** Interview with Chris Williams, Strat Gamer
-- a publisher Baseball Book Author **

Wolfman:　It sounds like you are a big Philadelphia Phillie fan - is this the team you rooted for when you were younger? Who are some of the MLB players you personally like and follow - or since you are a Strat gamer, would like to have on your Strat team?

Chris:  I started rooting for the Phillies in 1966 when I was nine-years-old. A devout "home," fan however, as most of my favorite players have been on the Phils—Dick Allen, Bill White, Deron Johnson, Tony Taylor, Tim McCarver, Joe Morgan, Phil Bradley, Mike Schmidt and Hunter Pence, to name a few. Morgan as a Red, in particular, is someone I’d like on my Strat team. I love his high on-base percentage, excellent power for a middle infielder, speed, and good defense. Mike Schmidt is another guy you can build a franchise around.

Wolfman:　Now, tell our members, what is your story about how you came to know Strat-o-Matic Baseball?

Chris:  A neighborhood friend of mine introduced the baseball version to me in 1969. I was instantly fascinated. I’ve also played the football version and like that, too.

Wolfman:　 Are you now or have you in the past participated in any leagues or tournaments?

Chris:  The leagues I participated in were in my neighborhood with friends. Five or six of us would play the baseball or football game when we weren’t out playing baseball and football ourselves. No tournaments; I’d probably get killed anyway!

Wolfman:　What do you like about SOM Baseball?

Chris:  It’s uncanny approximation of baseball reality and the flexibility to improve a team’s record by doing things like juggling line-ups, trying different strategies, and occasionally thinking "out-of-the-box." You can’t make a lousy team into a pennant winner but you can win a few more games by making the right moves (and a little luck!)

Wolfman:　Has SOM Baseball helped you in any way with your career as a writer as I see from your bio that your publisher sent me, you seem to do a lot of writing about baseball in all different forms?

Chris:  The game has helped give me an appreciation of the importance of numbers in baseball. An accurate evaluation of statistical probabilities is key to a team’s eventual success. General Managers and other decision makers who ignore or downplay the importance of stats do so at their (and the team’s) risk.

Wolfman:　How did your writing career begin - what do you like about being a writer?

Chris:  I’ve enjoyed writing since I was a kid but I began to write seriously, in hopes of getting published, in 1988. Although its’ sometimes difficult, I enjoy piecing together my statistical research into something I hope will be understood and appreciated by the reader. I also love it when I’m completely finished with a project that I believe has real potential to be published.

Wolfman:　Ok Chris, lets now focus on your new book, which I assume is just coming out right about now.　 Can you simply tell our members what your book is about and how your got the inspiration to do it?

Chris:  Wolfman, the book is out now. Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda is a collection of historical sports essays that often challenge the prevailing conventional wisdom. For example, I’ve read and heard for years that the 1919 "Black Sox" were superior to their World Series opponent, the Reds and would have rolled over them easily had some of their key players not been dishonest. The stats don’t exactly support that conviction.

There was no single inspiration for the book. Actually, the essays contained within the covers of Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda were written at various times over the past several years. Last summer, I just decided to put them into one volume and shop the compilation around to various publishers.

 

Wolfman:　Now I see your book is divided into 3 parts - each looking at possible scenarios that could happen with the current players or scenarios that have happened in the past, asking what would take place if such events or activities went in a completely different direction - do you find baseball fans like books that discuss alternative scenarios?

Chris:  Certainly. At least most fans do. "What if’s" have been the source of many spirited baseball discussions over the decades… If Willie McCovey’s line-drive had been just a few inches higher than Bobby Richardson’s outstretched glove…If Bill Buckner had only cleanly fielded that ground ball…If Joe Carter hadn’t hit that walk-off home run in the Series…

I think you and your readers will get my point.

Wolfman:　Why did you pick the various players and situations that you included in the book?　  Coming from Chicago, I found it interesting that you book seemed to contain a few scenarios with the Chicago Cubs and White Sox. Is there any particular reason you decided to include them in your book?

Chris:  Most of the topics had been of interest of me for a time, sometimes years, before I decided to write about them. A couple were suggested by the publisher. Actually, my original submission contained several other essays which were deemed either too long or not-in-keeping with what we decided the theme of the book was going to be. None of the excluded topics were Chicago-orientated. Greg Pierce, my editor, suggested that we include the pieces that now comprise Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda and I agreed.

Wolfman:　The sub-title of the books says it’s about Baseball Stories we haven't heard yet, what do you mean by this?

Chris:  I think the sub-title alludes to the fact that the book contains a fresh, sometimes unconventional look at some interesting baseball topics.

Wolfman:　How did you meet Acta Sports and why are they supporting your book?

Chris:  I discovered Acta on a source list at the Society for American Baseball Research website. I think they are supporting it because a) it fits the type of book they specialize in b) they think it has a good chance for success in the marketplace, c) it is well-written and d) I submitted it at a time when they were looking for new material.

Wolfman:　Is there anything else you wish to share about the book that was not linked to a question I asked before?

Chris:  Yes. I’d like to publicly commend Greg Pierce for his patience and the great work he did on editing the manuscript. And the cover! Acta did a wonderful job. Simply marvelous.

Wolfman:　What is the best way to order the book?

Chris:  Interested persons can order it at the Acta website. Here’s the link: http://actasports.com/coulda-woulda-shoulda/

It is also available at Amazon's and the Barnes and Noble's website.

Wolfman:  Coming Back to Strat-o-matic, I ask this question of all the strat gamers I interview - do you have tips or special strategies you use that have helped you to have more success with your teams - that might benefit our members?

Chris: I hope these tips don’t sound too obvious but I suggest the following:

Chris:  Via email at: willwrtr@gmail.com

Wolfman:　Thanks Chris for spending time with us today and sharing about your links with SOM Baseball and your new book.　We wish you total success with the book!!　

 

Wolfman's Quick Review of Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda by C. Williams

Chris' book is only about 100 pages, but its an easy read. Being from Chicago, I did appreciate the attention his book gave to the Cubs and White Sox, who are very old major league teams who have a great history. No doubt that his publisher who is in Chicago had something to do with it.  One can tell as you read Chris' stories, which is of course are based upon true activities that happened within MLB, it definitely shows the reader other nuisances of the game.  I also appreciated that Chris showed all his sources in the back of the book, so if there is one story you want to learn more, you have a way to do so.  He has a good way to combine telling the story of the players and teams by justifying his ideas and opinions with the actual baseball stats he has researched.  So this shows a part of Chris' genius, that he is able to interpret such statistics and knows where to find them.

I recommend Chris' book and hope he will do more.  It is always nice to hear how the game we love (Strat-o-matic) inspires and helps one with their so-called profession.  We are waiting now for Volume II of "Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda" or maybe it "Mightda" happen sooner than we expect.