Commissioner Investigating Steinbrenner

Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent said Saturday that he is looking into the relationship of George Steinbrenner and gambler Howie Spira, indicted Friday on charges of extortion involving the New York Yankees’ owner.

Vincent said he is investigating reports of a $40,000 payment from Steinbrenner to Spira.

“I am looking into those reports, gathering information,” Vincent said. “But beyond that, I don’t have anything to comment on.”

Steinbrenner has said the money was a gift given “out of the goodness of my heart.”

“If the commissioner chooses to have any kind of investigation, we’ll welcome it and cooperate fully,” Steinbrenner said at the Yankees’ camp in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. “I assume it will be thorough and I assume it will go back to Spira’s beginnings in baseball.”

FBI spokesman Joe Valiquette said Spira was charged with making “extortionate demands on George M. Steinbrenner” and added:

“He also allegedly threatened to release information about Steinbrenner and employees of the New York Yankees which would damage their reputations.

“In addition, he is alleged to have illegally recorded a conversation he had with Steinbrenner.”

Spira claimed Steinbrenner paid him to collect damaging information against Yankee right fielder Dave Winfield. Steinbrenner and Winfield have been at odds over the player’s charitable organization, the David M. Winfield Foundation. Spira was employed in public relations at the foundation.