Memories of the 1969 Game

I know there have been various postings lamenting the disappearance of the 1969 game. I, too, am a former participant. Even though we don't have access to our old 1969 leagues (and it certainly seems that we've waited long enough), I thought perhaps a thread like this might spur Stratomatic into resuming the 1969 game.

When I started playing online Strat back when it was being run by Sporting News, my very first team was a mystery card 70s team. Although I had selected Rollie Fingers for my relief pitcher, I missed him in the draft and ended up getting Grant Jackson, and he ended up performing well for that team (1976 version, 26 saves/35 opportunities, 4-6 W/L record).

My second team was a 1969 team, and because of his performance on that 70s team, I selected Grant Jackson as one of the pitchers for my team. Well, during the course of the season, he ended up pitching a no-hitter (my team was the Hamsters, and the opposing team was the Kittens). So that is one of my fondest memories.

There were lots of fun theme leagues. One time I participated in one where we selected two teams for our players. I had a combination of the San Francisco Giants/Boston Red Sox. I ended up making it to the Finals of that league, and I ended up losing the 7th game by one run against a combo Pirates/White Sox team, if my memory serves right. The final out for that game was a lineout by Willie McCovey with the bases loaded. I had swept the Semi-Finals, and in the ten games of the postseason McCovey did not hit a single home run, so that was disappointing. Ray Culp had a monster season for me; at one point he pitched something like four consecutive shutouts.

One of the more unique leagues had a $25 M team cap, so we mostly used scrubs in that league. It was entertaining to see some of these mediocre players showing up on the leaderboards.

So, what are some of your memories of the 1969 game??

First season I ever played. Basic set. Rico Petrocelli was my favorite even though he was not one of my players.

I too remember the 25M Sleeper League, that is my all time favorite.
Although I never won a championship with them, I always tried to take Bobby Murcer and Ron Reed. They always seemed to do better than expected, and I could draft them low.
I always seemed to get into the same division with a gentlemen named UGrant. I could never beat him.

If someone starts a petition to bring back 1969 I will be glad to sign it.

Rick Smith

if this is said petition.....consider it signed.

definitely want the '69 game back.

I started playing with 10 best teams from the 64 set (-Detroit, +Minnesota), but I traded for it with a grade school friend in mid 68, the first set I actually purchased was the 69 set, and it was a great set--I am new to online this year, but would love playing the 69 set--and I think Petrocelli would be most peoples first pick--a 40 HR SS was rare in those days, and no other SS from that set comes close offensively.

SOM had an online poll of potential seasons and 1969 won handily. Nothing ever became of it .