European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 20, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 the stars and stripes Friday july 20,1990 by Ronald Blum new York apr the commissioners office went Public with the George Steinbrenner Case wednesday saying the new York Yankees owner had unfairly dragged former manager Lou Piniella into the affair in an attempt to justify a payoff to a former Gambler. In addition a former Yankees employee whom Steinbrenner also claimed to be protecting with the payoff denied stealing team property and said he too was being used As a Scapegoat. The lawyer for Howard Spira the former Gambler at the Center of the investigation ridiculed Steinbrenner for changing his reasoning for the $40,000 payment that triggered the  a this Guy changes the Story about what happened More often than he changes managers a said David s. Greenfield spirals lawyer. The transcript of the testimony excerpted by the National on wednesday was released by the commissioners office later in the Day. Vincent issued a statement Clearing Piniella and saying that the Cincinnati reds manager was not under investigation. A i am satisfied that Lou Piniella did not engage in any activity warranting further attention from my office a Vincent said. A i regret that the Public disclosure of this testimony had unfairly insinuated or. Piniella into this affair. Or. Piniella is in Good standing with to net me and my  reds general manager Bob Quinn and Piniella said they had been told the matter was closed. A a in a not Happy a Piniella said wednesday in Cincinnati. A a there a no foundation of truth to it. I m just Digap Inlet it happened. I certainly  have come Over Erie there were any skeletons in my  Steinbrenner said that former Yankees employees m. David Weidler and Pat Kelly had stolen Giveaway items from the team and that the fear of Spira making that Public was also a motivation for the payment. Weidler the teams former treasurer said in a statement issued in new York to radio station fan that the accusations were false. A i have been a Loyal employee of or. Steinbrenner for 18 years and i am deeply Hurt that or. Steinbrenner has used me As a Scapegoat to exonerate himself a Weidler said. A i am both infuriated and sad that he Felt it necessary to make false accusations against Lou Piniella Pat Kelly and  Kelly the former Yankee stadium manager who now works at Joe Robbie stadium in Miami declined comment through the dolphins. Steinbrenner testified that Spira threatened to harm two reporters Michael Kay of the new York daily news and Moss Klein of the Newark Star Ledger. Kay declined comment on wednesday. Tearing a a it a not completely accurate. Its an exaggeration a Klein said. A i was scared of Spira because he was just getting irrational. There were implied threats but i  Call it a death  both sides denied leaking the document. Stephen a Kaufman Steinbrenner a Lead lawyer said the he transcript showed his client had cooperated. A the hearing showed now that the transcript is available that our defense was based on the merits and we addressed the issues which concerned the commissioner a Kaufman said. Steinbrenner who testified on july 5 and july 6, said Spira had threatened amp to harm him and his family and had threatened Totts dose a information regarding Lou Pini Eilau a betting Ltd sp4jtls.�?� employee of the David says Steinbrenner made mation about a it Ifcher by Tion said again own essay that Spira was never an employee of Wii Fieldor his organization. Vincent accused of Bias by Steinbrenner a lawyers continually probed Steinbrenner for his motivations behind the payment. Steinbrenner tried to convince the commissioner that he did nothing against baseball a rules., a the real Issue is what did you do. Why did you do it a Vincent said. Faff allegedly damaging info new York Yankees outfielder. Jeffrey Klein a pc lawyer for Winfield and the found Al from Page 17 throughout the ballgame. We be just been playing Good baseball and in be been fortunate enough a few times and in be made Good Quality pitches throughout the  Welch 15-3 gave up six hits in eight innings As he improved to 7-0 in 10 career starts against the indians. Walt Weiss went 4 for 4, scored twice and drove in a run. In other games wednesday red sox 5, twins 4 Boston a Boston tied an american league record by grounding into six double plays but still beat Minnesota in a game that featured a record 10 twin killings. Boston won one Day after defeating the twins 1-0 despite grounding into a major league record two triple plays and one double play. The 10 double plays broke the big league Mark of nine set by Boston and California on May i 1966. The red sox grounded into double plays in the each of the first five innings and became the sixth Al team to ground into six double plays and the first since Milwaukee in 1984. San Francisco set the major league Mark of seven in 1969. Yankees 5, royals 3 new York a Roberto Kelly delivered a two out two run single in the eighth inning and Oscar Azocar singled doubled and Hoin Rcd in his second major league game leading new York Over Kansas City. Reliever Eric plunk 3-2 got the Victory with Dave Righetti earning his 19th save. Mariners 5, Blue jays 2 Seattle a Matt Young pitched his second career two hitter and Pete of Brien hit his first Home run since May 2 As Seattle beat Toronto despite making four errors. The Blue jays who were in first place in the american league East after monday nights Victory in the series opener lost their second straight game to the mariners. Toronto has Tost five of seven Road games since the All Star break. Brewery 3, Angels 2 Anaheim Calif. A Dave Parker hit a two run single in the first inning and Rob Deer homered in the second leading the Milwaukee Brewers Over the Cali Fomia Angels. Winner Mark Knudson 7-4 and loser Jim Abbott 6-8 each pitched shutouts in their last starts but neither came close this time. Rangers 7, orioles 1 Baltimore a hot hitting Rafael Palmeiro got four hits including a Home run and Bobby Witt struck out 10 in winning his fourth consecutive game As the Texas rangers beat the Baltimore orioles. Palmeiro who went 4 for 5 and drove in three runs is 14 for 29 with 11 Bis in his last seven games and has nine hits in his last 13 at bats. White sox 7, tigers 5 Detroit a Sammy Sosa a two run double a his second of the game a capped a three run ninth inning comeback As Chicago beat  from Page 17 have lost 16 of their last 19 games. Maddux 5-9 had not won since May 5, losing eight straight with five no decisions in 13 previous starts while compiling a 6.15 Era. Maddux allowed nine hits walked one and struck out one in seven innings. Jelt Pico finished up for his first save. Rasmussen 7-7allowed eight hits in six innings losing his third straight and the fifth in his last six starts. Dodgers 6, cardinals 1 St. Louis a Hubie Brooks had three hits scored twice and drove in two runs As los Angeles beat St. Louis. Brooks singled and scored in the sixth and eighth innings and added a two run single in the ninth. Eddie Murray hit a Solo Homer in the sixth inning off Jose Deleon 6-9. Ramon Martinez 11-4 went seven innings and allowed seven hits walked two and struck out eight including Willie Mcgee three times bringing his major league leading total to 142. Jay Howell pitched the final two innings for his eighth save. The dodgers have won five of seven since the All Star break and completed their season series against the cardinals with a 7-5 record including 5-1 at Busch stadium. The cardinals have lost five of seven scoring Only 14 runs in that Span and have scored three or fewer runs in 50 of their 90 games. A Light moment ?Ian is Bernhard Langer St. Andrews Scotland a the site of left and Japan s Masashi a a jumbo the British open Golf championship Uzaki enjoy a laugh on wednesday in which was to begin thursday