The Royals continued to prepare for their fourth playoff showdown in five seasons against the New York Yankees, with Game One set for Wednesday afternoon at Royals Stadium. Kansas City manager Jim Frey selected lefthander Larry Gura to start the first game, while New York skipper Dick Howser tabbed his lefthanded ace, Ron Guidry. Gura had been struggling through the month of September, as the Royals revealed he had been battling a pulled groin throughout the month.

The Royals’ only 20-game winner, Dennis Leonard, was slated to start Game Two on Thursday night, facing New York’s Rudy May, who owned a 15-5 record in a season he had spent as both starter and reliever.

Although the Yankees had won the previous three playoff clashes between the two teams, the Royals felt confident after winning the season series, 8-4, outscoring them by an 89-56 margin.

1980 baseball news: The NLCS began in Philadelphia, with the Phillies picking up their first home postseason win in 65 years, a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros. Greg Luzinski hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. The Astros were able to get seven hits and three walks against Philadelphia ace Steve Carlton in seven innings, but went 1-7 with runners in scoring position.

Today’s birthdays: Jose Cardenal (1943), Rudy Law (1956), Enrique Burgos (1965), Kris Medlen (1985)