LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A baseball legend made a historic moment even more special for a University of Kentucky player.
UK’s Nolan McCarthy dove head-first during the game against Oregon State on June 9, reminiscent of a Pete Rose slide. In a video posted on the NCAA's YouTube page, former Major League Baseball player and current UK Athletics commentator Doug Flynn texted the former Cincinnati Reds legend a picture of the slide.
Rose has 160 home runs under his belt, was Rookie of the Year in 1963 and was on the National League All-Star team 17 times.
So he had this to say to the Wildcat.
"Tell him to keep having fun however the way & only way to have fun is to WIN," Rose texted Flynn in reference to McCarthy. "Everybody is in a better mood when you WIN you can't win every game but you should want to..." He passed the message along in a dugout on Thursday while in Omaha.
Needless to say, McCarthy was shocked and appreciated the message.
"Well tell him I said thank you," he said.
The Kentucky and Texas A&M game in the College World Series out in Omaha, Neb., started at 7 p.m. on Monday with a trip to the semifinals on the line.
Like Kentucky, the Aggies have yet to lose a game during the NCAA Tournament run.
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