Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsletter, Newsletter Logo
Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsletter - Hitter for Logo Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsletter, old Strat-o-matic Baseball game for Logo Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsletter, Pitcher for Logo

Vol. III, Issue #6 - August 2016


** SOM Baseball Cards with Tom Nahigian
**
      (thanks to our friend Tom Nahigian and his complete collection of SOM Baseball Cards we go
       back into the past to share some of the first cards issued by the game company!!)

(Notes from the Wolfman: In January of 2013, our first issue, we introduced a quiz of our members related to specific questions linked to any of the SOM Baseball cards ever printed. Specifically we were asking about unique aspects of the cards related to the performance of the players.  However, because only a few people, like our good friend Tom Nahigian (who is highlighted in this article), have the full collection of the cards ('The Collector' as Glenn Guzzo called him in his book on Strat), the responses to our quizzes dwindled to nothin' eventually.  So to celebrate Tom's birthday in June of 2013 and then again in the August issue, we shared the image of a few of the cards that SOM printed for 1960 (just an All Star set) and then for 1961 as well (an all star set and the top two teams in each league).  I thought again, for his issue we might take a peek again at some of these amazing early version of the Strat Basell cards -- to view how the baseball game has evolved so much in the 50+ years of its existence. Some key features of the existing version of the game (just considering the basic side of the cards today) had not been developed yet as we look at some more cards from 1960.

Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsletter - Tom Nahigian, Collector of all Strat Baseball Cards I first met Tom in person when I visited my father in Chicago in 2005. At this time I was living in Holland and usually once a year I would come home to be back in the U.S.  Now in April of 2013, we did an interview with Tom, you might remember if you have been our member since then. However if not, to learn more about this personal good buddy and fellow SOM fanatic, and how he was able to create his collection, check out this interview using the link shown below.

If you would like to speak with Tom, he recently setup a new email, you can read him at:

tnahigian29@gmail.com



LINKS TO PREVIOUS ARTICLES THAT SHARED EXAMPLES OF THE EARLY CARDS

http://www.ultimatestratbaseball.com/USBN-6-2013/Baseball-Cards-TNahigian-June2013.htm

http://www.ultimatestratbaseball.com/USBN-8-2013/Baseball-Cards-TNahigian-August2013.htm

http://www.ultimatestratbaseball.com/USBN-7-2015/Baseball-Cards-TNahigian-July2015.htm

http://www.ultimatestratbaseball.com/USBN-11-2015/Baseball-Cards-TNahigian-November2015.htm

 

INTERVIEW WITH TOM NAHIGIAN, APRIL 2013

http://www.ultimatestratbaseball.com/USBN-4-2013/TomNahigian-April2013.htm
 

 




What did the Baseball Cards Look Like in the First Years?
(shared by Tom Nahigian, back in 2013, as we slowly share these cards )
 

1960 Based Cards

National League All Star Hitters

Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsltr, Strat-o-matic card image of Richie Ashburn, 1960 Chicago Cubs

Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsltr, Strat-o-matic card image of Ernie Banks, 1960 Chicago Cubs

Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsltr, Strat-o-matic card image of Eddie Matthews, 1960 Milwaukee Braves

Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsltr, Strat-o-matic card image of Frank Robinson, 1960 Cinncinnati Reds


American League All Star Pitchers

Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsltr, Strat-o-matic card image of Jim Bunning, 1960 Detroit Tigers

Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsltr, Strat-o-matic card image of Jim Perry, 1960 Cleveland Indians

Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsltr, Strat-o-matic card image of Hoyt Wilhelm, 1960 Baltimore Orioles

Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsltr, Strat-o-matic card image of Early Wynn, 1960 Chicago Whitesox


(Again in 1960, no fielding ratings or X chart existed plus the results shown in
lower case for outs and getting on base [hits/walks/errors] is capitalized)
 

Note from the Wolfman: We again want to thank Tom for his help to allow our members for this rare view into the history of the development of how the baseball cards have evolved over time. Of course there are modernized versions (card sets) of these early seasons that the game company now offers along with the computer rosters.  Again, as we mentioned in the July issue (2015), the mysterious GROUNDBALL E (showing up on a result of 3 or 11 on the cards or a dice roll chance of 2 out of 108) found on both the hitter's cards and pitcher's cards and a FLYBALL E (showing up on 2 or 12 on the cards or a dice roll chance of 1 out of 108) on the hitter's cards only are automatic errors (since there were no X-ratings yet for the card).  The GROUNDBALL E was a one base error (but the error wasn't credited to any fielder) and a FLYBALL E was a two base error (again not accredited to any outfielder). Just very interesting to see the format of the early cards aye?
 


 

Support the Cause

If you are enjoying the content and information our newsletter shares with you, why not support us with your helpful donation for our minor expenses and time?


Contained inside this exciting issue of Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsletter:
(to view the various interviews, articles, columns and special sections click on the links {underlined}
and this will take you to the appropriate webpage)
 

  RETURN TO NEWSLETTER MAIN PAGE

  FIELD OF DREAMS REPORT, PART II with WOLFMAN SHAPIRO, The "Wolfman" continues his report from last month as he shares with some special interviews with Dennise Stillman (owner of the farm and baseball field), Betty Lansing (who lived on the farm and sister of the former owner, her brother), and W. P. Kinsella, the author of the book, "Shoeless Joe". In addition, he shares an analysis of how the story in the book compared to the movie and a special article from Wikipedia that discusses unknown facts linked to the creation of the movie. Select your choice of which part of this report you wish to read below:

INTERVIEW with DENISE STILLMAN, CEO for Go the Distance Baseball, LLC
INTERVIEW with BETTY LANSING, former owner of the farm, employee

INTERVIEW with W.P. KINSELLA, PART II - author of "Shoeless Joe"
ARTICLE with WOLFMAN SHAPIRO, comparison of the story in the book vs. the film

ARTICLE from WIKIPEDIA, background on the creation of the movie
 

  STRAT WISE with MARC WASSERMAN commissioner of the Cyber Baseball Association (CBA) continues his new column sharing various perspectives on SOM Baseball. In this issue Marc shares about all the new strat-o-matic based videos that are appearing on Youtube and some of the new videos we have added to the Ultimate Strat Baseball Youtube Video Channel to share with our members.

  SOM BASEBALL LEAGUE REPORT with WOLFMAN SHAPIRO -- the editor of "The Ultimate Strat Newsletter" and 2012 CBA Champion, talks to members of various Strat-o-matic Baseball Leagues that he has discovered on the internet about the history of their league and their experiences. We speak to another commissioner of two Retro Leagues and a face-to-face league. To read these interviews, click on the links below:

INTERVIEW with BRIAN KOCH, Commissioner of 2 Leagues, P-X (Computer)
INTERVIEW with GARY DAVIS, Commissioner of JEM, P-XI (Face-to-Face)

 

  ARTICLE with WOLFMAN SHAPIRO (linked with Baseball Daily), This the Wolfman second report about the new "Baseball Daily" game play with SOM Baseball as he continues to manage the 2016 Chicago Cubs day by day. He shows you his results through the end of August 29th and give an analysis linked to the Cubs how they have been playing and their chances to get to the World Series.

  ARTICLE with WOLFMAN SHAPIRO (linked to Minor League Strat), Earlier this year the Wolfman discussed a new league he joined called the Minor League, he returns with a report how his team is doing as the season comes to a close and also what other Minor League Players he was able to acquire and control.

  RECOMMEND ON-LINE SOM RESOURCES -- On-line Strat-o-matic and Baseball related websites that offer amazing information, special tools and products to improve your game play that we strongly recommend. In most cases, we have had personal contact with these sources who agree with the principle to work together and help promote each other.

  BOOKS TO DIE FOR and Become a BASEBALL GURU -- This page is specifically about special books we are finding that either will expand your insights about the game of Baseball, help you in the creation of your current league teams or with your replays and learn more about the Strat-o-matic Baseball Game and Game Company's history.  We have a special arrangement with Acta Sports, who is a publisher of a number of great baseball books (including Bill James Handbooks) to offer for our members a 10% discount. We will continue to add more books to this page in the future as we uncover other gems our members should know about.


 




Contact Us for Questions or Submissions:

Wolfman Shapiro
co-Founder/Editor, the Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsletter

email: wolfman@ultimatestratbaseball.com
facebook
: www.facebook.com/wolfman.shapiro
twitter: @StratBaseball4U

To Sign Up and Become a Member of this Newsletter
http://www.UltimateStratBaseball.com
(this provides direct emails when our bulletins
and next issues come out)