Griffins Faltering with Pennant in Sight
Detroit Loses 13 Straight, Lead Sliced to 2 Games with 6 to Go
DETROIT (Sept. 23) -- The Detroit Griffins finally won a game on Sept. 21, nipping Brooklyn 7-6 to end a 13-game skid.  Detroit, which led the East Division by eight games on Sept. 1, now has just a two-game margin over Washington.  The Monuments have played only .500 ball this month (10-10), but have still gained six games on the leaders, who are 2-15 since losing Reggie Jackson on Sept. 4.  Jackson's replacement, Bobby Bonds, has hit just .190-2-9 in 19 games, and sluggers Frank Howard and Dick Allen have combined for just 17 RBIs in 20 games, as the Griffins scored just 24 runs and allowed 78 during their 13-game skid.  Starters Bill Hands (1-3, 5.64) and Sandy Koufax (1-3, 5.93) have struggled this month, and reliever Ramon Hernandez has been charged with four losses in 11 appearances.  Detroit's last six games are at West-leading Chicago and home against Boston, which has won 9 of its last 10.

The Monuments were swept at Cleveland Sept. 14-16 and lost two of three to Brooklyn, but took a series from Los Angeles to narrow the gap to two games.  Al Oliver doubled and homered in a 6-3 win Sept. 20, and the Mons rallied to against Larry Dierker the next night (see below).

Mons Close Gap to Two With Stunning Rally
WASHINGTON (Sept. 21) -- The Washington Monuments had lost five of their last seven and, despite Detroit's free-fall, were still three games back in the East Division with eight games to play.  But if the Mons complete a stunning comeback and capture their first East Division crown since the advent of divisional play in 1957, the turning point may well have been tonight.  Trailing 2-0 in the ninth with an unhittable Larry Dierker on the mound for Los Angeles, Bernie Carbo singled and Rich Reese homered, tying the game and sending it to extra innings.  Carbo singled again in the 10th, and Reese walked, setting up Joe Rudi's game-winning single for a 3-2 victory.  The Monuments have struggled of late, but their 10-10 record in September has been good enough to keep them in the hunt.  But their next three games are against the red-hot Boston Federals before their close out the year at last place Brooklyn.

Fall Fisticuffs
Seaver Marks Brawl Anniversary With . . . Another Brawl
SAN FRANCISCO (Sept. 22) -- Frustrations boiled over yesterday at Seals Stadium, where, ever since the "Summer of Love" violence seems to always be just a pitch away (or inside, as the case may be).  It was an inside pitch by "Terrific" Tom Seaver that caught Mike Andrews on his left ear, igniting a bench-clearing brawl in the fourth inning.  The league wasted no time in issuing nine-game suspensions to both players, effectively ending their seasons.  The autumn altercation came almost a year to the day after Seaver beaned Reggie Jackson at Kiner Field.  That September scuffle resulted in the suspension of Seaver and Jackson, who nearly lost the home run title.  The league is investigating the incident, and is contemplating a zero-tolerance policy against harvest-time hostilities.  When reached by reporters, Seaver's roommate Dick "The Monster" Radatz said Tom was thrilled about the early start to the offseason and was on his way to Pebble Beach.  Mike Andrews, who doesn't golf but is an avid fly-fisherman, was unavailable for comment.

Robinson Catapults to Home Run Lead
Frank Robinson overtakes injured Reggie Jackson and slumping Frank Howard with six homers in eight days.

Mantle 10 Hits From 3,000
All eyes will be on Frank Thomas Memorial Stadium this week, as Mickey Mantle closes in on UL history.  The Mick needs 10 hits in Brooklyn's last six games to become the first to reach 3,000 hits.  Mantle has averaged exactly one hit per game since the All-Star Break, but has three multi-hit games in his last six, so it will be close and the milestone is likely to come on the last day of the season.  The Superbas host Dallas and Washington.