GREAT MOMENTS IN STRAT

Have you experienced a game of Strat-O-Matic so thrilling, unique or bizarre that you just HAVE to share it with someone? That would be us. Send you Great Moments in Strat to SOMTalkShow@aol.com. Please include your name and hometown. Readers like to see that and you deserve the credit.

Courage, Logic and Sweaty Palms

I bought SOM NFL Football in October for the sole purpose of winning Superbowl XL with the Seahawks. What would make it even better would be if the Steelers were the opponent. I shuffled the NFC and AFC so that I wouldn’t be bored with a soft schedule and ended up with Tampa and Washington in my division. I ended the season at 13-3 with the 3rd seed behind the Giants and Panthers. The Steelers grabbed the 5th seed in the AFC by winning 8 of their last 9 games to finish 10-6. The Steelers then pounded Cincinnati, Denver, and Indy to get to the Super Bowl, winning each by at least 20 points. The Seahawks took Atlanta, Carolina, and Giants in less impressive fashion as Shaun Alexander rushed for more than 600 yards in three games.

In the Super Bowl, the Steelers got out to a quick lead by taking their first punt 92 yards for a touchdown. With 3:30 left to play, I (Seahawks) faced 4th and 2 at the Steeler 23, trailing 20-17. I reasoned that I had a 62% chance of hitting the field goal and that after that if I made the field goal I still had less than a 50% chance of winning because Pitt had three minutes to drive back and make a field goal, and failing that they had OT. Therefore, a field goal gave me no better than a 31% chance of winning the game. However, with Alexander I figured I had a 60% chance of a first down and then close to a 50% chance of scoring a touchdown for the win, plus a better shot at hitting a field goal from closer range with less time on the clock. Overall, going for it seemed to be better odds at winning. I went off tackle left for 2 yards and the first down. Pitt defended the flat pass. On the next play Alexander went off tackle right for 21 yards and a 24-20 lead. Pitt then drove to my 26 yard line and lost the game as a bomb to Hines Ward on 4th and 7 failed because of a linebacker double team. Vindication achieved.

My story is odd because it so closely mirrored what actually happened in 2005. I think it also illustrates how bizarrely conservative NFL coaches are. Would a coach go for it on 4th and 2 from the 23 trailing by 3 in the Super Bowl? No. He would be afraid of crucifixion if he failed. I was afraid, too. My palms were sweating when I pushed the button.

Eric Pearson, resident of Boston, native of Seattle

Pitching Duels? Beat This!

1978 was the first baseball season I remember at all, so I was excited to get the repro of the year several years ago. After replaying the 1978 AL Playoff game, ironically won on a Bucky “Bleepin’ ” Dent homer, I set about getting a small league together. I grabbed the top four teams by record from each league and played a season of 12 games per team.

The first game happened to be the Yankees and Brewers, featuring an Opening-Day pitching matchup of Ron Guidry and Mike Caldwell (who, by the way, would have won the Cy Young award nearly any other year). It was the 6th inning before I noticed that neither team had a hit. It stayed that way until the bottom of the 7th, when Sixto Lezcano homered. Now that the Brewers had the lead, I concentrated on Mike Caldwell’s no-hit, perfect game. The Yanks rolled consecutive 20s on high single chances ... and then Caldwell ended the game on a strikeout of Bucky Dent. My first league game, with what became my favorite set, was a perfect game win over the hated Yankees. And by the way, all Guidry did in the game was allow 1 hit, 1 BB, 1 ER and 14 Ks.

Matt Thompson, Rockland-Augusta, Maine

Five Phils Pitches, No Orioles Hits

My latest Great Moment occurred on Christmas Eve morning during my annual Winter Tournament, featuring 64 World Champs of the past, each series best of seven. Some games I play on computer, some with the cards and dice. This morning, I use the cards and dice. Today’s series featured 1980 Philadelphia and 1983 Baltimore, vying for a spot in the Final Eight. Philly had knocked out the 1978 Yankees and 1979 Pirates to get here. Baltimore had knocked out 1982 St. Louis and 1985 Kansas City.

The Phils led three games to two, coming into Game Six. Scott McGregor would start for Baltimore, Larry Christenson for Philly. I’m using the Strat Fan version of the 1980 Phils pitcher’s cards, as I like the varied card patterns, for those old-timers out there who remember the controversy that year.

McGregor retired the Phils in order in the top of the 1st. Ford led off the bottom half of the 1st for the Orioles, 16-for-42 (.381) for the tournament so far. Christenson's a backwards righty, (29 obp vs 19.8), so Earl (coming out of retirement for the tournament) decided to go with him over Bumbry. Ford hit back to the mound, but LC, being an e38, booted it, so the leadoff guy was on. Undaunted, Christenson retired Lowenstein, Ripken and Murray. No score after one. McGregor again retired the Phils in order in the 2nd. Christenson did likewise in the Oriole 2nd, but was injured getting Sakata for the 3rd out.

The Phils broke through with a run in the 3rd. Bowa, batting 9th with the DH used in the AL home park, singled to lead it off. Trillo’s flyball X went for a two-base error, then a sac fly by Rose plated the run. Espinosa relieved the injured Christensen, and retired Dempsey, Cruz and Ford in order. Philly didn't score in the top of the fourth. With righty killer Lowenstein leading off the Oriole 4th, Murray and Singleton lurking, we couldn’t stay with Espinosa in a close game, he’s very weak against lefties. The lefty Saucier comes in. Shelby hits for Lowenstein, who’s hopeless against lefties. Saucier gets him, then retires Ripken and Murray. Shelby stays in to play CF, Roenicke moves to left, improving the defense.

Philly breaks loose in the 5th. An error by Murray, a sac bunt and an rbi single by Rose makes it 2-0. Schmidt follows with a homer, 4-0 Phils. In the bottom half, Saucier gets Singleton to lead it off, then leaves for the righty reliever Reed. Earl, knowing that McGraw lurks in the Philly bullpen for the late innings, leaves Roenicke in. Reed retires the side quietly in the 5th and again in the 6th.

Philly goes quietly against McGregor in the 6th and 7th. As Earl expected, McGraw relieves Reed to start the 7th, the 5th pitcher of the game due to the injury to Christenson. Shelby, Ripken and Murray go quietly in the 7th, Singleton, Roenicke and Sakata in order in the 8th.

The Phils again go quietly in the top half of the inning, so it’s 4-0 going to the Oriole 9th. Gross goes to left field for Luzinski, Boone in to catch. McGraw gets the first two hitters in the Oriole 9th. It is at this point, believe it or not, that I finally notice – the Orioles do not have any hits in the game! In fact, other than Ford being safe on an error to lead off the game, they’ve not had a baserunner! Christenson and four relievers have retired 26 Orioles in a row!

And so, it has come to this: Ford up, 16-for-45 so far in the tournament, batting .356. I roll the dice. 2-6, groundball SS-A. No-hitter complete, in the series-clinching game no less! The Phils move on to take on the 1990 Reds in the next round.

Jim Beauchemin, Altamont NY

A Not-So-Great Moment

I am 17, and began playing Strat at a tournament in Portland in 2002. I just read one of these stories about a player who has played since 1964, and has not pitched a no-hitter. In the second tournament I played in, Seattle in September of 2002, Wade Miller pitched a no-hitter for me. Unfortunately, I pitched the wrong starter and lost the game by forfeit. I am writing this just to let people know that it is better NOT to pitch a no-hitter, than to pitch one, and then realize that you lost anyways.

Bud Bannon, Port Orchard, WA

The Champs Find a Way to Win

In the final game of my 1961 AL Tournament, the Yankees trailed the Orioles losing 1-0 without a hit for 6 2/3 innings. With Yogi Berra on first with a walk, Elston Howard followed with an X-chart infield single to break up the no-hitter. Clete Boyer followed with a grounder to 1B Jim Gentile, whose two-base error allowed the Yankees to tie the game. The Yanks won in the bottom of the 10^th. Following an error by Hoyt Wilhelm that loaded the bases, Bill Skowron flew out to shallow center for the second out. But with Howard at bat, Wilhelm uncorked a wild pitch to allow Tony Kubek to score the AL title winning run.

I just thought that is was neat that the ‘61 Yanks, known for all of their power, would win a game on only 3 hits, and take advantage of 2 errors and a wild pitch.

Bob Stanley, Staten Island, NY