Issue #4, June 2013


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** Interview with Butch Haber **
      (Butch is an old friend of Wolfman's, who sent him a copy of an early report Wolfman wrote
       back in 1973 for the Brooklyn Convention, Butch is a Baseball Historian and SOM Fanatic!)

 

In the early part of this year Butch was interviewed by WFAN for his wealth of knowledge about Baseball.

Wolfman:  Today we have a chance to speak to Butch Haber, one of the first people I met when our newsletter first came out in January of this year. Thank you Butch for your time to be able to speak to a fellow SOM Baseball Fanatic as well as a Baseball Historian. I think the members of our newsletter appreciate to meet all the interesting individuals who are involved with the SOM Baseball game. How did you first get interested in Baseball? Did you play Baseball when you were younger or have dreams to be a Baseball Player or a Manager? Butch:  I Got Interested In Baseball When I Was 8 Years Old, My 2 Uncles, And Step-Grandfather Loved Sports, And Got Me Hooked, They Were Big Yankee Fans as in 1961, Maris Hit 61 HR's but I Wanted My Own Identity as I Was Never A Yankee Fan. Then In 1962, I Became A Mets Fan, even with all The Losing!!

Next in Mid 1967 I became an Orioles Fan till mid 1969 when I became an Expos Fan. (Wolfman: Butch likes to follow different teams till he finds the perfect one!) To this very day (I am) with the Nats!! I Never Wanted to Play MLB, Because I NEVER Had Great Athletic Ability, But I Wanted To Be a Sportscaster at Age 14, unfortunately I Never Pursued It Properly!!

Wolfman:  You call yourself a Baseball Historian. I know you mentioned when we spoke on the phone earlier that you have a lot of Baseball Books in your house. What does it take exactly to become a historian? Do you need a good memory for example? And what does a Baseball Historian do? Is there some specific aspect of Baseball that you study?

Butch:  Well, When We Played Games In The Neighborhood, Everybody Was Very Impressed With Me, from both a Historically and Strategy Wise Perspective. I Also Have A Great Memory and Read The Sporting News, Baseball Digest, and All The Mags of The Day, since the 1960's!!

Wolfman:  Now how did you get involved with SOM Baseball?

Butch:  I saw Ads occasionally in various Sports Mags but I Always Played All-Star Baseball, as Hal Richman first did where I Made Spinners In Woodshop Class, so I Played this game too. But finally, in 1971, at Age 18, My Teenage Friend, Alan Leiblich, Had the SOM baseball game and he Taught Me How To Play It. At Age 19, in 1972, the first Year of the Adv. Lefty-Righty breakdowns based upon the 1971 Stats, I Drove Out, With My Dad To Port Washington, Long Island and Bought the Game with All the Teams Plus the Additional Players. Thus I was Hooked For Life!! Then I Subscribed To the SOM Review and Later that Fall, I Purchased The Football Game As Well!!

Wolfman:  Why do you call yourself an SOM Fanatic? Do you really like to play the game a great deal or do you study the cards intensely?  Can you share with our member just why you like the SOM Baseball game so much?

Butch:  It Gives Myself And Millions Of Baseball Fans A Chance To Manage MLB Players!! Something We Could NEVER Do In Real Life!!

Wolfman:  Again from our phone conversation before you mention that you have had direct contact with the people who work at game company and know them quite well. Can you describe any special experiences you had when you visited the game company?

Butch:  Well, They Are Real and Regular People, as well as have a Love Of Baseball, as Much as We
Do!! In Fact, some of Them (the employees) have Played In Leagues, and are 2nd Generation Gamers!!

Wolfman:  How does it help a SOM Baseball gamer to play better if he is a Baseball Historian?  How do you use the information you collect to help in your own game play with SOM Baseball?

Butch:  Well, It Helps You With Strategy, Because You Know The Strengths And Weaknesses of Your Lineup, as Well as Your Opponents!! SOM is BOTH History, And Strategy!!
 
Wolfman:  What is some of the most interesting or unusual experiences you have had around or connected with the SOM Baseball Game?

Butch:  Well, I Played In a number of Face-To-Face Leagues and Met Some Nice People, even A Tournament Director Of Chess, Larry King, who Ran An SOM Play-By-Play League. On Facebook, I Run A Baseball Strategy Group And a lot of The Guys who are members of this group used to Play, and Still Play SOM!!
 
Wolfman:  Do you have any special tips or strategies you could share with other games to help them play the game better or to create a better team?

Butch:  I Love The Dice And Card Game. I Don't Even Know How (and Would NEVER Play) the Computer Game of SOM works!! When Playing the Game, Savour It, Like Fine Wine!! Use Strategy Just Like If You Were A REAL Baseball Manager!! Also, Play the Advanced Version, because Platooning Is Much More Realistic!!

Wolfman:  Is there any specific season of Cards that you really enjoy or enjoying playing with?

Butch:  I Prefer Oldtimer Seasons, ones which were Before I Was Born, Because of the History!! And also I like the Seasons From The 1960's, And 1970's, so I can Relive The Baseball That I've Seen while I was Growing Up!!

Wolfman:  Do you remember when we met at the 1973 National SOM Convention in Brooklyn, NY? What memories do you have of that time and of our meeting? 

Butch:  It Was GREAT!! SOM Was Still Young at that time!! And I really enjoyed meeting so many Nice Pepole, the Game Company Employees, You, Donna Chevrette as well as Competing Against other SOM Gamers from All Over The Country. We could share so much with each other like Gaming Philosophy's, Etc. I Wish I Could Do It All Again!!

Wolfman:  Is there something else you feel is important to share with our readers about SOM Baseball, that was not asked in one of my question before? 

Butch:  I Miss The SOM Review and Strat Fan!! Thank God For This Newsletter and SOM Village!!

Wolfman:  Thank you Butch for taking time to be interviewed in our newsletter and sharing with our members some of your special experiences with the SOM game.

(Final Notes from the Wolfman:  It is really interested to periodically here about the experiences of various SOM gamers and how the game changed their life. I am sure there are many people like Butch who have a genuine love of the game. If you would like to contact Butch or perhaps join one of his many baseball groups, you can find him on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/butch.haber )