Issue #3, April 2013
**
Interview with Terry Bartelme
**
(conducted by Wolfman Shapiro, Terry is very involved with the
Negro Leagues and more)
(Wolfman's Comments:
I met Terry through Facebook when I first started to go on
Facebook and create a Strat-o-matic persona for myself. Then I
started to share about this Newsletter and I discussed Terry
lived in the Seattle area as I do. So in the early part of
January, I met Terry and two other strat buddies at his friends
Rick's home and we played with one season in the 1950's. I
think I hadn't played face to face since I participated in the
Star Tournament in Chicago in 2006 or 2007. Anyway, as
always happens when you are playing the game against others,
Terry started to talk about his passion which was the Negro
Leagues, the Japanese Leagues, the Cuban and Dominican Republic
leagues as well. I had never really considered that SOM would
ever offer rosters for non-American leagues (note: they did of
course for 2013) so this was a whole new world I had never
encountered before. So I thought it would be a great thing
if we could do an interview with Terry for our readers to expose
you that the love of Baseball is a worldwide phenomena and that
other parts of the world are some great players!!)
--------------------
Wolfman:
Terry, how did you first
become interested in baseball? At what age? Did you play
baseball with your friends, who were the teams you rooted for
since you were younger and root for now?
Terry:
I grew up in a sports
oriented neighborhood. We had a game going somewhere seven days
a week. The weather had to be really bad to discourage us.
Things really kicked into high gear when I was about eight. We
played baseball, basketball or football depending on the
season. I was always there unless I was playing with the school
team. I did that until I was old enough to drive.
The first professional team
that I followed was the Giants triple AAA Pacific Coast League
affiliate in Tacoma Washington. I quickly became a rabid San
Francisco Giants fan. Of course that meant Willie Mays was my
favorite player! I remember when I started collecting baseball
cards that came on Post brand cereal boxes. I began buying some
cards in 1960, but I really began collecting the cards in
earnest in 1962. I was totally enamored with my Roger Maris and
Mickey Mantle cards that had the 1961 season statistics. Now I
am a loyal fan of our local Major League team the Seattle
Mariners. It's always fun to follow a winner, but I am not a "fair weather" fan.
Wolfman:
When did you first hear
about SOM? How did you come into contact with the game - did you
play in leagues with friends. What are some of your favorite
teams to play with or favorite players?
Terry:
I had a subscription to
the Sporting News magazine and I saw advertisements for
Strat-O-Matic and ABPA baseball in it. One of my friends was
also interested, but we couldn't decide which game to buy. I
ended up purchasing the Strat-O-Matic 1972 baseball set and my
friend ordered the ABPA. Once they arrived it didn't take long
for us to agree that Strat-O-Matic made better game. We played
Strat-O-Matic baseball every day for months after that. I tried
to play an entire season for every team in the National League.
I did manage to play complete seasons with my favorites the
Cincinnati Reds and their best competition that year the Houston
Astros.
Some of my all-time favorite
players are Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Juan Marichal, Joe
Morgan, Pete Rose, Stan Musial, Babe Ruth, Ken Griffey Jr.,
Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, Walter Johnson and Sandy Koufax.
Willie Mays is my absolute favorite.
Wolfman:
How did you get
interested in the Negro Leagues? What is there about the Negro
Leagues that holds your fascination?
Terry:
About four years ago I
began a new hobby reading and collecting books about baseball.
Eventually that led to my discovery that very few people are
knowledgeable about the Negro Leagues and "Blackball" in
general. I learned that knowledge about this portion of baseball
history was growing with the possibility of an information
explosion making it fascinating for me. Curiosity and a love for
baseball history drove me deep into the subject. I have read
more than two dozen books about baseball in the Negro Leagues
and Cuba since then.
What impressed me the most
is how much most baseball fans are missing out on by not taking
an interest in the old blackball leagues! Can you imagine
baseball without Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle and Sandy
Koufax? What a loss to baseball history that would be! Well that
is exactly the sort of thing that baseball fans are missing out
on when they know little or nothing about players such as Oscar
Charleston, Biz Mackey, Buck Leonard and Norman "Turkey" Stearnes!
Do yourself a favor and find
out about these guys. Playing some games with one of the new
Negro League seasons would be a great start.
Wolfman:
I understand you were
able to do replays on various seasons of the Negro Leagues or a
tournament - how were you able to do this, what was your source
for the cards or computer teams if you can talk about this? Can
you display your tournament?
Terry:
I invested countless
hours of research and reading to learn about the best teams and
players that ever played in the old "Blackball Leagues". My goal
was to share what I learned and thereby shine a small light of
knowledge on the subject. Curiosity, the joy of learning new
things and my love for baseball motivated me. I used the
information available in the many books and on the Internet to
put together rosters for thirty Negro League teams, a team from
Cuba and one from the Dominican Republic. In my opinion, these
teams represented the best "Blackball" teams ever in single
season. Some of the teams were represented in more than one year
such as the 1931 and 1938 Homestead Grays.
I used the official
Strat-O-Matic Negro League All-Stars set and some unofficial
homegrown rosters
(*) to put
together the teams. I posted the tournament on the Internet so
that others could follow along. In a way, I was lobbying other
Strat-O-Matic players with my project in the hope of building
interest in Negro League history. I also hoped to encourage the
company, with an example of what was possible, to make more
Negro League rosters available for purchase. I don't know if I
had any influence on either, but I felt passionate about sharing
what I learned about the subject.
Here is a link to my Best of
Blackball tournament:
http://www.stratfanforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92312
(*) -
Wolfman here, my
understanding is, and this is fascinating to me, is that there
have been a few individuals, who the game company knows that
have been working to create cards for the Negro Leagues and
other non-US countries. Of course, in respect to the game
company they have not actively promoted or sold such sets but
most likely the new Negro and Japanese rosters issued from the
computer were developed this way. I personally wish to
congratulate the game company for their willingness to work with
others to help them make the game we love even better. That is,
people who don't work for the game company directly. I know
Glenn Guzzo also helps the game company and that John Dewan,
also a strat game player, helped them with statistics (who we
hope to hear from in an interview in the future). This is what
builds a strong community as the game company allows its own
gamers to help. Thanks Mr. Richman and other SOM employees!
Wolfman:
How do you feel about
the release by the game company for the computer of the new 3
full seasons of the Negro Leagues and one of Japanese. What is
your interest with the Japanese Leagues and is there someone who
also is creating seasons.
Terry:
It is difficult to
express just how excited I am that Strat-O-Matic now has three
new Negro League seasons available. I think this is historically
significant. I understand that there are plans for more of these
specialty products in the future if we support the Strat-O-Matic
game company in this venture. I hope other gamers will
appreciate the risk and investment that Strat-O-Matic made by
purchasing these products and supporting the company.
Once I looked into baseball
in Cuba and Japan I realized that baseball is baseball no matter
where it is played. Every league, team and player has a
worthwhile story to share. All that we have to do it take an
interest in them. I played a few games with a homegrown 1967
Japanese set and gained a new addition to my all-times favorites
list in Sadaharu Oh. I have to challenge other gamers to expand
their horizons to include Negro and Japanese League baseball; it
will be an enjoyable journey that will change your baseball
perspective forever!
Wolfman:
What are some of your
most interesting or inspiring experiences you have had as an SOM
Baseball GM - this can be in any form of play whether
face-to-face or replays?
Terry:
I have some great
memories of playing face to face with my friends back in the
seventies. I still play some games occasionally with my buddies.
I enjoy all of my solo replay projects as well and it seems
there is always another idea just ahead. If I had to pick one
favorite then it would have to be the thirty-two team best of
blackball tournament. It gave me the opportunity to experience
so many players and teams that were new to me.
Wolfman:
Is there any special
strategies you can share with our readers that you use to
provide more success for your teams - any tips you can offer?
Terry:
I am a big SABR guy so I
don't call for a lot of steals or hit-and-run plays. I just
finished reading "Extra Innings" from the team at Baseball
Prospectus. I enjoyed what they had to say about baseball
strategy and the valuation of various statistics.
Wolfman:
Do you think either the
Japanese or Negro players were better or as good as the American
players?
Terry:
I think some of the
Japanese pitchers have been really good. As a Mariners fan I
have to recognize Ichiro Suzuki's unique contributions to the
American game. Some Japanese infielders have been impressive as
well with Sadaharu Oh being the obvious standout. Baseball in
Cuba was played at a very high level, at least until Castro
banished professional baseball.
I would say that the overall
level of play in the Negro Leagues was a step below Major League
baseball at that time. There are many reasons for this, but that
is too big of a subject to jam into this interview. There were
many that played in the old blackball leagues that I firmly
believe would have been stars in the Major Leagues if they had
been given an opportunity. I think the strength of the black
leagues was in the outfielders and catchers. Pitching was
probably the least developed, but there were some great pitchers
as well.
Wolfman:
Is there any thing you
would like to share which you feel is important for our readers
to know that was not covered in one of the prior questions. Can
your fellow readers contact you directly and if so what is the
best way?
Terry:
Just that I think it is
important to invite young people to games and encourage them in
any way possible to become sports fans. Sports are great for
building communities, friendships and bonding between family
members so don't let the opportunities to share those
experiences pass you by.
----------------------
Wolfman's Note:
I wish to acknowledge and thank
Terry for taking our readers into a whole new area of the
Baseball game and to prepare them to see more non-US rosters or
cards created in the future. The game of Baseball has been
embraced now by a number of countries in the world just as we
watch the World Classic Tournament of which the U.S. has not won
but we have seen strong teams from Japan, Cuba, various Latin
Countries and even Holland. It seems to be an exciting time to
be a Baseball Fan and a Strat-o-matic Fanatic. If you
would like to contact Terry you can reach him by email at:
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
♦
INTERVIEW with JEFF POLMAN,
Writer, SOM Website Columnist, Replay Expert.
♦
INTERVIEW with JIM CALLIS and KEN
DAVIDOFF,
Jim is Executive Editor of
Baseball America and Ken is a baseball columnist for the NY Post
♦
EARLY SOM
CONVENTIONS COLUMN with WOLFMAN SHAPIRO --
editor of
"The Ultimate Strat Newsletter" and 2012 CBA Champion.
Wolfman takes us back in
this article to the third national Strat-o-matic
Convention in 1974 held in Champaign-Urbana, IL, at the
University of Illinois as the Wolfman and his buddies organize
their first convention. Wolfman will be
our guide through the first nine conventions going through 1980
of which he was present at each one. We now begin the era from 1974-1980
when the conventions moved
to Illinois. We will continue to share one new convention in
each future issue till all of these
early ones are published.
♦
INTERVIEW with PETE
NELSON, (STAR),
Board Member of the Star
Tournaments Association, discusses what the Star Tournaments are
all about.
♦
INTERVIEW with WILLY
DOMINQUEZ,
January 2013 STAR Worlds
Champion
♦
INTERVIEW with BILLY SAMPLE,
Ex-MLB Player (TEX,NYY,ATL),
Sportscaster
♦
COMMISSIONER's CORNER with MARC WASSERMAN --
commissioner of the Cyber Baseball Association (CBA) continues
his column about what it is like to be a League Commissioner. In
this article he discusses the early development of a League's
Constitution, League Themes and Economics.
♦
SOM BASEBALL CARDS QUIZ
- our test of your knowledge of the SOM Baseball Cards,
questions and answers provided by Marc Wasserman. In this issue
we give the answers to
Quiz #2,
explain our new format for this column, introduce some early SOM
Baseball cards from the 1960 and 1961 seasons thanks to Tom
Nahigian who is also interviewed in this issue in his own
section.
♦
INTERVIEW with
TOM NAHIGIAN
--
SOM Gamer, Baseball Card Collector
♦
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 a new page we are adding for the newsletter that 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 Base Game and Game Company's
history. At the time of the release of this newsletter we
have a special arrangement with Acta Sports to offer our members
a 10% discount. We hope to add more books in the future.
Contact Us for Questions or Submissions:
Wolfman Shapiro
Founder/Editor, the
Ultimate Strat Baseball Newsletter
email:
wolfmanshapiro@gmail.com
facebook:
www.facebook.com/wolfman.shapiro
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@StratBaseball4U
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