Bill Conlin has been accused of sexually molesting children.
Bill Conlin has been accused of sexually molesting children. Reuters

Bill Conlin has been accused of sexually abusing three girls and one boy. Due to these allegations, he has retired, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, which broke the story of the sexual abuse allegations.

Conlin, 77, is a Hall of Fame baseball writer and long-time columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News.

In vivid accounts, the four say Conlin groped and fondled them, and touched their genitals, in assaults in the 1970s, when they were from ages 7 to 12, reported the Philadelphia Inquirer.

A niece who claimed Conlin abused her said: this is a tragedy. People have kept his secret. It's not just the victims, it's the victims' families. There were so many people who knew about this and did nothing.

Mr. Conlin is obviously floored by these accusations, which supposedly happened 40 years ago. He has engaged me to do everything possible to bring the facts forward to vindicate his name, said George Bochetto, Colin's lawyer.

Prosecutors have been investigating the alleged child abuse for at least four years. However, they are unable to charge Conlin because the statute of limitations has expired.

We would love to see justice in this case. So many people have been victimized by this man, but our hands are tied by the law, which does not let us prosecute, wrote a detective to one of the alleged victims, reported the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Back when the alleged incidents occurred, Conlin was confronted by the father of one of the alleged victims.

He said Conlin started sobbing.

It was such a pitiful sight. It took the fight out of me, said the father.

Some of the instances of Conlin's alleged molestation came to light when the niece who was allegedly sexually abused by him told her story because she was concerned that Conlin may harm one of his and her young relatives, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.