Johnny Bench And Pete Rose's Feud Explained

Although it would seem that success is a great way to unite teammates who otherwise wouldn't hang out with each other, that isn't always the case — one need only look at Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant's tumultuous relationship as the two superstars behind the Los Angeles Lakers' early 2000s three-peat. While there aren't any documented stories of one man slapping the other, it does seem that Johnny Bench and Pete Rose didn't get along very well during their time as Cincinnati Reds teammates in the 1970s.

As explained by Sports Illustrated, Bench and Rose were polar opposites, with the former carrying himself with an air of sophistication and class as the Reds' talented young catcher, and the latter, a veteran at the start of the '70s, living up to his "Charlie Hustle" nickname as an unapologetically hard-nosed outfielder. Legendary sportscaster Al Michaels told the outlet that the two men weren't exactly friends, but it wasn't like their lack of an off-the-field relationship was a distraction to the other Reds, who mostly shared a tight-knit bond as friends and teammates. "Bench and Rose were never bosom buddies, not even close," he explained. "There was a healthy rivalry. Who was the alpha dog? But this was never to the detriment of the team."

Even then, Rose and Bench would team up on a number of business ventures, suggesting that they were at least civil toward each other.