BENCHED AGAIN

For the second time in three years, Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench was named Most Valuable Player of the National League by the Baseball Writers Association, Bench battle 270 and led the league in home runs with 40, and runs batted in with 125 as the helped guide the Reds to the NL pennant last season. The hard-hitting catcher polled 263 points, 52 more than runner-up Billy Williams of Chicago.