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SPORTS Wednesday 11 november 2020
Luhnow files $22M breach of contract lawsuit against Astros

By RONALD BLUM the lawyers wrote.
AP Baseball Writer They claimed Koch-Weser
Former Houston Astros gen- texted his colleagues "don't
eral manager Jeff Luhnow tell Jeff."
has filed a breach of con- Luhnow agreed to a con-
tract lawsuit against the tract on May 24, 2018,
team, seeking more than that called for more than
$22 million in salary owed $31 million in guaranteed
under his deal when he compensation plus per-
was fired in January. formance bonuses and
The suit, filed Monday in profit interest. The contract
Harris County District Court called for disputes to go to
in Houston, claims Luhnow an arbitration with Manfred
was unaware a camera or his designee, but Luhnow
was used to steal signs asked that to be set aside
during the team's run to because of Manfred's in-
the 2017 World Series title, volvement.
which baseball Commis- They said Luhnow's con-
sioner Rob Manfred found tract allowed termination
violated baseball rules only for material violation
against electronics. of club policies, dishonesty
Luhnow and manager AJ or fraud, criminal acts in-
Hinch were suspended for In this Oct. 24, 2019, file photo, Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow speaks at a baseball volving moral turpitude or
the season last Jan. 13 by World Series news conference in Washington. failure or refusal to follow
Manfred and fired by the Associated Press material lawful instructions
Astros later that day. The relating to team duties.
team was fined $5 million Luhnow's lawyers wrote. sign stealing. They claimed ment, spokesman Michael They said the Astros in the
and stripped of its first- and "The sign-stealing activities Koch-Weser stole signs and Teevan said, and the As- termination cited Manfred's
second-round draft picks in were not directed by the lied during baseball's inves- tros declined comment, letters to Luhnow on Jan. 2
both 2020 and 2021. Astros' front office. Rather, tigation and alleged the according to spokesman and 13 claiming he violat-
"MLB's "investigation" ac- they were devised and ex- Astros told Koch-Weser "he Gene Dias. Koch-Weser did ed major league rules, his
tually was a negotiated ecuted -- as noted by the could keep his job as long not respond to emails seek- contract and lawful instruc-
resolution between As- commissioner's own find- as his actions were sanc- ing comment. tions relating to his duties.
tros owner Jim Crane and ings -- by baseball opera- tioned by his supervisors, "The 'investigation' appar- "The Astros' termination
MLB Commissioner Rob tions employees in collabo- including Luhnow." ently did not review -- and of Luhnow is an attempt
Manfred that enabled the ration with coaches and They said Manfred's investi- the commissioner conve- -- like the commissioner
team to keep its World Se- players." gation "could produce only niently neglected to men- before them -- to make
ries championship, went Luhnow's lawyers alleged one untrustworthy source tion in his report, the more Luhnow the scapegoat for
to great lengths to pub- Tom Koch-Weser, the As- -- the actual ringleader than 22,000 contempora- the organization while the
licly exonerate Crane and tros' director of advance of the Astros' sign-stealing neous text and chat mes- players and video room
scape-goated Luhnow information, was the only schemes who 'implicated' sages sent or received staff who devised and ex-
for a sign-stealing scandal one of 70 witnesses in MLB's Luhnow to save his own by this individual that un- ecuted the schemes went
that he had no knowledge investigation to claim Luh- job." dermine his after-the-fact unpunished," the lawyers
of and played no part in," now spoke of electronic MLB declined to com- finger-pointing at Luhnow," wrote. q

Celtics Hall of Famer Tommy Heinsohn dies at age 86

BOSTON (AP) — Tommy was a territorial draft pick 1969, succeeding Russell.
Heinsohn, who as a Boston by the Celtics in 1956, Heinsohn was the NBA
Celtics player, coach and Heinsohn beat out team- coach of the year in 1973,
broadcaster over more mate Russell for the NBA's when the team won a
than 60 years was with the rookie of the year award then-record 68 games. The
team for all 17 of its NBA that season and tallied 39 Celtics added champion-
championships, has died. points with 23 rebounds in ships in 1974 and '76. He
He was 86. Game 7 of the NBA finals was inducted into the Nai-
"This is a devastating loss," against the St. Louis Hawks. smith Memorial Basketball
the team's owners said in a It was the franchise's first Hall of Fame as a player
statement Tuesday. "Tom- title — and the first of eight in 1986 and as a coach in
my was the ultimate Celtic. in nine years for Heinsohn 2015.
For the past 18 years, our and Russell. Heinsohn was Shortly after retiring as a
ownership group has relied the team's leading scorer coach in 1979, he rejoined
hugely on Tommy's advice in four of the champion- the team's broadcasts, This Sept. 30, 2018, file photo shows former Boston Celtics great
and insights and have rev- ship seasons. where his unapologetic Tommy Heinsohn prior to a preseason basketball game in Bos-
eled in his hundreds of sto- Heinsohn retired in 1965 homerism has endeared ton.
ries about Red Auerbach, with totals of 12,194 points him to Celtics fans ever Associated Press
Bill Russell, and how the and 5,749 rebounds and since. "It's hard to imagine
Celtics became a dynasty. remained with the team as the Boston Celtics with- Celtics fans for whom Tom- in each of the Celtics' 17
He will be remembered a broadcaster. Celtics pa- out Tommy Heinsohn," the my's presence hasn't been world championships, an
forever." triarch Auerbach tabbed team said in a statement. felt. He is the only person to extraordinary and singular
A Holy Cross product who him to be the coach in "There isn't a generation of be an active participant legacy."q