a former close friend of Rose's, claimed Thursday that ``Rose bet on baseball and the Reds.'' Rose, who has denied the accusation from several other people, including the late Baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti, said Friday he considers such claims ``a closed issue.'' ``I can't stand here and prove I didn't because you can't prove a negative,'' said Rose. ``If something didn't happen, how can I prove it didn't happen?'' Gioiosa, who last year refused to cooperate with baseball officials investigating Rose's gambling, made his claim Thursday, just before he was sentenced to five years in prison for cocaine dealing and tax cheating. Rose figured Gioiosa was a publicity seeker. ``It's Tommy Gioiosa today, it might be someone else who wants to get their name in the paper tomorrow,'' said Rose. ``People won't let me take my punishment gracefully, I guess.'' Rose last year was banned from baseball for life for gambling. However, Rose's attorneys made sure the agreement under which Rose was banned did not include a finding of gambling on baseball games.