THE TALK SHOW
Host: Glenn Guzzo
You can submit your question or insight on any Strat-O-Matic game to SOMTalkShow@aol.com. When you do, kindly include your name and town. Other gamers like to see that. And the display format below works better that way.
Reminder: Send us your “Great Moments in Strat” – your playing experiences that you just have to share.
STRAT-O-MATIC DESERVES ITS PLACE IN THE HALL OF FAME
I am so happy that SOM has an alliance with the Hall of Fame since I wrote several times to them to say that SOM was an awesome game and needed to be in the HOF instead of the APBA game. I know the SOM is a better game, board and computer. I know because I own both. By the way when are you going to write another book? Strat-O-Matic Fanatics was great! I re-read and re-read it. I guess I am one of the Strat fanatics.
Orlando Leon, Live Oak, fan since 1967
You can always get your comment in The Talk Show by saying how much you like Strat-O-Matic Fanatics! Seriously, my second book, The New Ballgame, has a section on Strat-O-Matic, but is devoted mostly to baseball statistics rather than games. I have given thought to another book with Strat-O-Matic at its core, but that hasn’t progressed from brain to paper.
The relationship between Strat-O-Matic and the Hall of Fame seems so natural, given the earlier displays of SOM in the Hall and SOM’s rather legendary role in the last 50-plus years of baseball history. Strat-O-Matic’s new limited-edition card-set tribute to the Hall of Fame’s 75th anniversary will be special.
CARDS WANTED FOR COMPUTER-ONLY SEASONS
Do you think that S-O-M will ever make the 1978-79, 1981-82, and 1984-85 hockey seasons in card form? I would like to add these seasons but do not play the computer game. Thanks
Bill Donnelly, Indio, CA
The new Cuban legends roster for the Strat-O-Matic Baseball 2014 game is a very exciting announcement. However, for those of us board gamers who play Cards & Dice it is disappointing that the set will not be released in the card format. The Negro League seasons, the Japanese seasons, the 19th Century seasons, and now the Cuban Legends are all amazing products, will the C&D crowd ever get to enjoy them?
Paul Dylan, Poulsbo, WA
Logic suggests that the smaller the niche, the more likely it will be for computer only, because the cost of printing requires mass distribution. But with technology developing so rapidly, somehow, someway, someday, I think we will see some of these in card form. There’s just no way to be confident when that will be.
TOPPS CARDS, GEORGE HENDRICK and 1973
I am looking especially forward to the release of the ‘73 season; it’s the year that I really started to follow players and teams. It’s also the year that I picked my lifelong favorite team. I can hardly wait to begin the replay of that season. ‘73 is the year that I started collecting Topps baseball cards and actually making sure that my mom did not throw them away from not being put away. Thanks to the Topps George Hendrick card, I picked the Oakland A’s as my team based on me liking their colorful uniforms and I have stuck with them for more than 40 years now. I am also purchasing the computer version as well. Will the computer roster only have the carded players? Or will there be computer only cards as well?
Donnie Hastings, Red Bay, AL
The computer game includes every player who had an at-bat or pitched an inning that season.
NOSTALGIA FOR CARD FORMATS
I’ve been playing Strat baseball since I was a kid back in the ‘70s, when the cards were made in the basic/advanced format. I really appreciate and understand the work Strat puts into the seasons they make today, with Super-Advanced format. But I miss the old basic/advanced cards. Do you think Strat will ever do any Past Seasons in this format again, or maybe bring back the seasons they have already done this way (1930, 1950, 1970)?
Mike, Clearwater, FL
I think we’ll always have the Basic version on the cards, but once a season is produced in Super-Advanced format, I don’t see SOM going back to Advanced, because even the cards produced for Super-Advanced can be played as Advanced, without the Super-Advanced options.
NO JOE IN THE BAKER’S DOZEN
I was wondering why Joe McKnight isn’t listed as 3rd string halfback on the Jets Depth charts. He carried the ball 30 times for 179 yards and 1 catch for 18 yards in addition to his kick returns. McKnight was 3rd on the team in rushing. I download the 2012 season patch, there was no fix for him.
Keep up the great work for our wonderful hobby. I started playing Strat-O-Matic Baseball in 1966 and I still love it. At one time or another I played all the Strat games. I just stick to baseball and football on the computer now.
Jamey Grey. Reynoldsburg, OH
The football teams are limited to 13 carded offensive skill players and that sometimes leaves out guys with stats that would get them carded for other teams. Each team needs starters and backups for QB, HB, FB/BB, TE, SE and FL. Teams with three quarterbacks, like the 2012 Jets, aren’t going to have an extra running back.
BEST OF THE BEST
I know that Strat did a card set of football franchise teams with all the best of each franchise. I sure would love to see that in baseball. That would be my top request. Can you tell me what criteria and stats they used to determine these teams? Was it best single-season year, or a series of seasons such as the 7 year peak in the hall of fame and hero’s cards? What stats and specifics would they use for baseball?
Dr. Teun B. Fetz, Eastern Oregon University
The football set was a combination of best seasons for each offensive skill player. For the 0,4,5,6 ratings on the offensive line and on defense, Strat-O-Matic considered such things as the number of times the men were All-Pro or Pro Bowl as well as other factors.
I’m sure such a baseball set would be even more popular. But baseball has its Hall of Fame sets and Baseball Heroes set, while football has neither.
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