Editor’s note: Tournament games are played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter is also being used for all games.
Every now and then there is something unusual that happens in a baseball game.
A recent game in the 1977 Tournament that appears on this website was one such case. There are several players in the 1977 Strat-o-Matic card set that could lead to someone playing for both teams in a game, most notably Dave Kingman.
In real life during the 1977 season, Kingman played for the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, California Angels and the New York Yankees. He has cards with the Padres and Yankees, which were the final teams he played with in each league. So far, Kingman hasn’t played in any game in this tournament.
However, Cliff Johnson has played for two teams in the same game.
Johnson began the season with the Houston Astros and ended the year with the Yankees. He would hit a homer in the playoffs as the Yankees go on to win the World Series.
By playing with one team in each league, that means in the Strat-o-Matic world … two cards. With the Astros playing against the Yankees, Johnson would be in both dugouts.
The vision of the two managers, Billy Martin of the Yankees and Bill Virdon of the Astros, wrestling at home plate during the exchange of lineup cards would be a possibility. Ironically, both men managed the Yankees in 1975 as Martin replaced Virdon.
In this match up, which the Yankees would win 4-3, Johnson started as the designated hitter for the Astros.
Injuries are also a part of Strat-o-Matic. The rule in this tournament is if a player gets hurt, he’s out for the current game.
An injury to New York catcher Thurman Munson in the bottom of the first inning, led to a weird situation.
Johnson was inserted into the Yankees lineup as Munson’s replacement.
When the Houston version of Johnson came to the plate in the fourth inning, he was greeted by himself in a Yankees uniform.
Johnson singled, so it might be possible that he knew what pitch was coming from Ron Guidry. There are rumors a banging noise was coming from the Houston dugout.
It ended up being a tough day for Johnson, who struck out three times in seven trips to the batter’s box.
The next game for Johnson and the Yankees in the 1977 Tournament is against the winner of the (22) New York Mets at (6) Baltimore Orioles affair in the finale of the Reggie Jackson Bracket.
IN REAL LIFE: Johnson played 15 seasons in the majors after getting drafted by the Astros in 1966. He reached the big leagues in 1972 and played for the Astros, Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, Oakland A’s, Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers.
Perhaps his best year was 1977 when he had 22 homers and 54 RBI with a .297 batting average. He also had 22 long balls with 76 RBI with Toronto in 1983. He appeared in the post-season with the Yankees, A’s and Blue Jays.
After being apart of the 1977 and 1978 championship teams for the Yankees, Johnson’s time in New York came to an end in 1979 when he was traded to the Indians.
A fight with future Hall of Fame pitcher Rich Gossage had Johnson shipped to Cleveland and the closer landing in the disabled list.
1977 Tournament Results and Schedule
George Brett Bracket
% (1) Kansas City Royals (102-60), bye
% (16) San Francisco Giants 4, (17) Detroit Tigers 3
% (9) Chicago White Sox 8, (24) Oakland Athletics 6
% (25) Atlanta Braves 4, (8) Texas Rangers 2
$ (16) San Francisco Giants 6, (1) Kansas City Royals 3
$ (9) Chicago White Sox 2, (25) Atlanta Braves 1 (10 innings)
(16) San Francisco Giants at (9) Chicago White Sox, final
Tom Lasorda Bracket
% (5) Boston Red Sox (97-64), bye
% (21) Milwaukee Brewers 8, (12) St. Louis Cardinals 4
% (13) Chicago Cubs 2, (20) San Diego Padres 1
% (4) Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64), bye
$ (5) Boston Red Sox 13, (21) Milwaukee Brewers 4
$ (13) Chicago Cubs 6, (4) Los Angeles Dodgers 5
(13) Chicago Cubs at (5) Boston Red Sox, final
Reggie Jackson Bracket
% (3) New York Yankees (100-62), bye
% (14) Houston Astros 7, (19) Cleveland Indians 5
% (22) New York Mets 3, (11) Minnesota Twins 0
% (6) Baltimore Orioles (97-64), bye
$ (3) New York Yankees 4, (14) Houston Astros 3
$ (22) New York Mets at (6) Baltimore Orioles
Mike Schmidt Bracket
% (7) Pittsburgh Pirates 4, (26) Toronto Blue Jays 1
% (10) Cincinnati Reds 6, (23) Seattle Mariners 3
% (15) Montreal Expos 4, (18) California Angels 2
% (2) Philadelphia Phillies (101-61), bye
$ (10) Cincinnati Reds at (7) Pittsburgh Pirates
$ (15) Montreal Expos at (2) Philadelphia Phillies
% First Round
$ Second Round (Bracket Semifinals)