CINCINNATI, Ohio — Tom Tsuchiya has been sculpting for as long as he can remember. 

What You Need To Know

  • Tom Tsuchiya is the designer behind Pete Rose's sculpture at Great American Ball Park

  • Pete Rose passed away Monday night at 83

  • Following his passing, the sculpture has turned into a memorial with flowers and other memorabilia

“I’ve always been drawn to sculpture because of its 3D nature,” Tsuchiya said. 

The University of Cincinnati alum’s talent caught the attention of the Cincinnati Reds, who in 2010 commissioned him to create bronze sculptures of four 'Big Red Machine' legends. 

Those same hands are also responsible for designing MLB hit king Pete Rose's sculpture which greets fans as they head into Great American Ballpark. 

“His batting helmet would fly off and he’d just land with that head-first slide,” Tsuchiya said.  

The sculpture was unveiled back in 2017 and features Rose's iconic head-first slide. When in design, Tsuchiya said it was important for him to bring Pete’s aggression and enthusiasm for the game to life. 

“Head-first slides are kind of dangerous and that seemed to be his main form of sliding. I asked Pete 'why did he do that?' He just looked at me with a smile and said 'because it gets you in the paper,'" he said. 

Pete Rose, also know as "Charlie Hustle," passed away Monday night at 83. The sculpture has since turned into somewhat of a memorial, as fans lay flowers and other memorabilia at the artwork daily while paying their respects. 

“I feel like it’s kind of a way for us to heal. It truly helps us heal, so it’s really been special," he said. 

With fans and the greater community still mourning, Tsuchiya hopes supporters can find comfort in knowing that Rose’s legacy will live on forever. 

As for himself, he said he finds peace in knowing that his work had Pete’s blessing.

“When he pulled the veil off, he was smiling big and did a big thumbs up. I knew that when he saw it, it was good,” Tsuchiya said.  

Although Tsuchiya has made quite the name for himself in his hometown of Cincinnati, he’d go on to become a National Baseball Hall of Fame sculptor in 2016.