Alomar Offers Hirschbeck Sign Of Peace Player Says He Hopes That Gesture Of Good Faith Helps Put Incident In Past

Roberto Alomar deliberately went out of his way Tuesday night to find John Hirschbeck in short right field - and shake his hand.

With that gesture, the Baltimore second baseman and the umpire hoped to put one of the game’s ugliest incidents behind them.

In a scene far different from their last meeting when Alomar spit in Hirschbeck’s face, the two reconciled before the Orioles’ game against Chicago. Before taking his position, Alomar veered toward Hirschbeck, the first-base umpire, to shake his hand and offer a few words.

After the game, Hirschbeck relayed the exchange.

“I’m sorry,” Alomar said.

“Thanks, now maybe they’ll let us both do our jobs,” Hirschbeck replied.

Many of the fans at Camden Yards applauded.

Last Sept. 27 in Toronto, Alomar spit at Hirschbeck after being called out on strikes and then ejected. The next day, Hirschbeck charged into the Orioles’ locker room, vowing to get even.

Alomar was suspended for five games, with the penalty not taking effect until this season. The delayed punishment infuriated umpires, who threatened to boycott the playoffs, and made Alomar baseball’s Public Enemy No. 1.

The incident became the game’s most talked-about issue among fans, players and umpires. It also served as the impetus for umpires pledging to be tougher on managers and players this season.

Alomar and Hirschbeck want to bring closure to the incident.

“I’m real happy that it’s going to happen so we can get this thing over with,” Alomar said before the game.

“You know, John wants to put everything that happened behind him,” Alomar said. “I personally want to put everything that happened behind me. And I hope that from tonight on, you guys can leave me alone and let me play the game of baseball.”

Before the game, Alomar declined to reveal his plan to shake hands with Hirschbeck, saying, “That’s only between him and me. That’s all I can say about it.”

That’s more than Hirschbeck said - crew chief Jim McKean barred the media from talking to any of the umpires working the game.

Alomar, who went 1 for 3 and scored a run in the Orioles’ 3-2 victory, also refused comment after the game. He sat at his locker with an ice pack on his left ankle after the game and declined to speak about what he had said to Hirschbeck.

Alomar long ago apologized for his part in the incident. He also donated $50,000 toward research on the disease that killed Hirschbeck’s son and served a five-game paid suspension at the beginning of this season. He revealed over the weekend that the money he earned during the suspension ($232,000) will be given to charity.

But Alomar has not been able to shake reporters looking for comment on the issue, nor have fans in opposing ballparks stopped booing him during every at-bat.

Hirschbeck, who will work behind the plate today, has attempted to do his job without distraction, but the media hasn’t given him much of a chance.

“He’s a great person,” Alomar said. “He wants to go on with his life and it seems like you guys won’t let him. Hopefully, I can go on with my life and he can go on with his life and we’ll leave it at that.”