Phillies cancel alumni event with Pete Rose amid statutory rape allegations

The Philadelphia Phillies have removed former player Pete Rose from their upcoming alumni event to be held on Aug. 10-13, the team announced on Wednesday.

A ceremony was planned for Rose who was to be inducted into the Phillies' Wall of Fame on Aug. 12.

The decision was mutual by both sides.

"While I am truly honored that the Phillies fans voted for me to be this year's Wall of Fame inductee, I am concerned that other matters will overshadow the goodwill associated with Alumni Weekend, and I agree with the decision not to participate," Rose said in the team's press release.

The Phillies also announced they will no longer be distributing Rose bobbleheads which was scheduled to take place on Aug. 11. Fans with tickets to both days can do an exchange for any other game in 2017 or receive a full refund.

On Monday, allegations emerged following the release of a court document that claimed Rose committed statutory rape in the 1970s. A sworn statement from an unidentified woman accused Rose of maintaining a sexual relationship with her for several years before she turned 16 years old.

Rose, who was married at the time, acknowledged the relationship but said he was under the impression she was already of age (legal consent in the state of Ohio is 16 years old).

Baseball's all-time hits leader, Rose was banned for life after it was revealed that he bet on games while he was a manager with the Cincinnati Reds from 1984-86. A statue of Rose was unveiled in his honor earlier this season outside of Great American Ballpark.