All it took was one headfirst slide.

When teenager Tim Sharrow went to see a Phillies game in the early '80s, he saw Pete Rose perform one of his signature slides into second base. Now, more than 30 years later, Sharrow owns what he thinks is the largest collection of Pete Rose memorabilia in the country."I was not even a fan of his before he played that game for the Phillies," says Sharrow, who lives with his wife, Yvette, and two sons in Lehighton.Sharrow's collection contains thousands of items from Rose's storied career, everything from a signed picture by Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher Bob Friend, who gave up Rose's first hit in 1963, to news articles about the former player who was permanently banned from major league baseball in 1989 due to his betting on the outcomes of games while he managed in Cincinnati."After denying it to the public for 15 years, Pete finally admitted in a book he wrote in 2004 that he gambled on his team to win," says Sharrow. "I'm not a fan of his character off the field. I am a fan of the way he played the game. No matter what the score or situation, Rose played hard. He would do whatever it took to win. I just loved his competitive spirit."Inside of his finished basement, Sharrow features items that he has purchased online or at baseball memorabilia shows from his first Pete Rose baseball card to a street sign that he bought last week in Cooperstown that reads, "4256 Pete Rose Way," with the number signifying the record he holds for the most base hits in baseball history. There are signed balls, bats, posters and uniforms displayed along the walls of the basement staircase and three adjoining rooms. Specialty items include an original, one-of-a-kind painting of Rose by Leon Wolf that Sharrow bought at the 1995 MLB All Star game and a custom made stained glass depicting the name of the player who holds more Major League records than anyone else. Rose's signature also appears on a caricature drawn by former Marian High School student Billy Albright.There are oddities too, starting with a package of Pete Rose cigarettes and a jar of picante sauce that bears his name. A bottle of 1992 Pete Rose Reserve cabernet sauvignon wine along with a six-pack of Rhinegeist "Cincy Made" Hustle beer sit behind Sharrow's bar.Some debate exists over how Rose got nicknamed "Charlie Hustle."."I give the credit to Mickey Mantle for calling him Charlie Hustle," says Sharrow, which may have occurred after Rose jumped over a wall to try to catch a Mantle home run that was hit too far into the seats.Perhaps the most interesting item in Sharrow's collection is an actual bank check from the late commissioner of baseball, A. Bartlett Giamotti, who issued the lifetime ban. Rose signed his name on the check after writing the words, "I am sorry I bet on baseball" across the top.The Lehighton middle school teacher, who played football and basketball for Southern Columbia High School, says one of his favorite possessions is a picture of the Cincinnati Reds, world champion, "Big Red Machine," signed by Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez and, of course, Pete Rose."My other prized possessions are tickets from a game when the Reds toured Japan in 1978 that were signed by Pete."His photo collection is immense. One shows Rose racing in from first base to catch a foul pop that deflected off catcher Bob Boone's glove in a World Series game. Another is of Rose barreling over catcher Ray Fosse to score the winning run in the 1970 All-Star game. The collision left Fosse with a separated shoulder that would shorten the rookie's major league career. Another shows Rose slamming into Mets second baseman Bud Harrelson in a 1973 playoff game, resulting in a bench-clearing brawl between both teams."Like I said, Rose played the game hard from the first inning to the last," says Sharrow, "and his accomplishments on the field (Rose holds 26 MLB records including longest National League hitting streak at 44, and most games played at five different positions) should earn him a place in the Hall of Fame. It's interesting, too, that all of Pete's records, his bats, uniforms and gloves are all on display in Cooperstown, but just not the man."Sharrow has met Rose, who is now 74, several times. Most recently, he sat with him for a half-hour last June at an autograph session in Las Vegas. He describes the baseball icon as a friendly and courteous man who has become his own worst enemy."Even as a kid, Rose would gamble," Sharrow says. "He's made some poor decisions. I think he's still addicted. Even now, he does autograph shows at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas, and that can't be good for his image."There has been a resurgence in the popularity of the man Sports Illustrated hailed as "one of the top 100 baseball players of all time." Rose has been working MLB telecasts and is expected to do a broadcast outside the stadium during this month's All-Star game in Cincinnati. According to his agreement with MLB, he cannot be affiliated with any league activities inside the ballparks. If Rose wants to enter an MLB stadium, he can as a fan, and he has to buy a ticket like everyone else. Recently, allegations that Rose also bet on baseball games when he was a player have surfaced, which could seriously jeopardize any chances for reinstatement. Rose is scheduled to meet with current MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in August."Pete has attracted several corporate sponsors in the last few years, but this latest black mark certainly won't help his chances to get into the Hall," says Sharrow.A DVD, "The Crowning of the Hit King," documents the baseball life of Pete Rose. Some of Sharrow's collection were included in the filming of the program, yet that's not what gives him the most satisfaction when he looks around at the memorabilia that has taken him five years to showcase in his home. Sharrow does not consider its monetary value or what eventually will become of it all. Nor will he trade any item unless he has a double of it. When asked what he would still like to get that would put a cherry on top of his sundae, Sharrow replies, "I'd love to have a game-used bat, but it would be very hard to prove its authenticity."He stands in the middle of his personal museum and takes another long look at what he has accomplished."I feel relaxed here," he says. "I think what better place to watch a ballgame on TV than right in this place. It brings me back to my childhood and so many wonderful memories."A phrase printed under one of the posters commemorating the baseball star's record-setting base hit may best describe what Tim Sharrow has created. He "Rose to the occasion" to fulfill a passion.For now, until the day comes when he will travel to Cooperstown to see Pete Rose inducted into the Hall of Fame, Sharrow can enjoy his baseball hero everyday just by walking down his basement stairs.