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Pete Rose says he won’t give up Vegas for baseball

Pete Rose says he has no intention to leave Las Vegas as a signal to baseball that he’s “reconfigured” his life.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred rejected Rose’s application for reinstatement in December, saying the hit king had not presented “credible evidence of a reconfigured life.”

Appearing with former rival Steve Garvey at the Suncoast showroom on Saturday, they pointed out the contradiction that baseball is part owner of Draft Kings, a fantasy sports contest.

“They invested in Draft Kings, but it’s not gambling?” Rose said. “What the hell is it?”

Baseball, Rose said, “made this big thing about they told me to reconfigure my life. I don’t know what it means and they won’t tell me. They won’t. What do you mean? Just tell me what you want and I’ll do it.”

But, he emphasized, “I’m not going to move out of Vegas because this is where I make my money. If you don’t want me to bet ever again just tell me and I won’t do it. I’m pretty coachable.”

Rose said, “I don’t do any more illegal gambling. I’m very select with the people I hang around with.”

He told the 100-plus fans, “I’m 75 years old. If I want to bet on a baseball game or football game legally at a casino, get my ticket, go home and watch the game and enjoy myself, who gives a damn?

“What am I supposed to do, live in a cocoon somewhere? I’m not taking my house money down there to gamble.”

Manfred said Rose, who has been banned from baseball since 1989, “presents an unacceptable risk of a future violation by him of Rule 21 (governing misconduct), and thus to the integrity of our sport.”

HEART-WINNING RECIPE

Italian opera star Luciano Pavarotti wasn’t the easiest patron to please.

But Theo Schoenegger, executive chef at Sinatra restaurant at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, came up with a recipe that won his heart.

“Pavarotti was a guest chef for a party and he needed to do a dish,” said Schoenegger, who last month celebrated his 30th year in the United States.

“He’s from an area in Italy where polenta is really predominant. So he needed to do a polenta dish. He couldn’t figure out what to do. We were basically his cook,” said Schoenegger, then a chef at New York City’s acclaimed San Domenico Italian restaurant in the early 1990s. Pavarotti lived nearby in a penthouse overlooking Central Park.

“So he comes to the owner and says, ‘You need to help me out. I’m in a jam. I’ve got 500 people and I need to put together a dish and I need to win that competition. So have the chef come up with something and bring it up to my room.’ ”

Schoenegger created a dish featuring foie gras in polenta.

“I bring it up to him and the guy digs in and whoa, he’s going crazy. He wins first prize and after that I was his biggest friend. Before it was iffy, very hard to please,” said Schoenegger, who grew up in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Did Pavarotti take credit for the dish?

“That goes without saying,” said Schoenegger, “but I got the benefit afterwards of being in his favor.”

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Boxing’s famous brothers Leon and Michael Spinks will appear at Inscriptagraphs at the sports book at Planet Hollywood Resort on Friday and Saturday, from 1 to 6 p.m. …

SIGHTINGS

Leonardo DiCaprio and superstar singer Rihanna, chatting in close quarters in the ultra-exclusive VIP room inside Intrigue nightclub, which had its grand opening over the weekend at Wynn Las Vegas. Rihanna was in town for her Anti World Tour stop at Mandalay Bay. “Entertainment Tonight” reported the meeting took place about 3:30 a.m. Sunday. DiCaprio and Rihanna were spotted together at the Coachella festival in California last month, after reports that linked them romantically. … Singer Jason Mraz, ordering a veggie burrito and cactus taco at El Dorado Cantina on Monday night. … Legendary Beat Generation poet, playwright and songwriter Michael McClure, conducting a writers’ workshop Sunday at the Clark County Library. He was welcomed by Clark County poet laureate Bruce Isaacson and Lee Mallory. McClure, who co-wrote “Mercedes Benz” with Janis Joplin, did a reading of his work at the Winchester Cultural Center on Saturday.

THE PUNCH LINE

“The parents of a baby who was recently born on a Jetstar plane have announced that they are naming him after the airline. Baby Jetstar is now at home joining his older sister, Megabus.” — Seth Meyers

Norm Clarke’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. On Twitter: @Norm_Clarke

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