BASEBALL'S WEEK

AMERICAN LEAGUE

They said it couldn't and wouldn't be done again, but the NEW YORK (3-3) Yankees and KANSAS CITY (3-3) Athletics worked out their 19th trade in 11 years. The Yankees sent Pitchers Bill Stafford and Gil Blanco and Outfielder Roger Repoz to the A's in exchange for Pitcher Fred Talbot ("He battles all the way," said K.C. Manager Al Dark) and Catcher Bill Bryan. The pitching problem had become acute when New York put Whitey Ford on the 15-day disabled list, but after Fritz Peterson won twice and Hal Reniff improved his string of scoreless relief innings to 19, Manager Ralph Houk announced that "the Yankees will win the pennant if we get to the .500 mark by the All-Star Game." Joe Pepitone helped Houk's prognostication by hitting five home runs during the week. The Athletics have their own success story in the bullpen. Beginning on May 23, Jack Aker appeared in nine games, pitched 20‚Öì innings, allowed no runs and gave up just seven hits. BALTIMORE (6-2) Manager Hank Bauer was disappointed with the performance of his pitching: five complete games in the last 30. Before Personnel Director Harry Dalton was able to trade Jerry Adair for Eddie Fisher (and the pennant?), Bauer was asked if there was anything he could do to improve the situation. Replied Hank, "Punt." The Orioles, on key hits by Camilo Carreon, a 14th-inning double that defeated the Senators on June 8, and a two-run homer by Russ Snyder the next night, took over first place temporarily. Deep in a .225 slump since May 14, BOSTON (1-5) First Baseman George Scott thought it best to phone "Mama" long distance "to regain my confidence." After the call Scotty went 2 for 4 and hit a home run to break out of his slide, but Red Sox pitchers were still having trouble—Billy Herman used 19 in six games. Winner of nine of 11. DETROIT (5-2) continued to get excellent pitching. Mickey Lolich interrupted a two-week tour of active duty with the Michigan Air National Guard to return to Detroit to pitch against the Red Sox; he received credit for the win on a combined three-hitter with Larry Sherry and Johnny Podres. Hank Aguirre pitched his first complete game of the season but developed a blister on his pitching hand. Manager Bob Swift told him to soak it "in dill-pickle brine." CALIFORNIA (3-3) surpassed last year's total home attendance in the first 30 home dates. Norm Siebern, fifth in the league in batting, hit a pinch-hit single in the eighth inning to drive in the winning run against the White Sox and then scored the winning run the next night as George Brunet won a two-hitter. Even though CHICAGO (1-5) lost five straight after winning nine of 11, Manager Eddie Stanky said he wasn't going to let anything bother him or his players, because "handling a ball club is like handling a child." A three-week-old feud flared again when Chicago's Tommie Agee slid hard into Twin Second Baseman Bernie Allen and both teams ran onto the field. Stanky said, "I've never seen so many cry babies in all my life." MINNESOTA (5-1) Manager Sam Mele tried to laugh off the whole thing. The Twins showed their power when they hit five home runs in one inning against Kansas City to tie the major league record and set a new American League standard. Sam McDowell of CLEVELAND (4-1) started his first game since May 25, winning for the first time in more than a month. Sonny Siebert (below) pitched a no-hitter for his fifth win, Dick Radatz continued his improved relief work and the Indians regained first place. Rocky Colavito was dropped from his usual fourth spot to sixth in the Indian lineup. WASHINGTON (1-7) won the first of a 19-game stretch against the top three teams in the league and then lost the next seven.

Standings: Clev 34-18, Balt 36-20, Det 33-21, Minn 26-26, Cal 27-28, Chi 25-27, NY 24-28, KC 21-31, Wash 23-35, Bos 20 35

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Chicago (2-3) Manager Leo Durocher was so enraged at Astro Owner Roy Hofheinz after being made the butt of a cartoon that appeared on the cover of an Astrodome program that he talked of taking Hofheinz to court. Some of his anger was appeased when Ernie Banks broke out of a prolonged batting slump with a seven-game hitting streak (12 for 29) and Dick Ellsworth pitched a decisive 8-1 win over the Dodgers, his first victory in exactly one month. Pennant winners last year on speed and pitching, LOS ANGELES (3-2) has added power hitting to its repertoire. The Dodgers, who had only 78 home runs all last season, hit 45 in their first 56 games. Sandy Koufax and Phil Regan won against the Giants, and Wes Parker rode a nine-game hitting streak (14 hits, among them five home runs) as the Bums moved into first place. The annual June Swoon hit SAN FRANCISCO (2-5) as the Giants dropped seven of nine and fell out of the lead for the first time in five weeks. After losing a three-game series to the Braves, in which NEW YORK (3-4) scored 16 runs but gave up 26, the Mets came back to win three out of four from the Reds. In his first major league start since his return from Jacksonville, rookie Dick Rusteck pitched a four-hit shutout, and Dennis Ribant followed the next night with a five-hit shutout. New York was stopped one strike short of three straight shutouts when CINCINNATI (2-5) rallied for two runs to tie the game in the ninth and went on to win in the 10th. Sammy Ellis, a 22-game winner last season, continued to have trouble, losing his ninth in 11 decisions. Manager Don Heffner said Ellis was "throwing the ball well." Ellis agreed: "Every pitcher makes a few mistakes." ATLANTA (4-2) had lost six straight, and there was talk that Manager Bobby Bragan was going to be fired. Bragan decided to rearrange the Braves's defensive alignment; he switched Catcher Joe Torre to first, brought up Minor Leaguer Felix Millan to play second and put Dennis Menke, a shortstop by trade, at third. Behind the plate went Outfielder Rico Carty, who once caught for Yakima in the Northwest League. The result was a seven-game winning streak. PITTSBURGH (3-3) Outfielder Roberto Clemente hit two homers over the 457-foot center-field fence in a down-and-up week for the Pirates. Orlando Cepeda of ST. LOUIS (4-2) was kept out of the lineup after he was hit in the face with a line drive in batting practice; the Cardinals had to put together a batting order that had hit only nine home runs all season. But sharp-hitting Curt Flood (25 hits in 50 at bats over one stretch) moved toward the top of the batting heap. Pitching continued to help HOUSTON (4-2) as Mike Cuellar won his fourth and Dave Giusti his eighth. PHILADELPHIA (4-3) was still getting strong hitting from Richie Allen, but the week's surprise star was Utility Player Cookie Rojas. Rojas, who played eight positions last season and was named to the All-Star team, was hitting .517 (15 for 29) on the home stand.

Standings: LA 34-22, SF 35-23, Pitt 32-23, Phil 31-24, Hou 31-26, StL 25-28, Atl 27-32, Cin 23-30, NY 20-30, Chi 17-37

[originallink:10532346:42907]

PHOTO

INDIANS' SONNY SIEBERT

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Mention Sonny Siebert to the Angels or the Twins and they'll run for their bats. Mention him to the Senators and they'll just run. In his last two starts, Sonny Siebert had given up 11 earned runs and 12 hits (including four home runs). His ERA (3.41) was on its way up, and his spirit was quickly dropping. Even Sonny's wife, Carol, was beginning to make his life miserable. She needled him so hard that on the night of June 10, when he was to pitch against the Senators, all Sonny could say to quiet her was, "If you get off my back, I might pitch a no-hitter." To the surprise of everyone, including himself, he kept his promise and pitched the no-hitter. "I expected to see a no-hit game this season," he said later, "but I figured Sam McDowell would be pitching it." Only two men reached base, one on a fifth-inning walk and the other on an eighth-inning error. The big play of the game came in the eighth when Don Lock of the Senators hit a sharp line drive that appeared to be headed for left field. Cleveland Third Baseman Max Alvis leaped high into the air and caught the ball for the out. Washington went down in order in the ninth, and Siebert became the first Indian pitcher since 1951—when Bob Feller stopped Detroit—to pitch a no-hitter. Least impressed of the 10,469 who saw the game was Siebert's 5½-year-old son, Scott. After Bob Savarine flied to Chuck Hinton for the final out, Scott turned to his mother and asked for another hot dog.