IN THE NEWS: In a makeup game in Pittsburgh, the Padres top the Bucs 4–3. The loss leaves the Pirates in 3rd place, two 1/2 games behind the champion Mets.
IN THE NEWS: Jim Palmer fans 12 in shutting out the A's 6–0 in the opening game of the American League Championship Series. Meanwhile, Tom Seaver fans 13 and takes a 1–0 lead into the 8th inning of the National League opener, only to be beaten by home runs by Pete Rose and Johnny Bench. The Reds top the Mets 2–1.
IN THE NEWS: Rusty Staub homers in the first and 2nd innings as the Mets crush the Reds 9–2, in a game featuring a bench-clearing brawl between Rose and Bud Harrelson. Rain postpones the American League game.
IN THE NEWS: The Mets win game 2, 10–7, scoring four runs in an 11th inning featuring the last ML hit by Willie Mays and two errors by Oakland 2B Mike Andrews. Andrews is subsequently put on the "disabled list" by Charlie Finley.
IN THE NEWS: The A's win game three of the World Series 3–2 in 11 innings as Bert Campaneris gets the winning RBI. In a private clubhouse meeting, Dick Williams tells A's players he will resign after the Series.
IN THE NEWS: The Mets win the 5th game 2–0 behind the 3-hit pitching of Jerry Koosman and Tug McGraw. Cleon Jones doubles in a run in the second and Don Hahn's triple scores the other run.
IN THE NEWS: Oakland wins the World Championship for the 2nd straight year as Bert Campaneris and MVP Reggie Jackson homer in the 5–2, 7th-game victory.
IN THE NEWS: Charlie Finley reveals that he will not release Dick Williams from his contract unless he receives adequate compensation from the team that signs him. Williams had resigned following the World Series victory two days earlier.
IN THE NEWS: The Cubs trade 6-time 20-game winner Ferguson Jenkins to the Rangers for 3B Bill Madlock and utility man Vic Harris. Fergie has led the Cubs in wins in each of the past seven seasons, the only pitcher ever to do so and then be traded. Meanwhile, the Giants trade 3-time home run champion Willie McCovey, a Giant since 1959, together with a minor leaguer, to the Padres for P Mike Caldwell.
IN THE NEWS: The Astros trade P Jerry Reuss to the Pirates for C Milt May. Reuss will finally put it all together in Pittsburgh and win 58 games in four seasons.
Tom Seaver wins the National League Cy Young Award, the first time the honor has gone to a player with fewer than 20 wins. Seaver was 19-10 and led the league in ERA (2.08) and strikeouts (251).