Pete Rose on Trump: A Signed Baseball Is Not An Endorsement................

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Sunday tweeted what appeared to be an endorsement from Pete Rose, the once legendary — now blacklisted — professional baseball player and manager.

"Mr. Trump," began a note that was scrawled on a baseball and posted to Trump's Twitter account. "Please make America great again" — an apparently reference to Trump's infamous slogan.

The ball seemed to be signed by Rose — but on Monday lawyer Ray Genco disputed that his client had offered any endorsement.


"Pete has made a point not to 'endorse' any particular presidential candidate," Genco said in a statement to NBC News. "Though he respects everyone who works hard for our country — any outlet that misinterpreted a signed baseball for an endorsement was wrong. Pete did not send any candidate a baseball or a note of endorsement."

Genco added that through his "discussions with Pete about this cycle, I've learned that he believes that who to vote for is a decision each voter should decide for him or herself."

Earlier Sunday, Trump announced that Rose should be allowed in Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame.