Steinbrenner Protests His Banishment

Baseball apparently is turning a deaf ear toward George Steinbrenner’s latest claim.

It was learned today that Steinbrenner’s attorneys filed a 135-page petition with baseball’s executive council four months ago, criticizing the investigation that resulted in Steinbrenner’s banishment from the New York Yankees.

“I think it’s probably long since been filed in the circular file,” said Steve Greenberg, deputy commissioner of baseball.

The petition accuses Commissioner Fay Vincent of orchestrating and overseeing “a totally biased and unfair investigation” in order to “gather damning, negative, and one-sided information.”

Boston Red Sox general partner Haywood Sullivan, an executive council member, said baseball’s owners stood behind Vincent.

“I think it’s time that some of us stand up and be counted,” Sullivan said from his Boston office. “There are reports that some people say there has been a vendetta to get George. I think the majority of ownership thinks that Fay Vincent has done an excellent job.”

Paul Curran, a Steinbrenner attorney, said he had not spoken to any member of the council since the document was sent out Oct. 9.

“But my understanding is that they are looking into it,” Curran said. “Certainly, we have not been told by anyone that they are not considering it or that they have rejected it.”