Ueberroth Suspends Hoyt for 1987 Season

LaMarr Hoyt, former San Diego Padres pitcher who had hoped to sign with the Chicago White Sox or the Oakland A’s, was suspended for the 1987 baseball season by Commissioner Peter Ueberroth Wednesday.

In the last year, Hoyt had been arrested three times while in possession of marijuana and twice while in possession of large amounts of unprescribed tranquilizers. He recently served a 38-day prison sentence but told friends he was eager to resume his playing career.

The Padres had waived him in January, after he had been arrested at the San Ysidro border crossing in October with more than 500 illegal pills he had bought in Mexico. The White Sox, one of Hoyt’s former teams, and the A’s had both expressed interest in him this spring.

Ueberroth broke precedent in suspending a player who had already served time in prison on drug charges. In 1984, Willie Wilson, Jerry Martin and Willie Aikens, who had been on suspension, finished serving prison terms on cocaine charges, then were reinstated and allowed to play in mid-May by then Commissioner Bowie Kuhn.

And last year, players having admitted to cocaine use in a Pittsburgh drug trial in 1985 were suspended for a year by Ueberroth but still were allowed to play provided they paid specified fines and did community service.

Hoyt, however, apparently will not be allowed to buy his way out of his suspension.

“I don’t want to rule out anything,” said Rich Levin, a spokesman for Ueberroth. “In the past, the commissioner has shown the capacity to reconsider his stance. But, no, there are no provisions at this time.”

Ueberroth could not be reached for comment. His only statement was issued through his office, and it said: “While our first priority is to provide help to those who need it, we will impose discipline where appropriate.”

Hoyt, who won the 1983 Cy Young Award while he was with the White Sox, currently is staying with family in South Carolina and has declined all interviews.

Howard Frank, the pitcher’s attorney in San Diego, talked with Hoyt as recently as last Friday, however, and got the feeling that Hoyt was optimistic about 1987.

“He really does want to pitch,” Frank said. “He sounded good, was in a good frame of mind and had a handle on things. He was proceeding with the terms of his probation. He’d talked to his psychologist, and he was taking his required drug tests.

“This is just a disappointment to me. How do I think he’s taking it? I think he probably would’ve taken it wrong four or five months ago, but he’s made adjustments in his life, and maybe he can propose something to the commissioner at a later date.”

Actually, one of Ueberroth’s associates attended Hoyt’s jail sentencing on Nov. 13. On that day, Frank gave a passionate plea for the court to understand Hoyt’s ordeal. According to Frank, Hoyt had been under much duress in 1986 because his wife was asking for a divorce and because he had what he thought was a serious shoulder injury. Also, he had developed chronic insomnia.

Frank said that a doctor in South Carolina had prescribed Valium and that when Hoyt had finished all the prescription pills in February of 1986, he bought more, illegally, in Mexico.

He was stopped at the San Ysidro border crossing and was found with the Valium, plus some marijuana and Quaaludes.

Ten days later, he was arrested for running a red light and for possession of marijuana and a switch-blade knife. The Padres sent him to drug and alcohol rehabilitation. When Hoyt returned to the team, he denied having a problem and often talked of quitting baseball.

He made it through the 1986 season, but teammates such as pitcher Andy Hawkins knew something wasn’t right.

“He was a ship out of control,” Hawkins said. “You’d try to talk to the guy. You’d think he was listening, but he wouldn’t really listen.”

During the 1986 season, Hoyt and his wife, Sylvia, got back together. But, after the season, they broke up again. And, again, Hoyt went to Mexico for Valium.

He was arrested again at the border when the pills were found on him. Marijuana also was found in his car.

On Nov. 13, Frank told the court of how Hoyt’s parents had been divorced when he was a year old, how the father had been granted custody and how the mother had then kidnaped LaMarr. Frank told of how the father then stole LaMarr back, only to become an alcoholic.

He told of how LaMarr was raised by his aunt and how LaMarr’s favorite cousin was killed in a gun accident.

He also told of how LaMarr rarely saw his mother but how she suddenly showed up one day when the Padres were playing in Atlanta.

Frank said he thought Ueberroth’s assistant might have been moved to compassion by the recital and might have advised Ueberroth to go easy on Hoyt.

“I guess (the story) didn’t move the commissioner,” Frank said Wednesday. “Then again, maybe it did. Maybe he was going to have LaMarr executed and he settled for a suspension.”

Frank remains hopeful of Hoyt’s recovery, however. He said that Hoyt is back with Sylvia and is still seeing his psychologist.

“Hopefully, he’ll keep making strides in the coming year,” Frank said.

DRUG-RELATED SUSPENSIONS IN BASEBALL

Aug. 25, 1980: Texas Rangers pitcher Ferguson Jenkins suspended for season following his arrest in Toronto for possession of marijuana, hashish and cocaine. Arbitrator later overturns decision and reinstates Jenkins.

July 21, 1982: Alan Wiggins of the San Diego Padres arrested in San Diego for cocaine possession. Charges are later dropped after Wiggins completed a rehabilitation program. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends Wiggins for 30 days on Aug. 28, 1982.

Oct. 13, 1983: Kansas City Royals Willie Wilson and Willie Aikens plead guilty to federal misdemeanor drug charges after a wide-ranging investigation of a conspiracy to buy cocaine. On Oct. 14, 1983, teammate Jerry Martin also pleads guilty to similar charges. Three days later, former Royal pitcher Vida Blue enters guilty plea. Wilson, Aikens, and Martin eventually serve 81-day prison terms at the Fort Worth Correctional Facility. The three win a hearing on their one-year suspensions and are reinstated May 16, 1984. Blue seeks rehabilitation at a California facility, is suspended for 1984 season, and is reinstated before the 1985 season.

Winter of 1983: Dodger reliever Steve Howe discloses he received treatment for drug and alcohol problems at an Arizona facility. Howe later treated twice more at the facility, prompting three separate suspensions from the Dodgers and, finally, by Kuhn for one year. Howe filed a grievance protesting his suspension. Dodger fines against Howe totaled more than $53,000.

Feb. 8, 1984: Atlanta Braves pitcher Pascual Perez arrested in the Dominican Republic for cocaine possession. Perez later convicted and serves three-month sentence in Dominican prison. Kuhn suspends Perez until May 15, 1984, but the decision is reversed by an arbitrator and Perez is reinstated April 28.

May 4, 1985: Alan Wiggins suspended by the Padres for one year after a relapse.

Feb. 28, 1986: Commissioner Peter Ueberroth punished 21 players, with conditions, for their involvement with drugs. Suspended for one year, with the punishment reduced if the player agreed to certain conditions: Lonnie Smith, Keith Hernandez, Enos Cabell, Dale Berra, Dave Parker, Jeff Leonard, Joaquin Andujar. Suspended for 60 days, with penalty waived if the player agreed to donate 5% of his salary: Al Holland, Lee Lacy, Lary Sorensen, Claudell Washington. Ordered to submit to drug testing, with no disciplinary action: Rod Scurry, Tim Raines, Dickie Noles, Gary Matthews, Vida Blue, Daryl Sconiers, Alan Wiggins, Dusty Baker, Manny Sarmiento, Derrel Thomas.

Feb. 25, 1987: Commissioner Peter Ueberroth suspended LaMarr Hoyt for 1987 season, without condition, for three involvements with illegal drugs in 1986.