Philadelphia ? A veteran sports writer and columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News was accused in a newspaper report Tuesday of molesting three girls and a boy in the 1970s, including his niece, who is now a prosecutor.

Authorities said no criminal charges would be pursued against Bill Conlin because the allegations of abuse happened too long ago. Conlin, a Hall of Fame baseball writer and author, retired just ahead of the story’s publication online by The Philadelphia Inquirer, his former editor said. Conlin’s lawyer said his client would not comment about the story but would fight the claims.

“Mr. Conlin is obviously floored by these allegations which supposedly happened 40 years ago. He’s engaged me to do everything possible to bring the facts forward to vindicate his name,” said attorney George Bochetto. The newspaper reported that the four accusers claim Conlin groped and fondled them in the 1970s, when they were ages 7 to 12.

Kelley Blanchet, a niece of Conlin’s who is now a prosecutor in Atlantic City, N.J., and others told the newspaper they were speaking out in part because of the child sex abuse allegations being faced by Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State University assistant football coach. Like in the Sandusky case, people aware of the allegations involving Conlin years ago did not go to police, the newspaper said.