Ueberroth Probes Signatures Backing Las Vegas Man in ’82

Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth wants to know why the names of Angels Don Sutton and Bobby Grich, as well as other major league ballplayers, are on a 1982 letter of recommendation for Julius Weintraub, a former Las Vegas man who has been associated with known gambling figures.

To that end, the commissioner’s office is conducting an informal investigation, a spokesman said Thursday.

The four-paragraph letter in question also includes the signatures of San Diego Padres Graig Nettles and Jerry Royster, former Dodger Rick Monday and Houston Astros coach Yogi Berra, as well as 30 other current or former professional sports figures.

The players were among those who participated in a 1982 charity golf tournament at Las Vegas. The tournament, organized by Weintraub as part of a junket, was to benefit 22 charities in Nevada and New York.

“Our understanding is that (Sutton, who played for both Houston and Milwaukee in the 1982 season, and Grich) did nothing more than sign a piece of paper attesting to the fact that they knew (Weintraub) to be a nice man,” a spokesman from the commissioner’s office said. “It wasn’t very specific and it seems very innocent.

“From what we’ve been told and know about it at the time, we see no wrongdoing on the players’ part,” he said.

Sutton’s and Grich’s signatures were found on a document submitted by Weintraub during his application to become a Nevada junket operator in 1982. The letter, a character reference of sorts, contains 42 signatures and was presented to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which offers recommendations to the Nevada Gaming Control Commission.

In Nevada, junket representative applicants must go through a process known as a “finding of suitability,” meaning that the board gathers testimony and documents before making a recommendation.

Weintraub’s case never was formally decided. His association with Las Vegas hotels ceased and he returned to New York, ending any need to pursue the finding of suitability, said Mike Rumbolz of the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Less than two months ago, Weintraub was denied a junket operator’s license by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. Although no formal statement has been released explaining the decision, a spokesman for the New Jersey commission said: “Testimony showed (Weintraub) had been associated with known gambling figures.”

Before the start of each season, the commissioner’s office issues a directive to players warning them of involvement with persons of “questionable character.” Scrutiny of such involvement has intensified since a Sports Illustrated investigation of gambling that included a mention of Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda and one of his acquaintances.

According to Grich, he and Sutton first met Weintraub at the Las Vegas golf tournament. The tournament was designed, in part, as an attraction for New York City garment workers on a trip organized by Weintraub.

“Your typical Las Vegas junket kind of thing,” Grich said.

But Grich said he doesn’t recall signing the document later used as part of a character reference for Weintraub.

“I don’t think it’s my signature,” he said. “I think it’s been superimposed.”

As for his association with Weintraub, Grich said he knew the man “just enough to go to his tournament, just enough to say, ‘Hello, Julie, thanks for the golf tournament.’ I’ve never seen him anywhere besides that.”

Sutton said he was first told of the document Tuesday afternoon. “I voted for Nixon,” he said, “I guess I’ll be hearing from the Watergate people next.”

Angel General Manager Mike Port said he hadn’t been contacted by the commissioner’s office.

Said the commissioner’s spokesman: “We wouldn’t say there’s a full-fledged investigation into it, but we’re continuing to look into it.”

Times staff writer Ross Newhan contributed to this story.