Did you ever play Strat-O-Matic sports games when you were a kid, or maybe you still do? I never did, but I knew they were very popular during my younger days in the 1960s and 70s, and you couldn't pick up a copy of a Sporting News or Baseball Digest without seeing an ad for Strat-O-Matic.
The Strat-O-Matic Game Company was founded in 1961 as a "one man operation" in Glen Head, N.Y. It had rapid growth throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and the company is still in existence today. Just like there are video game enthusiasts, there are hundreds of thousands of Strat-O-Matic fanatics who connect in league play, online forums and national tournaments.
The most popular of all their games, as it's been from the beginning, is the Major League Baseball version.
According to the company's website, this is the hobby showcased in the Baseball Hall of Fame, in a Spike Lee film, on Broadway and in an award-winning book, Strat-O-Matic Fanatics. It is the hobby that helped inspire numerous big-league sports announcers. The ease of play, realism and statistical accuracy of our games earn us exceptional loyalty, as have our constant efforts to improve our games based on the experiences of our customers.
I collected baseball cards and other sports cards, and very rarely would I swap my cards with a friend, and only if I had at least doubles of a particular player. I guess I never actually came across anyone who played Strat-O-Matic, or maybe I would have given it a try.
That was until now.
Recently, a reader of this newspaper and a listener of the "Tulsa Beacon Weekend" radio show, contacted me about possibly joining his Strat-O-Matic basketball league.
"For the past several years, I have enjoyed the hobby/pastime of playing Strat's NBA basketball game in the context/structure of what had formerly been referred to as a 'play-by-email' league," Phil wrote in an email. "The gist of such game playing is the gathering of like-minded Strat gamers (from around the U.S. and from around the world) to form a league comprised of individual teams and team rosters. Team owners draft and trade players and, when it comes time to actually play the league's 82-game schedule, email to their opponents game instructions they create within the Strat Windows computer game. Team owners play their home games on their own computer and, then, email out game results. All told, not too time-consuming a hobby but one that naturally rolls from one season to another. The complete league experience is done via email; there is no actual face-to-face interaction nor phone calls. In other words, safe interaction."
This all sounds fun, and I love sports. I enjoy playing fantasy leagues for all sports and that keeps me interested in watching the games. It sounds like Strat-O-Matic could have a similar appeal. Unfortunately, with my day job and all my sports work at ORU, I just don't have the time to devote myself to any other hobbies currently.
So, Phil has asked me to invite you, my reader, to take part in this 60-plus year hobby. You can find out more information about the games themselves by visiting www.strat-o-matic.com. Then contact Phil at his email address to learn more about participating in his particular league; [email protected].
OILERS OPEN SEASON
The Tulsa Oilers opened the 2025-26 ECHL season last weekend with a pair of games against the Iowa Heartlanders at Xtream Arena, in Coraville, Iowa.
On Friday night Josh Nelson scored the lone goal for the Oilers, just 80 seconds into the game, as Iowa beat Tulsa 2-1.
On Sunday, the Oilers defeated Iowa 5-4 in Rob Murray's 1000th regular season ECHL game as a head coach. Murray became the fourth coach in ECHL history to reach the milestone. The ninth-year head coach of the Oilers joins John Marks as the only coaches to coach in 1000 or more regular season games and win a Kelly Cup Championship during the league's 38-season history.
The Oilers will open their home schedule this weekend with a two-game series against the Tahoe Knight Monsters at the BOK Center on Friday Oct. 24 at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 26 at 3:05 p.m.
TULSA BEACON RADIO
Tune in to "Tulsa Beacon Weekend" radio show every week, featuring interviews with local and national guests, talking about everything from politics to family issues. This week my guests will be music arranger and composer Jonathan Tunick, who has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award. Also, Anthony Elliot from Reviving Hope Ministries. The show airs on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. CST on 970am KCFO.