WASHINGTON (AP) Newly released documents from President Bill Clinton's administration show that White House officials were watching how the New York Yankees were handling a newly signed outfielder.
A June 1995 memo to Clinton from chief of staff Rahm Emanuel sheds light on the White House's interest in Darryl Strawberry. The slugger had substance abuse problems during his baseball career.
The memo paper said that White House drug policy director Lee Brown was planning to meet with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. It said the White House wanted the Yankees to make Strawberry do community service with young people. They also wanted the Yankees to set up a franchise-wide standard on drugs and contribute to a drug program recommended by Brown.
At the time, Steinbrenner said he believed Strawberry was worth saving.
