ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, October 6, 1996 TAG: 9610070163
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
JOHN HIRSCHBECK wants to put the Roberto Alomar spitting incident in the past.
Umpire John Hirschbeck forgave Roberto Alomar on Saturday, saying baseball needed to get beyond the problems stemming from last week's spitting incident.
``I wish to state publicly that I forgive Roberto Alomar for his actions,'' Hirschbeck said in a statement released from his home in Poland, Ohio. ``I am sure that he wishes as much as I do that this incident had never occurred.''
``Denise [Hirschbeck's wife] and I speak today with the hope of putting the events of this past week to rest, and to begin the process of healing and restoration. It is time to bring closure to this matter,'' he said.
Alomar, who issued a written apology last week, was glad to hear Hirschbeck had forgiven him.
``I hope this puts everything behind us. I hope that I can meet with him and his family to tell him how sorry I was that this happened,'' Alomar said in the Baltimore clubhouse after the Orioles' 4-3 victory in 12 innings for a three games-to-one win over Cleveland in the AL playoffs.
``Hopefully, we can move on with our lives. I respect him as a person, I respect his family and wife,'' Alomar said.
``We both regret doing it,'' he said. ``I apologized to him, and I'm happy that he and his family accepted my apology. Now we can both move on with our lives and be friends, like we were before.''
Alomar capped a controversial week with two big hits Saturday. He tied the game with an RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning, then hit a home run in the 12th that won it.
A week ago Friday in Toronto, Alomar spat in the face of Hirschbeck after being called out on a third strike. Later that night, Alomar said Hirschbeck had become ``bitter'' in recent years because of the death of his 7-year-old son to a rare brain disease.
The next day, Alomar was suspended for five games by AL president Gene Budig, and the Orioles All-Star second baseman appealed the penalty. Before last Saturday's game at Toronto, Hirschbeck learned of Alomar's comment and ran into the Orioles clubhouse, saying he would ``kill'' Alomar.
The Major League Baseball Umpires Association threatened to boycott the playoffs until Alomar's suspension went into effect. After a week of legal wrangling, a judge issued an injunction ordering the umpires to work.
During the week, Alomar apologized to Hirschbeck and pledged $50,000 to combat the disease that killed Hirschbeck's young son and afflicted his other 9-year-old son.
Acting commissioner Bud Selig was pleased to hear Hirschbeck's statement.
``On behalf of major league baseball, I deeply appreciate the remarks made today by John Hirschbeck. His willingness to forgive Roberto Alomar, and the great sensitivity with which he expressed that forgiveness, gives baseball the springboard it needs to move on and begin the healing process,'' he said.
LENGTH: Medium: 60 linesby CNB