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.

The Crowd Was Online

After this classic, Mark Lundberg reports, “It took me two hours and a Manhattan on the rocks to settle down and get to sleep!  This was also the first game I’ve played with an audience using the new 7.0 feature.”

2005 Steelers (Frank Renbarger) @ 1957 Colts (Mark Lundberg) in the PSL2 League 

The Colts took the opening kickoff 71 yards on 10 plays, closing it out with a 3-yard pass to Alan Ameche. Pitt went three and out, so I’m feeling pretty good – but that would be the last time Frank failed to score in the first half until he was stopped by the gun. I only managed one first down on my second possession, and Frank knotted the score to start his incredible 2nd quarter with a 9-yard, third-down TD run by Willie Parker. The next Colts drive resulted in another TD, this time as Lenny Moore that helped me overcome two 15-yard holding penalties in the same series. Moore scored on a 45-yard TD gallop. Frank responded with a 14-play, 69-yard beauty ending in a 9-yard TD pass to Heath Miller. I went three and out, and Randle El took the ensuing punt back for a 60-yard TD. My next possession ended at midfield, and at least I was able to pin the Steelers at the 15 – but he drove 60 yards to set up a 32-yard Jeff Reed FG for a 24-14 lead at the half.

The Colts’ defense stiffened in the third quarter, holding the Steelers to two three-and-outs, while the Baltimore offense was able to cobble together 10- and 15-play drives, the first ending in a 13-yard pass to L.G. Dupre, and the 2nd in a 28-yard Bert Rechichar FG. Fast forward to midway through the fourth with the score knotted at 24. Baltimore mounts another long drive, this one 13 plays for 62 yards, but I stalled in FG range, was forced into a fourth-and-long, and Rechichar missed near the two-minute mark. Disappointing, but he’s terrible, and I can’t really complain about missed 2-6 FGs.

Frank moved 48 yards in two plays, but the third play was a disastrous Verron Haynes fumble, well within FG range, at 1:52. At that point I decided to play conservative and not tempt fate too much. Johnny U. has been wonderful for me and was again in this game, but Frank was sitting on the pass now, and I figured a couple of shots by Lenny Moore on probable Wrong calls would either move the ball or kill the clock. Unitas is also interception prone in ‘57. First try got me 4 yards, but fatigued Moore. I figured I’d try it again anyhow, seeing as I’d lose one yard off of a potential gain, but odds were that the fatigue to Moore would make a wrong call even more likely, getting me a first down or 3rd and short. Then I’d move Dupre to HB, and start chucking it.

Well, what I got was a lost fumble at my 37. Frank then hit me with a LG on a short pass to Randle-El to my 4 off of his receiver card. Frank decided then to kill clock via kneeling for 2 plays and running Bettis the 3rd. It was a good plan, and the correct one with a 2-10 kicker. Assuming he makes it. Which he didn’t. I threw one pass with Unitas, it didn't work, so with only seconds left from my own 20 and no timeouts I took the coward’s way out, and brought in George Shaw to kneel down. I WAS NOT going to tempt the Strat Gods after the huge break of the missed 2-10 FG by Reed. No OT in 1957, so it goes into the books as a tie. Fitting in my opinion, too.

Mark Lundberg

Paul Wilson’s Flirtation with Immortal Fame

I’ve played a solo draft league called The QL with every new season card set since 1987. Using the 2004 cards, Paul Wilson pitched 8 2/3 innings of no-hit ball before surrendering a home run to Michael Tucker.

The QL has 20 teams, 10 AL and 10 NL and does not allow inter-league play. I’m still on 2004 because my wife and I have had two boys over the past three years. This was almost the first QL no-no since Jack McDowell had one during a pennant race back in ‘97, his team, The Manassas Bulls went on to win the World Series that year, with Barry Bonds as the team’s leading hitter.

Tom Quirk

The 1920 NL Takes a Mind off the Present, for a Time

When times are tough, you need to be able to step away now and then, and Strat has been a big help. My father’s recent medical problems meant distractions, trips to and from hospitals and whatnot, so my 56-game 1920 season replay was a Godsend.

The National League pennant race was something quite different than what happened in real life. The ‘20 SOM Dodgers just didn't have what it takes, and were left way behind by the Giants and Reds. As it turned out, the race was one for the Ages.

First, the team that is supposed to be winning is dead last. In a tailspin of epic proportions, the Dodgers (15-25, 12 games back) have completely bottomed out and now must look up to even catch a glimpse of the Braves and Phillies. I know they’re not a powerhouse team, but they were not bad. This has opened the door for a killer two-team pennant race between the Reds and Giants.

The Reds ripped off 10 straight wins and bolted from the gate to an 11-1 start. In there was a 4-0 sweep of the Dodgers, the first of two, as it turned out. This start-of-a-new-lively-ball-era-version Red Machine looked as if it were out to prove the critics wrong, that they were good enough to topple the infamous “Black Sox” on the strength of their own talent.

Meanwhile, John McGraw was chomping at the bit for New York’s shot at the defending champs. They hung close. The Pirates, Cubs and even Cardinals became pretenders for a time. Cincinnati led by two at the midway point, after the Giants took three of four from the Reds at the Polo Grounds.

Now, after another 12 games (40 games in), we have a dead heat. Actually, we’ve had that dead heat now for the last seven games! Every day. Like clockwork: win-win...loss-loss...win-win...win-win...win-win...win-win...win-win. A sample:

Day 1:

Cincinnati 4, Brooklyn 1

WP: Ring (6-2)

LP: Grimes (5-5)

BROOKLYN – Morrie Rath’s first-inning, bases-loaded, triple backed Jimmy Ring’s nine-hitter as the Reds topped Brooklyn. The loss was Brooklyn’s fourth-straight, and set the Dodgers 9 games back in the standings.

New York 2, Pittsburgh 1 (12)

WP: Nehf (6-1)

LP: Wisner (0-2)

PITTSBURGH – New York’s George Kelly smashed a two-out triple to center field in the top of the 12th inning, allowing George Burns to score from first.

Day 2:

Cincinnati 2, Brooklyn 0

WP: Ruether (5-4)

LP: Cadore (2-5)

BROOKLYN – Dutch Ruether twirled a masterful five-hitter for his fifth win and second shutout of the season. The win allowed the Reds to maintain their grip on first place.

New York 5, Pittsburgh 4

WP: Barnes (7-2)

LP: Adams (8-1)

PITTSBURGH – George Burns’ run-scoring double with two outs in the top of the ninth broke a 4-4 tie. Pittsburgh’s Babe Adams suffered his first defeat of the season after eight wins, as the Giants again matched Cincinnati’s earlier win.

Day 3:

Cincinnati 10, Brooklyn 4

WP: Eller (5-3)

LP: Pfeffer (3-4)

BROOKLYN – The Dodgers finally managed to score a few runs, but were nonetheless overwhelmed, as Cincinnati posted five in the first inning and cruised. It was Brooklyn's sixth loss in a row, as they slipped once again into the NL cellar.

New York 6, Pittsburgh 3 (12)

WP: Winters (1-0)

LP: Ponder (2-3)

PITTSBURGH – New York broke a 3-3 deadlock with three runs in the top of the 12th inning to take their third straight game from the Pirates. Continuing to match Cincinnati win-for-win, the Giants and Reds stayed even for the sixth day in a row.

Mustering only seven base hits in the first 11 frames, New York broke loose for five in the top of the 12th against relief hurler Jesse Ponder, while time-and-again finding ways to stymie the Bucs, who rang up a season-high 17 safeties. Still missing Phil Douglas’ presence due to a five-game suspension meted out by Manager John McGraw, Rube Benton dodged threat after threat, finally leaving after an exhausting 10 innings, having yielded all 17 of Pittsburgh’s hits.

Day 4:

Cincinnati 4, Brooklyn 2

WP: Fisher (5-0)

LP: Marquard (4-4)

BROOKLYN – “We had it, and I let it slip away,” muttered an anguished Rube Marquard, after the Dodgers got him a 2-0 first-inning lead, then fell silent yet again, as the Reds mounted a comeback win. With the victory, the Reds swept their four-game series at Ebbets Field and remained tied with New York for first place (27-13), while undefeated Ray Fisher ran his record to 5-0.

New York 4, Pittsburgh 2

WP: Nehf (7-2)

LP: Carlson (4-3)

PITTSBURGH – If ever there was a day that the New York Giants deserved to take off, it would be this one. With Herculean effort, they had taken three in a row from the tenacious Pirates, two in 12 innings, the other with a run in the top of the ninth against previously-unbeaten Babe Adams. Even John McGraw would have to grant them that.

Yet, down 2-1, having collected a mere six singles in eight innings, the Giants still found it in themselves to rally for three runs in the top of the ninth and claim a 4-2 win in their series finale. A sweep, and yet another day tied with Cincinnati.

What a way to set the stage for the next stop on the schedule: New York at Cincinnati. For the first time in more than a week (allowing for the imaginary travel time), they won’t be tied. The Giants took the first game, 6-5, in 11 innings, but the Reds bounced back for a game-two, 8-1, victory. With my rain rules in effect, game three was postponed, forcing a doubleheader on the final day. The Giants swept, 4-0 and 6-3, behind Jesse Barnes and Art Nehf, and won the pennant.

I can imagine in real life, expending the energy needed down the stretch to capture the league flag, then simply not having enough left in the tank. That seems to be exactly what happened, when the Giants met the well-rested Indians in my World Series.

As I was going through the season stats, I found some wonderful odd and ends:

-- 54 at bats without a strikeout by rookie shortstop Joe Sewell of Cleveland, after replacing the late Ray Chapman. Sewell’s streak continued into the World Series, through the first four games, ‘til he got nailed twice by “Shufflin’ Phil” Douglas in the first inning, and Rube Benton in the ninth. All told, Sewell went 70 at bats – 79 plate appearances – before he struck out. Sewell ended up hitting safely in all six World Series games, leading all hitters with a .438 average and three doubles.

-- Bill Lamar of the Dodgers had seven hits (in 22 at bats) – all doubles! Hob Hiller of the Red Sox was 3-23 – all triples!

-- Both leagues had Triple Crown-winning hurlers. Grover Cleveland Alexander (12 wins, 70 strikeouts, 1.38 ERA) in the NL and Stan Coveleski (10 wins, 56 strikeouts, 1.90 ERA) in the AL. Ol’ Pete also led the NL in games (16-T) and innings (136.2). Alexander lost his first start and his last start, but won 12 straight in-between.

-- The Reds boasted four starters with seven wins (Jimmy Ring, Dutch Ruether, Dolf Luque and Ray Fisher).

-- White Sox hurler Dickie Kerr surrendered 126 hits and 74 runs (56 earned) in just 86 innings. Erik Erickson of the Senators walked 66 batters in 84 innings.

-- Me ‘n’ McGraw: Just as I rolled the Giants to a surprise World Series win over the Athletics in my 1911 season, I managed to win the NL pennant with the ‘20 edition. I had the “magic dice” rolling for three key replacements in the second half: Lee King (.295/.256 in real life), Fred Lear (.304/.253) and Vern Spencer (.264/.200). King replaced the deposed Benny Kauff, Lear covered for injured (out of ABs) Frank Frisch, and Spencer covered when King went down (ran out of ABs).

-- The top of the Washington’s lineup looked like this – Joe Judge (.312), Clyde Milan (.372), Sam Rice (.371), Braggo Roth (.338) and Bucky Harris (.338). But the Senators were 27-29 because these were the ERAs of the top five starters after Walter Johnson was lost at mid-season – Henry Courtney (3.65), Jim Shaw (4.39), Erik Erickson (5.25), Tom Zachary (5.74), Al Schacht (6.60). Only Zachary ever became a legit Major League winner: He won 198, plus two in the ‘24 World Series against the Yankees. He surrendered Babe Ruth’s 60^th home run in 1927, then pitched for the Yankees in ‘28 (winning another Series game). Schacht, however, had the more “Princely” future in store, entertaining hundreds of thousands – maybe millions – for many years to come as the “Clown Prince of Baseball.”

-- As the “Black Sox” rumors swirled all around his White Sox teammates, Eddie Collins put on a 17-35 (.486) push over eight games to take the lead in AL batting race, boosting his average from .376 to .394. He finished at .390, batting 22-50 (.440) over the last 12 games of the season.

-- Tris Speaker hit .388 in 1920. In my season, he finished at .389 (.38888…).

-- Buck Herzog was released late in the 1920 season, ending his impressive career. He hit .193 for the season. In the replay, Herzog was mired in season-long slump, hitting just .135 (10-74) after 22 games. He got hot, putting on a 12-40 rush (.300) to finish at ... 193.

-- The middle of the St. Louis Browns' lineup featured George Sisler (.386), “Baby Doll” Bill Jacobson (.302), Jim Tobin (.368) and Ken Williams (.316). Earl Smith (.296) and Jimmy Austin (.330) were next, splitting time at third.

-- The White Sox started the season 1-11, then went 30-13 the rest of the way.

-- As my 56-game season didn’t adhere to actual schedules, the White Sox were at Boston, where Red Faber, Roy Wilkinson and Shovel Hodge (in his only start) threw three straight shutouts to close out the year, while seven of their 22 available carded teammates were suspended and in Chicago.

I’m now into 1927. The Babe is boppin’, as is practically everyone else. I only wish 1924 was available before I got to ‘27. I’d love to see some the same continuity that fans of later seasons get. From ‘11, to ‘20, to ‘27, only a handful of players bridge the gap.

Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for helping me make the most out of what has been a very difficult year. Dad is getting better, little by little, since his gall bladder put him in the hospital on New Year’s Day (a day after my mother-in-law passed in Philly, no less). Things were worsening for quite some time, due to various complications that kept cropping up. Always, though, Strat was there when I got home at the end of another long day, my ballpark beckoning.

I took the liberty of re-christening Strat-O-Matic Park as John J. O'Neil Memorial Field at Strat-O-Matic Park, a.k.a. “Buck’s Place.” Having met Buck briefly here a few years ago, I came to realize just how special that man was. Hopefully, I'll get to play some Strat Negro League games there some day.

Jeff Woodhouse, Seattle

One Great Moment After Another – For Nearly 20 Years

I stumbled across an advertisement in Baseball Digest in summer 1978 for a game called Strat-O-Matic Baseball.  I quickly sent away for the free brochure, then begged my mom and dad to purchase the game for me and my two younger brothers (we were 10, 8 and 7).  We weren’t very well off and mom and dad weren’t too trusting of the US and Canadian postal systems.  They would not mail order it so I mailed the game company and asked where I might be able to purchase the game – they sent a list of stores that carried the game.  It wasn’t available in Canada, the closest store was a “Games People Play” in Salt Lake City, Utah.  After a year of begging they asked my grandparents on a trip to Salt Lake City, Utah to pop into this store and see if they could get it. 

Christmas – 1979 – we received from my grandparents Strat-O-Matic Baseball.  It was the best Christmas ever!  It came with two teams, the 1977 Texas Rangers and 1977 Philadelphia Phillies and a coupon for six free teams.  We sent away for the Pirates, Orioles, Tigers, Reds, Dodgers and Giants and eventually over the coming months had a complete 26-team league.  We played these cards every chance we had.   Our youngest brother loved the Pirates and frequently would have Kent Tekulve – his favorite pitcher –start many a game (even though he was a reliever).  Unfortunately, Brad died in a car accident a couple of years later. He was only 11 years old.

Fast forward to August 2007 – my other brother who lives 1,000 miles away comes to visit with his family.  He has an 11 year old boy as do I.   I pull out the cards and dice and my son chooses the 2006 Yankees and his son the 2006 Red Sox and we teach them how to play.  The Red Sox cruise to an 8-3 win but in the eighth inning my son decides to bring in Mariano Rivera – I look over at my brother – and he says – “well at least he didn’t start him.”  We both chuckled with tears welling up in the eyes remembering Brad always wanting to start Tekulve.

I’ve played hundred of Strat-O-Matic games, mostly now just on the computer.  I can’t really pinpoint one specific game as being my Greatest Strat Moment – but what I do remember is the great time I had and still have spending time, sharing laughs and tender moments with my best friends – my brothers! 

Thank-you Strat-O-Matic!

Darren Barfuss, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada