What Robbie Alomar can teach Tiger Woods

        Voting by the Baseball Writers Association members has been completed for the 2010 induction of players into the Baseball Hall of Fame.  The results will be announced this Wednesday.  The outstanding former second baseman, Robbie Alomar, is on the ballot for the first time. Alomar’s story of redemption in the face of a personal and public lapse is a lesson for Tiger Woods.

        Baseball fans of a certain age may recall that on a July night in 1996, player Alomar and home plate

umpire John Hirschbeck argued heatedly over balls and strike calls.  Alomar expectorated in Hirschbeck’s face and later said he did so because the ump had spit out a homosexual reference in Alomar’s direction.  Of course, the media made way more of the incident than either of the two principals did, adding for additional color an alleged comment that Alomar made about Hirschbeck’s sons, who suffered at the time from a rare and often fatal muscle disease.

        Alomar was quick to apologize and unequivocal about his being at fault. “Sometimes, we as human beings, we do stupid things. I regret doing that.”  Hirschbeck personally and publicly forgave Alomar and the incident was largely forgotten.

        Alomar was suspended for five games.  The player’s team at the time, the Baltimore Orioles, offered to pay him his salary for the missed games, although they were not required to do so.   Alomar asked that his salary for the week – he recalls it was around $250,000 – be directed toward an organization seeking a cure for ALD, the disease that afflicted the Hirschbeck boys.  Orioles owner Peter Angelos matched the amount.

        In listening to Alomar talk about the incident on the radio today and about how he and Hirschbeck have become close friends, I couldn’t help but contrast Alomar’s handling of his lapse with Tiger Woods’ own response.  In the days after his car accident and subsequent exposure of marital infidelities, Woods and his team let the story get way ahead of them.  They made a lot of stupid moves, but the dumbest was to announce Woods’ leave of absence from the foundation that bears the golfer’s name.

        It isn’t as if he’s just a spokesman for the Tiger Woods Foundation.  HIS NAME IS ON THE LETTERHEAD.  Hello.  So what if he can’t make public appearances in behalf of the group.  He can go into the office, sign a few checks, do a little filing, and meet with some kids.

        In the face of humiliation, Tiger Woods could stand to show some humility.

 

Footnote:  Mark McGwire is again on the Hall of Fame ballot.  McGwire, the former home run champ, has never admitted publicly that he used steroids –- he ducked an admission at a Congressional hearing -- but the court of public opinion believes he did.  By remaining silent, he has validated the verdict. McGwire has little chance of being elected on Wednesday.  Most baseball aficionados expect Robbie Alomar to be voted in.