BASEBALL'S WEEK
NATIONAL LEAGUE
The season-long vendetta between Manager Gene Mauch and Pitcher Art Mahaffey of PHILADELPHIA (3-4) reached a new crisis last week when Mahaffey said, "Everybody in the city knows he hates my guts and I hate his." Mahaffey, who won 19 games in 1962 but only two this year, insisted, "I've got to be traded," and admitted that "General managers and managers of other clubs speak to me and tell me to cool it until winter." Answered Mauch: "The poor guy goes out there worrying about me. And as soon as he pitched one bad game, he thought, 'Is that blankety-blank Mauch gonna give up on mc already?' " Mahaffey reportedly will be dealt to an American League team this winter. CINCINNATI (3-3) survived, as Vada Pinson hit .452 for the week and made a startling catch to save a 2-1 win over NEW YORK (2-3). With two out and the tying and winning runs on base in the last of the ninth, Pinson fell while chasing John Stephenson's long fly but caught the ball lying on the ground. "I saw the video replay and laughed because it was so funny," said Pinson. The next day Stephenson hit two home runs to beat the Reds. Phil Niekro, a bullpen refugee, stopped SAN FRANCISCO'S (6-1) 14-game winning streak in his first start for MILWAUKEE (2-5). The Giants' Hal Lanier scored the decisive run in the rubber game of the series when he came around from first, while the Braves' Joe Torre argued with an umpire over a bunt single. Sandy Koufax of LOS ANGELES (4-2) and Bob Hendley of CHICAGO (3-2) were rematched. This time, Hendley, who had pitched a one-hitter but lost to Koufax' perfect game the previous week, beat Sandy, as Billy Williams hit a two-run homer. Koufax returned to save a win for Claude Osteen and later beat the Cardinals 1-0. His sacrifice bunt was a key factor in the Dodgers' lone score. And Don Drysdale beat the Cardinals with a two-run single as he won his 20th game. The Cubs' Ted Abernathy set a National League record with his 77th relief appearance. Manager Harry Walker of PITTSBURGH (4-3) was given a new one-year contract shortly after his Pirates lost their 17th consecutive home game to ST. LOUIS (3-3). HOUSTON (1-5) had lost 12 of 15, all to the league's top three clubs.
Standings: SF 89-60, LA 86-64, Cin 85-65, Mil 81-68, Pitt 82-70, Phil 76-72, StL 73-76, Chi 68-83, Hou 62-89, NY 48-103
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston (4-2) now had the American League's only no-hit, no-run pitcher (Dave Morehead) to complement the league's top hitter (Carl Yastrzemski) and home-run leader (Tony Conigliaro). But the Red Sox were in ninth place. So last week, less than an hour after Morehead no-hit the Indians, they fired General Manager Mike Higgins. Immediately Dick O'Connell, the club's new overseer, set out to find a director of player personnel, preferably a "resident s.o.b.," which Owner Tom Yawkey says the club has lacked for nearly two decades. This will be the seventh successive year the Red Sox have finished in the second division, and Higgins has been either manager or general manager during this period. Bostonians, in general, applauded Higgins' departure. "I was sick in bed but jumped 10 feet in the air when I heard the news," said one. Morehead, a 23-year-old right-hander who has had control problems during his three seasons with the Red Sox, gave up only a second-inning walk to Rocky Colavito en route to his no-hitter. "And I threw only 105 pitches, which must be some sort of world's record for me," said Morehead. Two years ago in CLEVELAND (1-5) Dave had a no-hitter for seven innings, but the Indians' Fred Whitfield led off the eighth with a single. Last week in Boston, Morehead again faced Whitfield, leading off in the eighth. "What happened two years ago suddenly crossed my mind, and I was afraid Whitfield would break it up again." MINNESOTA'S (4-1) Camilo Pascual, ruled eligible for the World Series, struck out 13 and allowed only one run, while pitching nine innings for the first time since June 8th. Rookie Outfielder Ted Uhlaender became the 17th Twin player to drive in a crucial run in the late innings when his eighth-inning single beat KANSAS CITY (1-4). The Athletics announced that Satchel Paige would have a registered nurse, a private water boy and a 150-year-old rocking chair as company near the bullpen. Dean Chance of CALIFORNIA (3-1) won his 14th game by four-hitting the Orioles. The Angels were rained out for the fourth and fifth times in their five years in Los Angeles. Their landlords, the Dodgers, have never been rained out at home. BALTIMORE (2-2) fans continued to boo the Orioles mercilessly. Reasoned Third Baseman Brooks Robinson, "I guess they're tired of waiting." What appeared to be a risky trade last fall has virtually assured eighth-place WASHINGTON (1-4) its highest finish in five seasons. Sending Third Baseman John Kennedy and 15-game-winner Claude Osteen to the Dodgers was a gamble, but the five men Washington picked up have all produced. Pete Richert's 14 wins and Phil Ortega's 12 represent 40% of the team's victories. And the once-punch-less Senators owe 46% of their runs to Outfielder Frank Howard (.292, 21 HRs), Third Baseman Ken McMullen (.270, 16 HRs) and First Baseman Dick Nen (.286 during the past three weeks). Manager Al Lopez of CHICAGO (4-2) was miffed when rookie Pitchers Bruce Howard and Bob Locker refused to play winter ball and when Pitcher Juan Pizarro agreed to play again in Puerto Rico. On Mickey Mantle Day in NEW YORK (3-2) Pitcher Joe Sparma of DETROIT (3-3) stopped play to walk from the mound to home plate and shake hands with Mantle. Sparma, who beat the Yankees four times this year, then got Mickey to fly to left field.
Standings: Minn 96-55, Chi 87-65, Balt 83-64, Det 83-67, Clev 78-70, NY 74-78, Cal 70-80, Wash 65-85, Bos 60-92, KC 54-94
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PHOTO
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: DAVE MOREHEAD
