I have had this simulation on my someday/maybe list for at least a decade. So, why am I finally starting now?
I have always been a baseball fan since I could first pick up a wiffle ball bat or listen to the Red Sox on the radio. I didn’t have a Strat-O-Matic game, but I was lucky enough to pick up a Sports Illustrated/Avalon Hill Baseball game. I played that game through countless snow days, the Blizzard of ’78, several hurricanes and tropical storms. It was a great way to pass some time.
When our governor asked us to stay in our homes, I immediately drifted back to those days with the Sports Illustrated game. I knew this would be a great way to spend my time. I’ll be using the Windows version of Strat-O-Matic baseball, with cards from two primary sets – the Negro League Legend set of 103 players and the HOF set of 2015. (I did have to dig into one more set – the Baseball Heroes set of 2010 – for one more player.)
I will be playing 4-game series each Thursday through Sunday, starting on Thursday April 9. This should take me 28 weeks, plus perhaps a playoff series at the end. Along with reporting the results of each day’s games, I will also highlight the story of one of the 103 Negro League legends. Since there will be 112 games, I will also tie in the stories of 9 other players associated with the Negro Leagues and/or breaking the color barrier.