THE SIDELINES : Bronx Gambler Pleads Innocent in Steinbrenner Extortion Case

A self-described gambler pleaded innocent today to federal charges he tried to extort money from New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

U.S. Magistrate Paul Game Jr. continued $50,000 surety bond for Howie Spira, 30, of the Bronx, N.Y., and planned to set a trial date for sometime in May. Spira is accused of threatening to damage Steinbrenner’s reputation and to physically harm Steinbrenner and star outfielder Dave Winfield. If convicted, Spira faces up to 25 years in prison and fines totaling $2 million.

Spira, who worked for the David M. Winfield Foundation, claimed that Steinbrenner paid him $40,000 to collect damaging information on Winfield’s finances that the club owner could use in his legal battle over the outfielder’s contract. Steinbrenner admitted making a Jan. 8 payment to Spira but said it was to help straighten out the defendant’s life.

The government claims that in interviews, and letters authorities seized, Spira maintained that Steinbrenner still owed him $150,000, a high-paying job at Steinbrenner’s Tampa-based American Shipbuilding Co. and other benefits. The stress of unfulfilled promises was making his mother ill, Spira said, warning in one letter that if anything happened to her: “George and Dave better both hire a lot of security because then I will really be out of control.”