SABR Day
Saturday, January 31, 2026 was our annual SABR Day celebration! SABR Day is a way for all baseball fans to come together, regardless of where they live, and talk about the game we all love.
SABR Day events on Saturday, January 31 included an All-Star lineup of guest speakers, including 2026 BBWAA Career Excellence Award winner Paul Hoynes and Zack Meisel of The Athletic in Cleveland; Tom Jacobs, Executive Director of the College Baseball Hall of Fame, in Kansas City; Tim Kurkjian and Jeff Kurkjian, co-hosts of the podcast “Is This A Great Game, Or What?” in Las Vegas; a preview of the new My Father, Dick Allen documentary in Philadelphia; Earl Weaver biographer John W. Miller in Pittsburgh; Bruce the Bat Dog in Rochester, New York; Cardinals executives Rob Cerfolio and Moisés Rodríguez in St. Louis; Padres Executive Vice President/Assistant General Manager Josh Stein in San Diego; Athletics announcers Vince Cotroneo and Jessica Kleinschmidt in San Francisco; a panel discussion on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) with attorney Will Hall and Josh Turner and Meg Yariv of Florida State University in Tallahassee; former Blue Jays manager and current Los Angeles Angels bench coach John Gibbons in Toronto; and many award-winning authors and presenters elsewhere.
Click on a link below to find more highlights, stories, photos, and videos about 2026 SABR Day meetings.
* indicates virtual Zoom meetings
Atlanta, GA (Magnolia Chapter)
The Atlanta Magnolia Chapter held SABR Day on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at the Dunwoody Public Library. We had 43 attendees, three interesting presentations, and one game.
First, chapter member Aaron Hill moderated a discussion with Babe Ruth’s great-grandson, Brent Stevens. He, along with author Kelly Bennett and family friend Stu Dressler, have recently released a book of Babe Ruth quotes and rare photos called Out of the Mouth of Babe, published by Familius. The SABR Day crowd was very interested in learning from Brent and Stu about Babe Ruth, the family man, and asked many questions about which Ruth stories are true, and which are Ruthian myths. Stevens and Dressler recently became SABR members.
Second, chapter member Sean Corcoran gave a presentation about his grandfather, major-league shortstop Tommy Corcoran, who literally unearthed one of baseball’s first sign-stealing scandals in 1900. While coaching for the Reds in Philadelphia, Corcoran dug up an electrical box buried in the dirt under the third-base box, a device that was relaying signals from the outfield seats. Sean outlined the cast of characters involved in the scandal and how the story has been elaborated on over the years.
Third, we heard from Roby Barrow who has been collecting baseball gloves for over thirty years. Barrow showed-off ten of his more rare finds, pointing out the unique features of each Depression-era glove and the meticulous process used to restore them. Atlanta appraiser Tony Cocchi joined the conversation to offer some current values and also what to look for when buying old gloves.
Lastly, we closed SABR Day with a game of Baseball Family Feud. We asked for volunteers and two teams of five players were created. Chapter member Dave Washburn was the MC and his categories for the game ranged from “switch-hitters with the most hits” to “Braves with the most strikeouts.” Chapter members Brent Ingram and J. P. Kolodkin were the two finalists.
We also had a table for members to exchange books — and we met for lunch beforehand at a local eatery.
Austin, TX (Rogers Hornsby Chapter)
A former Chicago Cubs favorite, an author on the hunt for baseball imposters, the director emeritus of the Babe Ruth museum and an author who examined baseball in the 1960s were among the headliners of the 20th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting hosted by the SABR Rogers Hornsby Chapter on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
In addition, we heard from representatives of the Round Rock Express and the San Antonio Missions and a Texas State master’s graduate who interned with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. Chapter members offered presentations about their personal experiences with baseball, sabermetrics, tabletop baseball simulations and a clever presentation evaluating AI and our very own Cy Morong.
One member previewed his book about Depression-era baseball in the Hill Country, to be published later this year.
It was a fun-filled day for 44 members and guests packed with everything baseball, thrilling and entertaining attendees throughout the day.
Click here for a full recap and photos (PDF)
Guest speakers included:
- University of Texas legend and 12-year major leaguer Keith Moreland, who discussed the Longhorns’ 1975 national championship, as well as his long association with the Chicago Cubs, including as a member of the 1984 NL East champions and a team broadcaster; he was interviewed by Mike Capps.
- Michael Gibbons, director emeritus of the Babe Ruth Birthplace & Museum in Baltimore, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary as the repository of all things Bambino.
- A Zoom presentation by Rob Sheinkopf, author of the recently published Baseball Impostors: The Dark Side of Fandom and Hey Mom, Wanna Have a Catch? A Collection of Baseball Stories…Honoring Moms and Dads Who Taught Us to Love America’s National Pastime (featuring a chapter by our own Monte Cely).
- A Zoom presentation by Douglas Kurkul, a former chapter member and author of It’s a Beautiful Day for Baseball: The National Pastime in the 1960s.
- Tim Jackson, general manager of the Round Rock Express, shared highlights from the 2025 season, including a franchise record of walkoff wins (12) and Triple-A batting champion Cody Freeman.
- J.J. Jimenez, director of ticket sales, and Brian Yancelson, public relations and broadcasting manager, talked about their roles with the San Antonio Missions, the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
- Carly Earnest, a Texas State master’s graduate and former Sugar Land Space Cowboys creative marketing associate, talked about their season.
- Presentations from chapter members Dick Butler (“Town Ball: Depression-era Baseball in the Texas Hill Country”); Frank Rechtorovic (“The Emerald City”); Bailey Hall and Brian Hall (“Can AI top Cy?”).
- Ryan Pollack explained the balance between traditional baseball statistics and modern formulas and how they help us understand the game better.
- Ballpark Memories with Ryan Pollack and Gilbert D. Martinez.
Baltimore, MD (Babe Ruth Chapter)
The Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter held its annual SABR Day celebration on Monday, January 19, 2026 at Peabody Heights Brewery in Baltimore, Maryland. Peabody Heights is located on the former site of Terrapin Park, home of the Federal League Baltimore Terrapins, and Oriole Park V, home of the International League Orioles.
Presenters included:
Tyrone Brooks – SABR Member and Senior Director of Major League Baseball’s Front Office & Field Staff Diversity Pipeline Program. Tyrone gave a presentation recognizing Martin Luther King, Jr., his friendship with Jackie Robinson and his work with MLB’s Pipeline Program designed to increase the pool of minority and female candidates for on-field and baseball operations positions.
Jane Leavy – Award-winning author whose newest bestselling book is Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong with Baseball and How to Fix It, in conversation with Orioles broadcaster Melanie Newman. Jane is a former sportswriter and feature writer for the Washington Post, known for diving into a subject and emerging with work that is both meticulously researched and narratively rich. She is the author of the national bestsellers The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created; The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America’s Childhood; Sandy Koufax: A Lefty’s Legacy; and the comic novel, Squeeze Play.
Rich Dubroff – SABR Member and Lead Orioles Writer at BaltimoreBaseball.com. Rich discussed the Orioles off-season moves with predictions for the coming year. BaltimoreBaseball.com was founded in early 2016 to provide insight and analysis on the Orioles, their minor league affiliates, and the Baltimore-area high school and college baseball scene.
Benjamin Weingarten — Canopy Team Project Manager, who discussed “The Design of the American Ballpark: A Study on the Evolution of Ballpark Design and Architectural Trends Through Baseball History.” At Canopy, Ben manages the design and implementation of projects at sports venues. He has worked for three years with the Pirates on enhancements at PNC Park, the National Baseball Hall of Fame on a new retail store, the creation of Polar Park in Worcester, Massachusetts, and improvements at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea FC’s home in London.
Don Rovak – Baltimore Orioles Chief Revenue Officer, who discussed ongoing construction and upgrades coming to Camden Yards.
Sig Mejdal — Baltimore Orioles Vice President and Assistant General Manager for Analytics.
Tom Hanrahan – SABR Member, who presented on this year’s World Series and how it ended on a very rare play: Alejandro Kirk grounding into a double play to give the Dodgers the trophy. Had Kirk successfully connected with a hit, thereby scoring two to three runs, Kirk would have given the Blue Jays the trophy. And so therein was the chance that the championship could have been won or lost based on that one plate appearance.
Bloomington, IL (Central Illinois Chapter)
On Sunday, February 1, 2026, the Central Illinois Chapter celebrated SABR Day with a gathering at Buffalo Wild Wings in Bloomington. We discussed the upcoming season and off-season activity as well as some of what we have planned for our Chapter this year.
Boston, MA (Boston Chapter)
The Boston Chapter continued its annual SABR Day tradition by gathering on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Bleacher Bar on Lansdowne Street in Boston near Fenway Park.
Chicago, IL/Milwaukee, WI (Emil Rothe/Ken Keltner Chapters) - February 21
SAVE THE DATE: SABR DAY 2026 (IN-PERSON MEETING AND LUNCH)
Saturday, February 21, 2026 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Central Time
The Brat Stop, 12304 75th Street, Kenosha, WI 53142
SABR’s Chicago and Milwaukee chapters are once again teaming up for another fantastic SABR Day event on Saturday, February 21. All baseball fans are invited to attend.
This year’s speakers will include:
– Jason Schwartz, The ‘Savior’ Does Not Answer Letters: Dave Hoskins and the Uneven, Unheralded, and Unfinished Integration of the Texas League
– John Graf, Simulating Stachel: A What-If History of Integrated Major League Baseball in 1934
– Ed Hartig, Spalding’s World Tour in 1888
RSVP to Bill Pearch to reserve your space.
* Cincinnati, OH (Hoyt-Allen Chapter)
The Hoyt-Allen Cincinnati Chapter held a SABR Day event on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, located right next to Great American Ball Park. We heard several informative research presentations.
Cleveland, OH (Jack Graney Chapter)
The Jack Graney Chapter held its SABR Day winter meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Progressive Field’s Terrace Hall in Cleveland, Ohio.
We had a great array of speakers, including a session with Paul Hoynes, recently announced winner of the BBWAA Career Excellence Award. Here was our program:
- 9:00 am: Joe Shaw, Welcoming Remarks/Passing the Gavel
- 9:05 am: Vince Guerrieri, Meeting Overview/Chapter Business
- 9:15 am: Honoring Paul Hoynes, 2026 BBWAA Award Winner, interviewed by John McMurray
- 10:15 am: Zack Meisel, Looking Forward to the 2026 Season
- 11:00 am: Guardians Outlook for 2026
- 11:45 am: Talkin’ Baseball Lunch
- 12:30 pm: Trivia Contest, hosted by Vince Guerrieri
- 1:00 pm: Scott Longert, Love and Loss: The Short Life of Ray Chapman
- 1:45 pm: Dan Wallach, The Case for Shoeless Joe Jackson for the Hall of Fame
- 2:30 pm: Meeting Adjourns
* Columbus, OH (Hank Gowdy Chapter)
Our annual Hank Gowdy Chapter SABR Day meeting was held on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Worthington’s Northwest Branch Library on Hard Road in Columbus, Ohio.
We heard presentations from our membership that included a look at The Sporting News baseball cartoons, baseball field architecture and features, the history of Strat-o-Matic baseball, Hall of Fame Class of 2026 and more. We also had our annual treasurer’s report, annual trivia contest and held our annual book exchange. It was a great event!
* Concord, NH (Clyde Sukeforth Chapter)
The Clyde Sukeforth Chapter (ME/NH) in conjunction with the Gardner-Waterman Chapter (VT) presented a SABR Day Program with Brett Topel in a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.
When Shea Was Home: The Story of the 1975 Mets, Yankees, Giants, and Jets
Four teams, 175 games, 3,738,546 fans—one stadium. If 1975 wasn’t the most successful year in New York sports, and it wasn’t, then it was certainly one of the oddest. For that one crazy season, all four New York teams—the Mets, Jets, Yankees, and Giants—called Shea Stadium home. When Shea was Home includes interviews with the stadium’s legendary head groundskeeper, Pete Flynn, as well as Jerry Koosman, Bud Harrelson and Ed Kranepool of the Mets, Giants owner John Mara, Rich Caster of the Jets, former Yankees PR Director Marty Appel, and former Super Bowl MVP quarterback Doug Williams, who played that year at Shea for Grambling, and many more! When Shea was Home takes New York sports fans on a unique trip down memory lane, offering context on the national and local history and culture of the time. It is perfect for the avid New York sports aficionado—regardless of team allegiance!
Brett Topel is the author of five books on the New York Mets, including When Shea Was Home: The Story of the 1975 Mets, Yankees, Giants, and Jets; Miracle Moments in New York Mets History’; New York Mets Firsts; Mount Rushmore of the New York Mets; and So You Think You’re a New York Mets Fan? He also has written Simply The Best: The Story of the 1920–1931 Philadelphia Athletics Dynasty. Topel is the Director of Communications and Marketing at Brooklyn Friends School and the host of the BT Talks Baseball podcast.
Zoom registration link: https://tinyurl.com/3kh463ak
Cooperstown, NY (Cliff Kachline Chapter)
The Cliff Kachline Chapter met for SABR Day on Saturday, February 7, 2026, in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Bullpen Theater.
Author Dave Jordan did an hour-long presentation in which he ranked the most competitive World Series of all-time. He did this through a special ranking system he created, which determined that the 1975 Classic between the Cincinnati Reds & Boston Red Sox was the most competitive.
David Karpinski from the Parkhurst Field Foundation discussed the story of how the foundation inherited “The Harry & Stanley Silver Collection”. He also shared stories of the cross-country road trip in which he brought the collection of 1200+ vintage autographed baseballs from Beverly Hills California to Gloversville NY, where it will soon go on display in the NYS Baseball HOF building in Gloversville.
Details of the Addie Joss Benefit Game ball (baseballs first All-Star Game & the collections best item) were shared. The actual game ball signed by the nine future HOF’ers & Joe Jackson who participated in the game was in attendance (and shared with attendees).
Former chapter president Jeff Katz Jeff Katzclosed out the meeting in which he took us through the process in which he was able to determine the date of the game of an obscure photo he recently acquired of Reggie Jackson as a Baltimore Oriole took place. It was determined that it was taken on August 24, 1976, in either the bottom of the 8th or 9th inning, as he headed to the Orioles dugout for their turn to bat.
Our next scheduled meeting will be Sunday, July 26 at 6:00 p.m. at Tillapaugh’s in Cooperstown. It will follow the Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Carlos Beltran, Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent.
Denver, CO (Rocky Mountain Chapter)
The Rocky Mountain Chapter held its annual SABR Day Gathering on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Stoney’s on Lincoln Street in Denver, Colorado.
We heard a panel discussion with former Rockies Clint Barmes and Denny Stark followed by the presentation of this year’s Herb Shankman award, our annual trivia contest, and our traditional game of catch.
Clint Barmes played 13 major league seasons, with his first eight for the Rockies from 2003 to 2010. He was a member of the the Rockies’ 2007 World Series team. A reliable defensive shortstop and second baseman, he was drafted in 2000 out of Indiana State University, making his MLB debut on September 5, 2003. Clint served as a key infielder for the Rox, becoming known for solid defense and was a strong Rookie of the Year candidate in 2005 before a broken collarbone sidelined him.
A member of the Rockies pitching staff from 2002-2004, Denny Stark was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the fourth round of the 1996 draft out of the University of Toledo, Denny was acquired by the Rockies in December 2001, in a trade that sent him, along with pitcher Brian Fuentes, in exchange for third baseman Jeff Cirillo. His 2002 season marked his most productive year in the majors and a successful transition to the Rockies’ rotation, where he posted an 11–4 record with a 4.00 ERA over 32 appearances, including 20 starts and 128.1 innings, recording 64 Ks. His 11 wins ranked second on the team behind Jason Jennings. This performance earned him ninth place in National League Rookie of the Year voting. Following his baseball career, Denny settled in Denver, where he works as a firefighter and EMT, embracing a lifestyle centered on public service in the Rocky Mountain region.
* Des Moines, IA (Field of Dreams Chapter)
The Field of Dreams Chapter in Iowa hosted a virtual SABR Day meeting on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. Our guest speaker was Rick Cerrone, the Editor-in-Chief of Baseball Digest.
Click here to watch a video replay of this meeting.
* Detroit, MI (Southern Michigan Chapter)
The Southern Michigan Chapter hosted a virtual SABR Day meeting on Saturday, February 7, 2026. All baseball fans were invited to attend.
Our meeting this year was devoted to an in-depth discussion of Detroit’s farm system and the plethora of fresh young talent that should be arriving in Motown in 2026 and 2027. Click here to watch a video recording on YouTube.
Our featured guests were Rogelio Castillo and Chris Brown from the Tigers Minor League Report. TMLR has the most comprehensive and best coverage of Detroit’s minor-league system, including a deep and excellent list of the Tigers’ best prospects. Their evaluations are always detailed and thoughtful. You can find them at www.TigersMLReport.com as well as on YouTube, Facebook, Patreon, X, and elsewhere.
Fort Wayne, IN (Kekionga Chapter)
The Fort Wayne Kekionga Chapter celebrated SABR Day on Saturday, January 31, 2026, with a meeting at the Downtown Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Our presenters were:
- Geri Strecker, retired professor Emeritus Ball State University and Indiana baseball historian, on recent discoveries on Hoosier-born great Oscar Charleston
- Chad Gramling, who presented his findings on former Major Leaguer and Garrett, Indiana resident Rollie Zeider. Dean Jackson, who wrote an article about Zeider, also contributed.
- Tim Tassler talked about a local Fort Wayne Brewery who sponsored a integrated baseball team in 1934.
We also held a roundtable discussion about which MLB teams are receiving luxury tax money and the upcoming possibility of a strike/lockout.
Harrisburg, PA (Central Pennsylvania Chapter) - February 21
The Mathewson-Plank Chapter in Central Pennsylvania will hold a virtual SABR Day meeting on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM ET. All baseball fans are welcome to attend.
Register in advance for this Zoom meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/V-jX_jpgRmSlstIcn0dZzw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Mark Stewart will give a presentation on “Tall Tales from the Gettysburg Dugout.” In the years prior to America’s entry into the first World War, Gettysburg’s minor league club was a nexus of diamond knowledge and know-how that ended up spanning many decades—stretching back to the 1880s and touching countless baseball lives in the future. Mark Stewart will explore the players and personalities whose shared experience would serve as a bridge between the pioneers of the sport and modern baseball culture, with some remarkable twists and turns in between.
Brian Engelhardt will give a presentation on “When Satchel Paige Came to Town: And Nine Other Negro League Legends Who Also Played in Reading.” Satchel Paige appeared in Reading on August 7, 1961, pitching in an “official Negro League game” between the Kansas City Monarchs and the Detroit Stars. The game was not only memorable because the then 55-year-old Paige – billed as “An Ageless Wonder” – was already a baseball legend. He drew more fans to the ballpark that night than any Reading Indians games that season (except for “Pony Night”- we will talk a bit about that too). The presentation will go into what made Paige the legend that he was- being one of baseball’s all-time greatest pitchers despite most of his career during the time when baseball was segregated.
Also discussed will be Paige’s colorful comments in interviews with the reporters from the Reading newspapers. And, oh yes, we will also talk about the game that night which was charmingly disorganized – witness that the final score in the Reading Eagle was different than the final score in the Reading Times. Also discussed will be the interesting chain of events that led up to Paige’s entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971 along with the background of Hall of Fame’s creation of the group of “Negro League Legends” now numbering 37, including Paige, as well as accounts of appearances in Reading by nine of those “Legends,” in addition to Paige.
* Houston, TX (Larry Dierker Chapter)
SABR’s Larry Dierker Chapter in Houston hosted a SABR Day event on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Jax Grill on Shepherd Drive in Houston.
We heard a presentation on AI and baseball called “Can AI top Cy?” from Brian Hall and Bailey Hall. Bailey and her dad are members of the Rogers Hornsby Chapter in Austin. They presented to us via Zoom. Bailey presented to our chapter in June 2023 when she was in high school. She made a great presentation on the history of statistics in baseball and how much technology has changed how the game is watched and analyzed.
We asked all attendees to bring a piece of their baseball collection and tell us the story behind that baseball piece. It could be a picture of someone in your family who attended a game, or a pic of a game you attended, a baseball card or album you have, a newspaper clipping, a baseball ticket of a game you attended, a bobblehead from a game you attended, or anything else baseball-related.
Jacksonville, FL (Pop Lloyd Chapter)
The Pop Lloyd Chapter held a SABR Day meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2026, in Jacksonville, Florida.
Kansas City, MO (Monarchs Chapter)
The Kansas City Monarchs Chapter held its annual SABR Day Meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Trailside Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
We heard a presentation from chapter member Max Rieper about the Royals’ off-season moves and expectations for 2026. Max has been the managing editor of Royals Review for more than a decade. He is also the author of the excellent SABR bio of Joe Randa.
Michael J. Travis, also a chapter member, shared stories from his book Kansas Baseball, which was published last year. More info about the book can be found here.
We also heard from Tom Jacobs, Executive Director of the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
Las Vegas, NV (Maddux Bros. Chapter)
The Maddux Brothers Chapter held a SABR Day meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at UNLV’s Wright Hall in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Our guest speakers (via Zoom) included Hall of Fame journalist/ESPN personality Tim Kurkjian and his son Jeff Kurkjian, who host the podcast “Is This A Great Game, Or What?”
Lexington, KY (Sweet Lou Johnson Chapter)
The Sweet Lou Johnson Lexington Chapter held a virtual SABR Day meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Our roundtable discussion was all about the upcoming 2026 season and your favorite team’s outlook. We also held a trivia contest.
Louisville, KY (Pee Wee Reese Chapter) - March 7
Please note: This meeting has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 7 due to inclement weather.
The Pee Wee Reese SABR Chapter in Louisville, Kentucky, will hold its annual SABR Day meeting on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event is open to everyone; friends and guests are welcome.
We have a great lineup of baseball planned:
- Richard Sullivan is a former minor league pitcher who now runs an art studio in Louisville. He will join us to discuss his years pitching in the Atlanta Braves minor league system and his transition to the art world.
- Kevin Uhrhan is a sales manager at Hillerich and Bradsby and is also a former minor league player. He will be giving us an exclusive tour of some of the bat lab areas of the Louisville Slugger Factory.
- Louisville Bats president Greg Galiette will let us know what the Bats have been up to during the offseason and talk about plans for the upcoming season. (Go Bats!)
- Gary Cieradkowski will discuss his recent research projects and show some of his latest graphics from his illustrated baseball blog at studiogaryc.com/baseball-blog.
- Chapter members Harry Rothgerber and Chris Betsch will also present on their recent baseball research.
We will also have the annual “Jack Sullivan’s Impossible Trivia” contest, with a prize for the winner. Attendees will get a pack of vintage baseball cards from Repacked Wax (as long as supplies last). Packs include 15 cards that can range from the 1950s to the 2000s.
There will be a silent auction for 4 tickets to the Louisville Bats game for Thunder Over Louisville (Saturday, April 18). There will be door prizes, including tickets to a 2026 Louisville Bats game. We will have books for sale at the event, but we will also have a catalog of books that are being sold, with all proceeds to go to the chapter.
Donuts will be provided courtesy of Nord’s Bakery.
For those of you planning to attend, we always welcome any baseball books or memorabilia you might be willing to donate to the chapter to sell.
The event is free, but we do ask that you consider bringing a donation for the chapter. It’s because of the donations of our members that we can hold events like this and other activities throughout the year. Thank you, and we look forward to having all of you come out and join us for a great celebration of baseball!
For questions, please email Chris Betsch.
Middletown, CT (Smoky Joe Wood Chapter)
The Connecticut Smoky Joe Wood Chapter met for an informal breakfast meeting to celebrate SABR Day on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Athenian Diner in Middletown, Connecticut.
* Minneapolis, MN (Halsey Hall Chapter)
The Halsey Hall Chapter in Minnesota hosted a virtual SABR Day event on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
Our guest speaker was Willie Steele of Lipscomb University, who spoke on the life and baseball works of author W.P. Kinsella. Steele is the author of Going the Distance: The Life and Works of W.P. Kinsella.
Click here to watch a video replay of this event on YouTube.
Naples, FL (Southwest Florida Chapter)
The Southwest Florida Chapter celebrated SABR Day with a meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Bonita Springs Public Library in Bonita Springs, Florida.
Tom Brett, Naples bat collector and SABR member, will present “Baseball Bats & Hitting from Ted Williams to Hank Aaron.” You’ll also have an opportunity to handle some classic baseball bats.
Click here to watch a video replay on YouTube.
* Nashville, TN (Rice-Russell Chapter)
The Grantland Rice-Fred Russell Nashville Chapter hosted a virtual meeting via Zoom on SABR Day, Saturday, January 31, 2026.
Sam Crowl discussed his father’s book, Shakespeare and Baseball, published in 2024. Dr. Samuel Crowl was trustee professor of English emeritus at Ohio University and published six books on Shakespeare in performance on stage and screen. Unfortunately, Dr. Crowl passed away shortly after his last book was released. Dr. Crowl was an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers, and the book leans heavily in that direction. And if even you never were a big fan of Shakespeare, you just might want to give the Bard another chance after reading what Dr. Crowl had to say about him.
Also joining us was author John Nogowski, who discussed his latest book, Diamond Duels: Baseball’s Greatest Matchups (2025) and his earlier book, Last Time Out: Big League Farewells of Baseball’s Greats.
* New Orleans, LA (Schott-Pelican Chapter)
The Schott-Pelican (New Orleans) Chapter held a hybrid SABR Day meeting on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at the Holiday Inn Metairie in Metairie, Louisiana.
We discussed the chapter’s plans to work with the Tulane University Athletics Department to sponsor a Negro Leagues Day focusing on New Orleans area natives at an upcoming ballgame.
Gene Gomes presented an article posted on Beckett.com (and also in their magazine) on a throwback baseball card issued by Topps Allen & Ginter honoring his great-grandfather Abner Powell, former player-manager-owner of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Richard Cuicchi spoke about his article from Crescent City Sports on the original Playograph boards that the newspapers used to erect outside of their offices to provide play-by-play in the days before radio was widespread.
Click here to watch a video replay on YouTube.
* New York, NY (Casey Stengel Chapter)
SABR’s Casey Stengel Chapter in New York City hosted a virtual Zoom meeting on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, which served as our online SABR Day meeting.
Our main event was a book discussion with longtime New York Mets PR director Jay Horwitz about his book, Mr. Met: How a Sports-Mad Kid from Jersey Became Like Family to Generations of Big Leaguers, moderated by chapter Vice President Marc Gold.
Click here to watch a video replay on YouTube.
* Norfolk, VA (Bud Metheny Chapter) - February 12
SABR’s Bud Metheny / Virginia Eastern Shore Chapter will host a virtual SABR Day meeting via Zoom at 7:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 12, 2026. All baseball fans are welcome to attend.
Jack Bales will present his research on “The Original Mr. Cub: The Life and Unfortunate Times of Jimmy Wood.”
Come prepared to talk about your favorite team’s 2026 roster needs so they improve during the upcoming season.
Register in advance for this Zoom meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/6x7ZkQUYTk2xsnv5IywsCg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
* Orlando, FL (Central Florida Chapter)
The Central Florida Chapter hosted a virtual Zoom meeting on Monday, January 26, 2026, to celebrate SABR Day.
We were joined by Andy Freed, the radio and sometime TV voice of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Paterson, NJ (Elysian Fields Chapter)
SABR’s Elysian Fields Chapter in New Jersey hosted a special celebration on Saturday, February 7, 2026: a SABR Day Tribute to Baseball in the Arts at the Charles J. Muth Museum of Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey.
Our guest speakers were:
Todd Radom is a designer, sports branding expert, and writer. His work includes the official logos for Super Bowl XXXVIII, the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, the 2014, 2016, and 2018 MLB All-Star Games, the graphic identities of multiple Major League Baseball teams—including the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels—and league, team identity, and branding for Ice Cube’s BIG3 basketball league. Among the leading creators in the professional sports industry, his four decades of work have resulted in some of the most familiar icons of our popular culture. Learn more at ToddRadom.com.
Brian Kong began his career at Marvel Comics, illustrating legendary characters such as Captain America and the Fantastic Four. Subsequent projects include custom comics for MLB and NBA franchises, commissions by The Topps Company to illustrate for their MLB, NFL, and NBA brands and their entertainment division, and artwork used in the 1924 Negro Leagues World Series Centennial Card Set. He continues to create for some of the most popular franchises, including MLB, NFL, WWE, Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, and Stranger Things. Brian is accepting commissions for pick up at the event. For inquiries email bckongart@gmail.com. Learn more at BrianKong.com.
Ellen Lindner (she/they) is a cartoonist, illustrator, editor, and educator. Her comics have been seen on MoMA.org, Medium.com, The Washington Post, and in many anthologies and collections. Ellen is the author of two graphic novels and is currently working on Lost Diamonds , a two-time MoCCA Award-winning study of gender rebellion in baseball. Learn more at LittleWhiteBird.com.
Full schedule:
- 10:00 a.m. Socializing, Museum Exploration, and Book Swap
- 10:45 a.m. Opening Remarks
- 11:00 a.m. Presentation and Q&A with Ellen Lindner
- 12:00 p.m. Meet & Greet with Brian Kong
- 1:15 p.m. Presentation and Q&A with Todd Radom
- 2:15 p.m. Closing Remarks
* Philadelphia, PA (Mack-Allen Chapter)
The Connie Mack-Dick Allen Chapter hosted its annual SABR Day celebration on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Immaculata University in Philadelphia.
Here was our program:
- 8:45: Welcome
- 9:00: Matt Albertson – The 1884 Phillies Catchers
- 9:45: Paul Ember – Revisiting the 1976 All-Star Game
- 10:30: Robby Incmikoski – Sacred Ground: the story behind the story of all 30 MLB ballparks
- 11:45: Brian Michael – Update on the Barrier Breakers exhibit
- 12:00: Lunch and Screening of “Wampum”, episode one of the “My Father, Dick Allen” documentary
- 12:30: Dick Allen Panel
- 1:45: Ira Levinton – All Time Batting Ratings for Players Combined Seasons with the Phillies
- 2:30: Mike Walsh – tBGR: Xtra Bases Taken by Runners
Pittsburgh, PA (Forbes Field Chapter)
SABR’s Forbes Field Chapter in Pittsburgh held a SABR Day meeting on Saturday, January 31 at PNC Park. The Pirates have been gracious to host our meeting in their Business Center room. All attendees were asked for a $5 donation to go toward Pirate Charities.
Here was our program:
- 9:00-9:15 am: Mark Woods/ Jim Trdinich – Opening remarks
- 9:15-9:30 am: Baseball Joe Vogel/Craig Britcher – “Career Statistical Comparisons of Paul Waner and Roberto Clemente as Pittsburgh Pirates”
- 9:30-10:00 am: Ben DiCola – “Mom’s Magnavox”. Book sale/signing to follow.
- 10:00-10:45 am: Ron Backer – “Favorite Major League Baseball Stories”.
- 10:45-11:30 am: Brian Engelhardt – “September 29, 1918: Shoeless Joe, The Rajah and Other Major Leaguers Play in Front of a Packed House in Reading – All Because of the Work or Fight Rule”.
- 11:30 am-12:30 pm: Peter Goldstein – “Hail to the Vanquished: Replaying the 1899 Cleveland Spiders with Strat-o-Matic and APBA”.
- 12:30-1:30 pm: LUNCH BREAK
- 1:30-2:30 pm: Edward Damer – “The Study of the Mon Valley’s Rube Parnham”.
- 2:30-3:00 pm: Pat Ciccozzi – “The Many Varieties of WAR”.
- 3:00-3:45 pm: John W. Miller – “The Last Manager: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented, and Reinvented Baseball”. Book sale/signing to follow.
- 3:45-4:00 pm: Mark Woods – Closing Remarks.
Edward Damer
Brian Engelhardt
Ron Backer
Portland, OR (Pacific Northwest Chapter)
Members of SABR’s Pacific Northwest Chapter celebrated SABR Day on Saturday, January 31, 2026, with a casual brunch at McMenamins Kennedy School in Portland, Oregon.
Rochester, NY (Luke Easter Chapter)
The Luke Easter SABR Chapter and the Rochester Baseball Historical Society co-hosted the 12th Annual Hot Stove Dinner on Saturday, January 31, 2026, which was also a SABR Day celebration. The dinner was held at the Webster Golf Club in Webster, New York. Click here to watch a video replay on YouTube.
Our featured guests this year were Joshua Snyder and Bruce the Bat Dog!
The Rochester Baseball Historical Society’s annual Hot Stove Dinner went to the dogs – and that’s a good thing! Bruce the Bat Dog and professional dog trainer Joshua Snyder entertained us with tales and tails. The past two seasons, Bruce followed in the paw steps of beloved golden retriever predecessor, Milo, fetching bats at Red Wings games. Under the guidance of U.S. Marine Corps veteran Snyder, Bruce and Milo’s appearances at Wings games have raised more than $50,000 for local charities.
St. Louis, MO (Bob Broeg Chapter)
The Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter hosted a Hot Stove SABR Day event on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at The McPherson in St. Louis.
Our guest speakers from the Cardinals front office were Rob Cerfolio and Moisés Rodríguez.
Cerfolio is the Assistant General Manager for Player Development and Performance for the Cardinals. He was hired by Chaim Bloom in October of 2024 after serving in the Cleveland Guardians organization. The 32-year-old graduated from Yale, where he played for former Cardinals World Series Champion, John Stuper. In his Player Development role, Cerfolio works with and has vast knowledge of current Cardinals players and those throughout the minor league system.
Rodríguez, 47, has served in the Cardinals’ organization for 13 years. Since 2017, he has been the Assistant General Manager for Major League Operations and International Scouting. This role includes assisting with contract negotiations and player evaluations in addition to amateur and pro scouting. Previously, the Puerto Rico native supervised the Cardinals move into the player development academy in the Dominican Republic along with identifying key international prospects such as Sandy Alcantara and Randy Arozarena.
We enjoyed their informative insights into the current state of the Cardinals and their future, while enjoying a delicious catered lunch.
San Diego, CA (Ted Williams Chapter)
The Ted Williams Chapter celebrated SABR Day in San Diego with a meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the San Diego Central Library.
We heard a report from San Diego Padres Executive Vice President and Assistant General Manager Josh Stein.
* San Francisco/Sacramento, CA (Lefty O’Doul/Dusty Baker Chapters)
The Lefty O’Doul Bay Area Chapter and Dusty Baker-Sacramento Chapter hosted a joint virtual SABR Day meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
Our guest speakers were:
- Mark Kahn – General Counsel and Public Address Announcer for the Oakland Ballers
- Vince Cotroneo – Longtime radio broadcaster for the Athletics (30:28)
- Jessica Kleinschmidt – Journalist and former TV analyst for the Athletics (1:08:41)
- Steve Treder – Chapter member and author of an upcoming book, Bayball, on the Giants and the A’s (1:28:21)
Click here to watch a video replay on YouTube.
Seattle, WA (Pacific Northwest Chapter)
The Pacific Northwest Chapter celebrated SABR Day on Saturday, January 31, 2026 by getting together at Rooftop Brewing on Ballard Way in Seattle, Washington. All baseball fans were welcome.
Tacoma, WA (Pacific Northwest Chapter)
Members of the Pacific Northwest Chapter celebrated SABR Day on Saturday, January 31, 2026 by meeting for pizza and baseball talk at The Cloverleaf on 6th Avenue in Tacoma, Washington. All baseball fans were welcome.
Tallahassee, FL (Buck O’Neil/North Florida Chapter)
Members and guests of the Buck O’Neil/North Florida Chapter gathered on Saturday, January 31, 2026, in the private room at Casa Grande Margaritas & Cocina Midtown Tallahassee to celebrate SABR Day.
Those in attendance included:
- Matt Hudson, Chapter President
- Kent Putnam, Secretary
- Brent Kallestad, Co-Director of Communications
- Renee Watters, Co-Director of Communications
- Frank Alarcon
- Susan Allen
- Obrey Brown
- Jeff English
- Bruce Grant
- Diana Kampert
- Matt Keelean
- Jax Marn
- John Nogowski
- Mark Pelt
- Tom Richardson
- Glenn Robertson
- Chuck Rosciam
- Jim Turner
- Jim Wolf
President Hudson called the meeting to order at Noon, Eastern Standard Time. Attendees introduced themselves and named their favorite team or teams.
Members had previously cast their ballots for the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame and, in a first, our choices were the same as those of the Baseball Writers: Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltran.
Sadly, longtime chapter member Fred Dunphy recently passed away and several members attended the memorial service for Fred. At the Chapter meeting we recalled our times with Fred. A collection was taken up for a donation to his favorite charity.
Next on the agenda was a panel discussion of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) issues in sports. Panel members were Meg Yariv, Josh Turner, and Will Hall, with Judge Jim Wolf moderating.
We reviewed important dates for 2026:
- Analytics Conference 2/27-3/1
- 19th Century Baseball Conference 4/24-25
- Malloy Negro League Conference in Memphis 6/18-21
- Annual SABR Conference in Cleveland 7/26-8/2
- Women in Baseball Conference 9/18-20
- Chapter meetings 2/11 and first Wednesday monthly afterward
- Club outing date(s) TBA
We were advised of the new level 4 class for SABR Analytics Certification.
Possible topics for future meetings we discussed included the FSU Sports Analytics club, presentations by athletes and/or coaches, and recently read baseball books.
Members were asked to consider being part of an OLLI class on the topic of baseball for next fall.
The annual trivia contest was held in a new Jeopardy format spearheaded by Chuck and presided over by President Hudson. It went down to the wire, but Obrey Brown took home the trophy.
After a few brief closing comments, the meeting was adjourned at 4 PM.
Tampa, FL (Roush-Lopez Chapter) - February 22
* Toronto, ON (Hanlan’s Point Chapter)
The Hanlan’s Point Chapter in Toronto celebrated SABR Day with a virtual meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Our guest speaker was former Blue Jays manager and current Los Angeles Angels bench coach John Gibbons. Gibbons discussed his career as a big leaguer, coach and his time with the Blue Jays.
* Tulsa, OK (Oklahoma Chapter)
The Oklahoma Chapter hosted a virtual SABR Day event on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
Chapter members Ron Elliott and Howard Johnson gave a presentation on “hard-luck” starting pitchers from 1911 through 2024. We also heard a presentation from Jesse Asbury on the life, career, and Hall of Fame case for Oklahoma native “Indian Bob” Johnson.
Click here to watch a video replay on YouTube.
Vero Beach, FL (Central Florida Chapter) - February 21
All baseball fans are invited to attend the Central Florida Chapter’s celebration of SABR Day on Saturday, February 21, 2026. We are returning to Dodgertown, the 60-year spring training home of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, in Vero Beach, Florida. No longer hosting major league spring training, the 78-acre one-of-a-kind facility is now owned and operated by Major League Baseball as the Jackie Robinson Training Complex.
We will be part of the Andre Dawson Baseball Classic, a three-day, eight-team round-robin college baseball tournament featuring seven Historic Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Yale University. There will be four games that Saturday, starting at 9:00 AM, with the two late games (4:00 & 8:00) televised by the MLB Network. You can pick and choose which games you wish to attend. The fee for the entire day is $8. Parking is free. For details and directions, click here for the Jackie Robinson Training Complex page at MLB.com.
We will have a chapter session indoors at 1:00 PM with the theme Florida Spring Training. We will see a video or two about the history of Dodgertown and hear presentations by Rick Vaughn (Tampa/St Pete) and Sam Zygner (South Florida). A walking tour of Dodgertown will conclude the meeting portion.
To register, simply send an email to Jim Bard. We will send an additional email with final instructions on Tuesday the 17th.
Victoria, BC (Pacific Northwest Chapter)
Members of the Pacific Northwest Chapter gathered in Victoria, British Columbia for a SABR Day brunch at John’s Place, 723 Pandora Avenue in Victoria. All baseball fans were welcome to join us. Thanks to Michael Poplawski for arranging this meeting.
Washington, DC (Bob Davids Chapter)
The Bob Davids Chapter held its annual SABR Day meeting on Saturday, January 24, 2026, from 9:30 am-4:30 pm at the Falls Church Episcopal Church in Falls Church, Virginia.
Our program included the following guest speakers:
- Jane Leavy, author of the recently-released book Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong With Baseball and How to Fix It, as well as books on Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, and Babe Ruth.
- Gerardo Caceres, hitting coach for James Wood and others, on what he does with hitters and the revolution in hitting over the last few years
- Alexandria Aces owner Frank Fannon and official scorer Emily-Anne Patt on how a summer wooden-bat collegiate team is run and put together
- Tom “Big Bat” Fesolowich, Advisor, National Association of Historic Base Ball Clubs, on vintage baseball and where to see it locally
- Ben Orlando, podcast host of Midnight Library of Baseball, on his podcast and how a podcast is put together
- Cesar Brioso, author of Last Seasons in Havana: The Castro Revolution and the End of Professional Baseball in Cuba, which won a 2020 SABR Baseball Research Award, on Cuban baseball
- Research presentations from chapter members
- A baseball card Wax Pack rip (packs provided!)
- Our usual raffle of baseball books and other items