A roundup of the sports information of the week

BASKETBALL—NBA: Last week belonged to the New York Knicks. Of their four wins, which made them the Eastern leader by six full games, probably the most satisfying was the last—they beat Boston in their first meeting of the season 113-98. It was New York's 17th win in 18 games, a league record for the start of the season and the team's 12th in a row, a club record. The Knicks, who had watched helplessly for 13 years as the Celtics rolled to 11 NBA championships, had prepared for a much tougher game than they got. They forgot, as Boston General Manager Red Auerbach said before the game, that Bill Russell was no longer there. "The opposition puts a shot up and four of our guys start breaking down the floor. I have to scream at them, 'Hey, we haven't got the ball yet!' " Dave DeBusschere broke his nose on Rick Robertson's fist when the Knicks beat L.A. 112-102 but came back taped like a mummy two nights later and played his best game of the season—24 points and 16 rebounds in the 116-103 win over San Francisco.

ABA: Warren Armstrong led the Washington Caps in scoring, rebounds and assists for the third game in a row when they beat New York 102-101, but he injured an ankle in the process and joined Rick Barry on the sidelines as the Caps went on the road. Without Armstrong or Barry, the team lost to Dallas 122-104 and barely beat New Orleans 101-99. The Caps moved into a tie for first with Los Angeles in the Western Division, however, thanks to a truly heroic performance by Dallas' Cincy Powell. To the delight of his personal, 25-member L.A. rooting section of relatives he scored 26 points, including the final-second free throw that beat the Stars 96-94, their first loss in five games. All this in spite of a not-yet-mended cheekbone, a sprained ankle and two days in bed with the flu.

NBA—East: New York (4-0), Baltimore (3-0), Milwaukee (2-2), Philadelphia (1-2), Cincinnati (1-1), Detroit (2-3), Boston (0-4). West: Atlanta (3-1), Chicago (2-2), Los Angeles (1-3), Phoenix (2-2), San Francisco (0-4), San Diego (4-0), Seattle (2-2).

ABA—East: Indiana (3-1), Kentucky (3-1), Carolina (1-1), Pittsburgh (0-4), Miami (1-3), New York (0-4). West: Washington (2-1), Los Angeles (3-1), Dallas (2-2), New Orleans (3-1), Denver (2-1).

FOOTBALL—NFL: Dallas virtually clinched the Capitol Division by beating second-place Washington 41-28. As President Nixon watched, rookie Calvin Hill gained 150 yards in 27 carries (both club records) and ran for two touchdowns while Craig Morton completed eight of 17 passes for 156 yards, including one for 65 yards to Lance Rentzel for a score. Virtually assured, too, was Minnesota's title in the Central Division after Sunday's game. An underthrown pass from Green Bay's Bart Starr to Dave Hampton was intercepted in the final minutes by Viking Bobby Bryant, cutting off the Packers' last chance to score. Minnesota won 9-7 on three Fred Cox field goals, from 10, 12 and 20 yards.

AFL: Buffalo moved from fourth to third in the Eastern Division by beating Miami 28-3, while Boston, the underdog, had its day, upsetting Cincinnati 25-14 for its second win of the season. In Buffalo O. J. Simpson returned the opening kickoff 73 yards and scored two plays later on an eight-yard pass from Jack Kemp. Marlin Briscoe caught a 12-yarder in the second quarter, Bill Enyart ran in from the one in the third and Simpson did it again in the fourth on Kemp's 55-yard pass. Boston's defense picked off three Greg Cook passes, recovered two of three Cincinnati fumbles and tackled Jess Phillips in the Bengals' end zone for a safety. The offense did its share, too, with 19 points in the first quarter alone. Fullback Jim Nance gained 125 yards, putting him over 100 for the second game in a row.

NFL—East: Century-Cleveland (6-2-1), St. Louis (3-5-1), New York (3-6), Pittsburgh (1-8). Capitol-Dallas (8-1), Washington (4-3-2), Philadelphia (3-5-1), New Orleans (2-7). West: Central-Minnesota (8-1), Detroit (6-3), Green Bay (5-4), Chicago (1-8). Coastal-Los Angeles (9-0), Baltimore (5-4), Atlanta (3-6), San Francisco (2-6-1).

AFL—East: New York (7-3), Houston (4-4-2), Buffalo (3-7), Miami (2-7-1), Boston (2-8). West: Kansas City (9-1), Oakland (8-1-1), Cincinnati (4-5-1), Denver (4-5-1), San Diego (4-6).

HARNESS RACING—Ending his career with his 22nd consecutive victory, OVERCALL ($2.80) took the $100,000 American Pacing Classic at Hollywood Park by 3½ lengths over Sunnie Tar and Rum Customer. Overcall retires to stud in 1970 with career earnings of $800,000.

HOCKEY—NHL: Montreal extended its winning streak to eight, taking three more games and first place in the Eastern Division from New York after beating Los Angeles 6-3 on a night when the Rangers were idle. The Rangers won their next two games, but so did the Canadiens, and the one-point lead held up. Montreal Goalie Rogatien Vachon registered his first shutout of the season and Claude Provost scored twice in a 5-0 victory in Oakland, while three nights later in St. Louis Yvan Cournoyer's third-period goal beat the Western Division-leading Blues 3-2. St. Louis and Montreal have now met 22 times, including playoffs and exhibitions, and the Blues' record stands at 0-17-5.

NHL—East: Montreal (3-0), New York (2-0), Boston (2-1), Detroit (0-2-1), Chicago (2-0), Toronto (1-2). West: St. Louis (1-2), Minnesota (1-0-1), Oakland (0-3-1), Pittsburgh (2-0-1), Philadelphia (0-0-1), Los Angeles (0-2).

HORSE RACING—Silent Screen, unbeaten in five of his six races and supplemented for $10,000 to the $330,625 Garden State Stakes, developed an infection the night before the race and was scratched, leaving the richest Garden State ever to Herbert Allen's FORUM ($39.60), who won by four lengths over Protanto and three-fourths of a length more over Prize Silver (page 64).

The Earl of Iveagh's KARABAS ($9.20), ridden by Lester Piggott, won the $150,000 Washington International by 1¼ lengths over Cragwood Stable's Hawaii and another half-length over third-place Czar Alexander. Piggott also rode last year's winner, Raymond Guest's Sir Ivor.

HORSE SHOWS—Argentina's DR. HUGO ARRAMBIDE, a Buenos Aires attorney, rode Adaggio to first place in the final international jumping class—the Grand Prix of New York—of the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden, but the overall individual championship went to BILL STEINKRAUS of the U.S. Equestrian Team, while the U.S. won the team championship by a wide margin over Argentina.

MILEPOSTS—NAMED: The American League's Most Valuable Player, by the Baseball Writers' Association, HARMON KILLEBREW of the Minnesota Twins, who led the majors with 49 homers and 140 RBIs and now ranks 13th in major league history with 446 home runs.

ELECTED: To chairmanship of the New York Racing Association, JACK J. DREYFUS JR., financier and owner of Hobeau Farms, 1967's leading money-winning thoroughbred racing stable.

FILED: By ROGER BROWN of the ABA's Indiana Pacers, a suit for $1.5 million against the NBA, similar to Connie Hawkins' 1966 action, for allegedly denying him the chance to play in the NBA.

RESIGNED: From his coaching duties while retaining the title general manager of the San Diego Chargers, SID GILLMAN, 58, head coach since the AFL club was founded in 1960. "It isn't our football that prompted it. My doctor says I must," said Gillman, who has been undergoing treatment for an ulcer and whose season record is 4-6.

RETIRED: GUS MAUCH, trainer for the New York Mets since their inception, and before that for the New York Yankees through 12 pennants and 10 World Championships. In 1949 Mauch opened a trainers' training school in Florida, eight graduates of which are now head trainers in the majors. His replacement will be TOM McKENNA, trainer for the Washington Senators since 1961, five of those years under Manager Gil Hodges.

DIED: JACK TORRANCE, 58, holder of the world shotput record for 14 years; of a heart attack; in Baton Rouge, La. He set the record—55'1½"—in 1934 and bettered it twice before Charles Fonville broke it in 1948. He also competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, boxed professionally and played two seasons with the Chicago Bears.

DIED: ED HURLEY, 59, American League umpire for 19 years until his retirement in 1965, who officiated in four World Series.

DIED: BILL SOUTHWORTH, 76, major league outfielder from 1913 to 1929, who had a career batting average of .298. Southworth managed the St. Louis Cardinals to three National League pennants and World Series victories in 1942 and 1944, and in 1948 the Boston Braves to their first pennant in 34 years.