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Lenny Dykstra was investigated by Major League Baseball in 1991 for gambling, but the former outfielder did not bet on baseball, the New York Post reported Tuesday.
Fay Vincent, then the baseball commissioner, and investigator John Dowd looked into Dykstra's gambling habits when stories of his involvement in high-stakes poker games surfaced. Dowd said Dykstra was "drowning in debt" at the time.
Dowd told the Post that the investigation was similar to the one he conducted on Pete Rose, which resulted in the banishment of baseball's career hits leader from the game. Dykstra had written $78,000 in checks to cover his gambling debts, and Dowd looked through Dykstra's bank and phone records and conducted several interviews.
"There was a lot of gambling, but no gambling on baseball," Dowd said. "We did the same kind of investigation we did on Pete. The only difference between Pete and Lenny was Lenny was honest with us. He didn't deny anything and told us about his troubles. We could not find any betting on baseball. It wasn't even close."
Dykstra, who played for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies during a 12-year career, was placed on probation for one year. Vincent, baseball's commissioner from 1989-92, said he never had another problem.
On Sunday, the Los Angeles Times reported that Dykstra was accused in a civil lawsuit of advising a former business partner to bet thousands of dollars with a bookmaker on selected Phillies games in 1993. The suit also includes testimony that the once-slight ballplayer used steroids to bulk up.
Dykstra's lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli, told the Times that the three-time All-Star "absolutely denies" the gambling allegation. Petrocelli also said the steroid allegation was not "reliable or credible."
Rich Levin, a spokesman for Major League Baseball, said Dykstra could be subject to a permanent ban from the game if an investigation found that he had advised baseball bets while playing. Baseball is not investigating Dykstra, Levin added, explaining that he has no current connection to baseball.
Vincent told the Post that baseball should look into the latest claims because "Dykstra might want to coach for the Phillies (someday)."
"Maybe I'm a hard-liner, but you can't just ignore it," Vincent said. "It's not fair to Dykstra. If he's clean, let's clear it up."
Source: AP
Fay Vincent, then the baseball commissioner, and investigator John Dowd looked into Dykstra's gambling habits when stories of his involvement in high-stakes poker games surfaced. Dowd said Dykstra was "drowning in debt" at the time.
Dowd told the Post that the investigation was similar to the one he conducted on Pete Rose, which resulted in the banishment of baseball's career hits leader from the game. Dykstra had written $78,000 in checks to cover his gambling debts, and Dowd looked through Dykstra's bank and phone records and conducted several interviews.
"There was a lot of gambling, but no gambling on baseball," Dowd said. "We did the same kind of investigation we did on Pete. The only difference between Pete and Lenny was Lenny was honest with us. He didn't deny anything and told us about his troubles. We could not find any betting on baseball. It wasn't even close."
Dykstra, who played for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies during a 12-year career, was placed on probation for one year. Vincent, baseball's commissioner from 1989-92, said he never had another problem.
On Sunday, the Los Angeles Times reported that Dykstra was accused in a civil lawsuit of advising a former business partner to bet thousands of dollars with a bookmaker on selected Phillies games in 1993. The suit also includes testimony that the once-slight ballplayer used steroids to bulk up.
Dykstra's lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli, told the Times that the three-time All-Star "absolutely denies" the gambling allegation. Petrocelli also said the steroid allegation was not "reliable or credible."
Rich Levin, a spokesman for Major League Baseball, said Dykstra could be subject to a permanent ban from the game if an investigation found that he had advised baseball bets while playing. Baseball is not investigating Dykstra, Levin added, explaining that he has no current connection to baseball.
Vincent told the Post that baseball should look into the latest claims because "Dykstra might want to coach for the Phillies (someday)."
"Maybe I'm a hard-liner, but you can't just ignore it," Vincent said. "It's not fair to Dykstra. If he's clean, let's clear it up."
Source: AP
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