Art: The only leagues I ever participated in were leagues I formed in college in the mid-80s.  We did it for three years and had 12 teams .  Only three of us had ever played the game growing up. That is what is so wonderful about this game, once you get exposed to it you are hooked and these nine newcomers became addicted even to this day. 

Willie Mays, Pete Rose, Jim Thome, and Greg Maddux are players I would deem all-time favorites outside of my local heroes although Thome and Maddux could still qualify as local heroes. Baseball and athletes impact all of us differently.  I admire and respect these individuals but I don't worship them if that makes sense.  As a young boy that was different of course because they are all larger than life to you.  

And the non--stars in baseball and hockey touched me more than the HOFers.  I used to like the September call-ups and spring training times to see the other players more.

Walt Williams, Tom Bradley, Gene Hiser (let's see how many Cubs fans remember him or how he hit his first and only major league HR : ), Chris Ward, Jim Lytle, those are the guys I took to for some reason.

Back when players were a little more accessible "No-Neck" Williams used to tease me for sucking my thumb while watching the players warm up. So I stopped at the ripe old age of 3 and one year in '71 or '72 he even asked me if I really gave it up or was just saying I did because my mom was standing next to me.  I actually got Ron Santo's autograph in the spring of '74 when he came to the Sox.  

We went down to Florida and saw the Sox play the Phillies in Clearwater.  Jerry Hairston gave my sister a ball.  We then went to West Palm Beach for a couple of days and saw the Astros play the Braves. J.R. Richard pitched, Cesar Cedeno gave my other sister a ball and Chris Cannizzarro gave me one because I said out loud that he played for the Cubs and I had his baseball card with the Dodgers.

My mom even got Preston Gomez to drag Doug Rader out of the clubhouse to sign autographs.  

What I didn't know at the time is the ugliness of what Hank Aaron was going through on his way to the record.  I remember many of us calling out to him that day, he did acknowledge and waved to everyone several times but he did not sign autographs before the game.  

My grandfather would take her when she was a girl so she got to see Appling, DiMaggio, Gehrig, and was even at Comiskey Park with her dad on opening day in 1940 when Bob Feller threw the opening day no-hitter.  

My grandfather would never discuss the Black Sox scandal when I was growing up but he did talk about the 1917 World Series and no joke the 1906 series.  He came to America in 1898 at age 6 and lived until February of 1991 so he was not able to see the new park open.  

He used to clean up outside South Side Park and then Comiskey Park as a boy in exchange to get inside for free.  He said he got into one World Series game in 1906 but was chased out right after the game started because the person (I presume usher )did not believe he was let in for sweeping outside which he started doing in 1903.  He was able to see one world series game in 1917 that he paid for but it was probably like a days or weeks pay for him back then.

So anytime Strat-O-Matic  issues sets that pre-date 1950 I really enjoy that.

There are so many features and endless possibilities with this game and that is what makes it great.  Mr. Richman should be proud of what he has produced.

A rare offensive feat I had was in the summer of either 81 or 82.  Jeff Leonard has a solid Triple roll of 3-7 (I think it was his 1980 card). Anyway, my friend Pete and I just happened to be recording the game on an actual cassette player (remember those)?