The 1970 Strat-O-Matic baseball cards were the 11th annual set released by the iconic dice baseball game company. The 1970 set marked a new era for Strat-O-Matic as it debuted a radically different card design from previous years. The set also reflected the continued evolution of Major League Baseball in the late 1960s.
Prior Strat-O-Matic card sets featured a multitude of small player stats condensed onto relatively small cardboard cards. For 1970, Strat-O-Matic designers opted for a much larger format with individual stats given their own defined spaces. Each new oversized card featured a large color photo of the player along with extensive statistical and fielding ratings. The new larger card sizes allowed for more detailed player profiles while maintaining readability.
From a content perspective, the 1970 Strat-O-Matic set captured Major League Baseball during the final few years of the sport’s “Deadball Era.” Though the so-called “Lively Ball” had been introduced in the late 1920s, overall league offense was still relatively low through the 1960s. The 1970 cards reflected the continued dominance of pitching in the late 60s game. For example, the National League’s highest batting average that season was .309 by Cincinnati’s Bobby Tolan.
The set also reflected subtle signs that run scoring was beginning to slowly rise. The 1970 season marked the debut of several talented young hitters who would go on to have hall of fame careers, including Cincinnati’s Johnny Bench, Atlanta’s Hank Aaron, and Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente. All three made their Strat-O-Matic card debuts in 1970 and featured high offensive ratings that foreshadowed their upcoming dominance. Their presence in the set represented MLB’s gradual offensive evolution that would accelerate greatly in subsequent years.
In addition to capturing the early 1970 season MLB rosters and stats, the 1970 Strat-O-Matic cards also featured a number of major rule changes adopted prior to that campaign. For the first time, the designated hitter was implemented in the American League to boost offense. The Strat-O-Matic cards reflected this significant alteration with separate pitching and batting ratings for AL players. National Leaguers maintained the traditional unified pitcher/hitter ratings.
For the 1970 season, Major League Baseball expanded the size of the strike zone and lowered the pitcher’s mound. Both tweaks aimed to increase scoring by making it harder for hurlers to fan hitters. The effects of these other rule modifications were also embedded strategically within each player’s individual Strat ratings. Careful consideration was given to properly represent how the adjusted strike zone and mound heights may have impacted different hitters and throwers.
Beyond just the Major League content, the 1970 Strat-O-Matic set provided a fun glimpse into the minor league systems of that era. Among the inclusion of several top prospects on the verge of MLB debuts, the set also rated dozens of lesser-known minor leaguers. Paging through the set inspired discovery of potential up-and-comers on the doorstep of stardom. Even relatively unknown players became imaginatively more noteworthy just from receiving Strat-O-Matic treatment.
In terms of production quality, the much enlarged 1970 card stock proved quite durable compared to preceding thinner materials. Over 50 years later, complete sets in excellent condition remain attainable, a testament to the boosted longevity compared to flimsier card predecessors. While images were still primarily black and white, enlarged photos aided player identification versus previous smaller likenesses.
Upon its 1970 release, the new expanded Strat-O-Matic card format proved immensely popular with fans of the pioneering baseball board game. Along with updated stats and rules, the overhaul maintained Strat-O-Matic’s position at the forefront of off-season baseball entertainment as fans of all ages studied their new 1970 players. For many, the cards became as cherished for their visual design as for fueling imagination during lengthy winter months away from America’s pastime.
In the ensuing decades, later Strat-O-Matic releases would further refine the robust card concept initiated for 1970. The outsized 1970 set stands out as a major format transition while still encapsulating the late 1960s MLB landscape. For history and strategic baseball enthusiasts, the 1970 Strat-O-Matic cards preserve a unique snapshot of when pitching dominance persisted amid stirrings of an offensive-tilted future.
