BASEBALL—The International League PAWTUCKET Red Sox defeated the American Association Tulsa Oilers four games to one to win the Junior World Series. Pawtucket is a Boston farm team; Tulsa belongs to St. Louis.
BOXING—World welterweight champion JOSE NAPOLES retained his title in a 15-round decision over Clyde Gray of Canada at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
PRO FOOTBALL—The passing of Jim Hart and the running of Donny Anderson gave St. Louis a 34-27 upset victory over Washington. Hart steered the Cardinals back from a 10-7 deficit early in the second half, throwing for a touchdown, to Anderson, and setting up two Jim Bakken field goals. Cardinal Don Shy and Redskin Herb Mul-Key each had a 97-yard kickoff return in the second half. Baltimore put Joe Namath out of the game with a separated shoulder, but between them, Colt Quarterbacks Bert Jones and Marty Domres threw eight interceptions and managed to lose to the Jets 34-10. Substitute Al Woodall completed 17 of 21 passes for 149 yards and a 31-point second half. Eagle Quarterback Roman Gabriel could do nothing but watch helplessly as Pete Gogolak kicked the Giants into a 23-23 tie in the final second of play. Gabriel had put Philadelphia ahead less than two minutes earlier with a 16-yard pass to Harold Carmichael, but Norm Snead managed to move New York close enough for Gogolak's 14-yard equalizer. Six-year NFL veteran Essex Johnson of Cincinnati set a personal rushing high with 131 yards as the Bengals handed Houston its 13th straight defeat. The Oilers began spectacularly with a 103-yard kickoff return by Bob Gresham, but that was the end of their show. Kansas City could only manage a 10-7 victory over New England, despite a Patriot fumble, several costly penalties, an interception and a 17-yard sack of Patriot Quarterback Jim Plunkett. Pittsburgh kicker Roy Gerela booted four field goals and Frank Lewis scored two touchdowns as the Steelers whipped Cleveland 33-6. Green Bay and Detroit battled to a 13-13 draw and Minnesota beat Chicago 22-13 with Chuck Foreman gaining 116 yards in 16 carries.
Upsets were not confined to the East. Oakland stopped Miami's regular-season streak at 18 with a 12—7 win over the Dolphins. Two fumbles and two missed field-goal attempts by Garo Yepremian kept the 1973 Super Bowl victors off the scoreboard until only 1:07 was left and Bob Griese finally threw a successful 27-yard scoring pass to Tight End Jim Mandich. The jolly giant for the Raiders was—who else?—lovable old George Blanda, who kicked four field goals and scored all the Raider points in his 300th professional game. Across-the-Bay neighbor San Francisco lucked out in Denver with a 36-34 win on a 39-yard field goal in the last 26 seconds. It was Bruce Gossett's fifth successful three-pointer of the day as the 49ers, led by John Brodie, scored 20 straight points to come from behind in the second quarter. Five interceptions, three of which were turned into TDs, also helped. Los Angeles demolished Atlanta 31-0, the first shutout by the home team in the Rams' 27-year history. Behind their big front four, the Rams limited the same team that wrecked New Orleans 62-7 last week to just two first downs in the entire game. The Falcons did not get their first until 5:39 of the third quarter. Completing the triumph of the West, San Diego whaled Buffalo 34-7. John Unitas was at the helm for the Chargers, passing for two TDs, including a 26-yarder to Walt Garrison. Ron Smith contributed to the rout with a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown.
GOLF—For the eighth straight time the U.S. defeated Great Britain and Ireland and took home the Ryder Cup. The teams were tied 8-8 at the start of the final day at Muirfield, Scotland, but the U.S. won nine of the last 16 matches and tied four others.
Five-time Walker Cup team member BILL HYNDMAN of Huntingdon Valley, Pa. won his first USGA Seniors title, defeating Harry Welch of Salisbury, N.C. 3 and 2 at Lake Forest, Ill.
Kathy Whitworth took the rain-shortened Portland LPGA Golf Classic with a two-under-par 144. Sandra Palmer was two strokes behind in second place.
HARNESS RACING—Joe O'Brien drove MELVIN'S WOE to victory in pacing's $120,000 Little Brown Jug at the Delaware ( Ohio) County Fairgrounds (page 86).
HORSE RACING—TALKING PICTURE ($3.40), with Ron Turcotte up, captured the $111,250 Matron Stakes by a head over Dancelot at Belmont Park.
MOTOR SPORTS—Although the result was not announced until five minutes after the checkered flag, PETER REVSON was declared the winner of the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport, Ontario. Jody Scheckter and Francois Cevert eliminated each other by crashing in a muddled race further confused by rain. Emerson Fittipaldi came in second. The win meant $25,000 for Team McLaren's Revson.