'83 Chronology-Anderson vs. Argovitz

Event Date: August 4th, 1983

Event Description:  Anderson Seeks Free Agency

Source: United Press International

Running back Gary Anderson, who signed with the Tampa Bay Bandits on the advice of Houston agent Jerry Argovitz, has sued Argovitz for allegedly using him to win a United States Football League franchise.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court charges Argovitz with conspiring to deliver him to the Bandits as a condition for a USFL franchise for Houston, later awarded to the agent.

Anderson, a former University of Arkansas running back, had been selected by the San Diego Chargers as a first-round choice in the National Football League, but the New Jersey Generals picked Anderson as their No. 1 draft choice in the USFL. The Bandits acquired the Generals' rights to him, according to the suit.

Argovitz last spring was awarded a USFL expansion team, named the Houston Gamblers, and John Bassett, owner of the Bandits, was chairman of the USFL expansion committee, an affidavit attached to the suit said.

Anderson alleges Argovitz misrepresented the offers to him, making him believe the Bandits' offer was more lucrative, the suit said. After he signed with the Bandits, Anderson learned he could have made a substantially better deal with the Chargers.

The lawsuit alleged the award of the franchise to Argovitz was at least partially conditioned on his convincing Anderson to sign with the Bandits. Anderson, who lives in Missouri, is asking for an injunction to allow him to play with the Chargers immediately, $289,000 in damages and an order declaring his contract with the Bandits void.

Story-(UPI)