Strat-O-Matic Opening Day At Glen Head, N.Y. Headquarters A Big Hit For Fans 

More than 200 Enthusiasts on Hand for First Dibs on New ‘23 Cards, Specialty Sets 

GLEN HEAD, N.Y, February 21, 2024—They began lining up at 2 a.m. At least that’s the reported time that the first guest appeared at Strat-O-Matic Headquarters on Railroad Avenue, in the shadow of the Glen Head Long Island Rail Road stop. The first of what grew to more than 200 hearty souls braved near-freezing temperatures Friday in order to be among those to get ahold of the new baseball season cards fresh out of the warehouse. 

In what has become an annual tradition, gamers from across the country – and sometimes other parts of the world – gather outside the blue-gray offices, not only to pick up the new season game and other items, but to meet friends old and new who share a love for the game that has been such an important part of their lives. 

By all accounts, Bret Sypniewski traveled the farthest, getting into his customized white cargo van and traversing the country all the way from Las Vegas, where he took orders of his own for upwards of 30 games from friends and competitors at the various tournaments that he’s participated in regularly since retirement. 

“It took me about 10 days, I took the scenic route,” said the affable Sypniewski, who has played the game for more than 35 years, a time frame that seemed to match many of the Opening Day participants. “I enjoy the tournaments, playing face to face, getting to interact with people while we play.” 

Sypniewski made the Strat-O-Matic visit the fulcrum of a trip that included stops in Lubbock, Texas, for some hiking and a Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball game, another in Lexington, Kentucky, for a UK game and various other activities. His diverse interests match the variety of Strat-O-Matic baseball seasons that he enjoys playing. 

“I enjoy playing the 1911-1930 teams, but I’m picking up the new season and 1984,” he added. “I like the old time stuff, I learn a lot about the players.” 

Another highlight for Opening Day attendees is meeting the Strat-O-Matic founder and creator, Hal Richman, who enjoys hearing fans talk about the decades of enjoyment that the game has brought them. 

Strat-O-Matic Chief Content Officer John Garcia presided over the Opening Day ceremonies, which included the induction of three members into the Strat-O-Matic Hall of Fame, including former major leaguer and noted SOM enthusiast Keith Hernandez, longtime game tester Larry Foster and Strat-O-Matic Forum editor Dan Patterson. 

Garcia and CEO Adam Richman also raffled off some unique items, including test cards from last year’s 1933-1983 All-Star baseball set, a game autographed by Hal Richman, a subscription to the pending release of Baseball Max, currently in beta, and more. 

About Strat-O-Matic 

Strat-O-Matic was invented by 11-year-old Hal Richman in his bedroom in Great Neck, N.Y. in 1948 as a result of his frustration with the statistical randomness of other baseball board games. He discovered that the statistical predictability of dice would give his game the realism he craved. Over the next decade, he perfected the game at summer camp and then as a student at Bucknell University. After producing All-Star sets in 1961 and ‘62, he parlayed a $5,000 loan from his father (and made a deal that if it didn’t work out he would work for his father’s insurance company) into the original 1962 Strat-O-Matic Baseball season game. Needless to say, Hal never had to take a job with his father. 

Strat-O-Matic, based in Glen Head, NY and on the Internet at www.strat-o-matic.com, manufactures the top selling sports board games and realism/stats sports digital games. The Company publishes baseball, football, basketball and hockey games to play both on and off your computer and mobile screens. “Strat-O” games are known throughout the sports community for their statistical realism and accuracy. The Company has the world’s greatest sports game stat libraries with top-of-the-line seasons dating back to the early 1900’s. At the start of the 2016 MLB season, Strat-O-Matic introduced Baseball Daily, its first product featuring digital player cards that update every day to reflect real life current player performance as the season progresses. 

The Company has a loyal celebrity following including a bevy of sports broadcasters such as Bob Costas, Jon Miller and Dan Shulman, former MLB’ers Keith Hernandez, Doug Glanville and Cal Ripken Jr., and sports super fans including Drew Carey, Ben Bernanke, Bryant Gumbel, Spike Lee and Tim Robbins. More information is available at: www.strat-o-matic.com. 

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Contact: 

Joe Favorito, 917-566-8345, joefavorito2@gmail.com 

Jerry Milani, 917-797-5663, jerry@jerrymilani.com