May 3, 2021
The Baseball Hall of Fame accepted Roberto Alomar's resignation from its board of directors on Monday amid an allegation of sexual misconduct against the former MLB star.
Alomar will remain enshrined in the Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2011.
MLB fired Alomar from his job as a consultant and placed him on the ineligible list on Friday following an investigation into the allegation. The Toronto Blue Jays, meanwhile, fired Alomar from his position as a special assistant and announced that they were removing him from their Level of Excellence that recognizes "tremendous individual achievement."
Alomar played five All-Star seasons in Toronto from 1991-95 and was the first Blue Jay elected to the Hall of Fame. He remained listed on the team's Level of Excellence web page as of Monday evening.
Hall explains why Alomar will remain enshrined
The Hall of Fame announced that it had accepted Alomar's resignation in a statement Monday attributed to chairman Jane Forbes Clark. The statement also offered an explanation for the decision to maintain Alomar's place in the Hall.
"Alomar’s plaque will remain on full display in the Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments in the game, as his enshrinement reflects his eligibility and the perspective of the BBWA voters at the time," the statement reads. "When he was elected to the Hall of Fame … he was an eligible candidate in good standing."
Hall of Fame voters are instructed to consider a candidate's integrity and character when casting their ballots. From the BBWA:
"Voting shall be based upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played."
Investigation led MLB to cut ties with Alomar
The nature of the allegation against Alomar has not been made public. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced Friday that a baseball industry employee reported the allegation earlier this year. The alleged incident occurred in 2014. The league office commissioned an independent investigation into the allegation, the results of which led MLB to cut ties with Alomar.
"Having reviewed all of the available evidence from the now completed investigation, I have concluded that Mr. Alomar violated MLB’s policies, and that termination of his consultant contract and placement on MLB’s Ineligible List are warranted," a statement from Manfred read.
Alomar released a statement in response to MLB's decision:
"I am disappointed, surprised, and upset with today's news," Alomar's said. "With the current social climate, I understand why Major League Baseball has taken the position they have.
My hope is that this allegation can be heard in a venue that will allow me to address the accusation directly."
Alomar played 17 MLB seasons for seven teams, earning 12 All-Star bids, 10 Gold Glove and four Silver Slugger awards. He won two World Series with the Blue Jays.