Baseball

Neither the Yanks in the Series nor anyone else during the rest of the season got to second base against the Reds, whose Joe Morgan repeated as the league MVP.

A RUNAWAY FAVORITE

New York took over first in the American League East on April 12. The Phillies did the same in the National East on May 9. Kansas City jumped ahead in the AL West on May 18, and the Reds moved into the National West lead on May 29. None of them was headed thereafter. Then Cincy ran off seven straight wins over the Phils and Yanks to take the pennant and the Series. Still, without tight races, a slugger threatening to clout 62 homers or a 30-game winner, baseball drew a record 31,318,331 fans.

The Yankees lined up for their first Series in 12 seasons.

The Series' two best players were Cincy's Johnny Bench (.533) and Yank Thurman Munson (.529), who was also his league's MVP.

In his seventh year as Reds manager, Sparky Anderson won a fifth division title, a fourth pennant and a second world Series.

In guiding the Yankees to their pennant, Billy Martin managed with a religious fervor that frequently made the umpires cross.

Phillie Mike Schmidt hit four homers in an early-season game and kept on swinging for his third straight home-run title with 38.

Chris Chambliss won the AL pennant with this homer swing.

Third base became Pete Rose's fourth All-star position.