This Week in SABR: August 16, 2024
Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, August 16, 2024.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.
D. Bruce Brown selected as Bob Davids Award recipient
SABR Defensive Index rankings released through August 11
More highlights from SABR 52 in Minneapolis
Register now for 2024 SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference
Save the date: 2025 convention will be in Dallas/Fort Worth
Students, apply for a Fall 2024 internship with SABR
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D. Bruce Brown selected as 2024 Bob Davids Award winner
D. Bruce Brown was announced as the winner of the Bob Davids Award during the SABR 52 Closing Ceremonies on Saturday, August 10 in Minneapolis. Brown is the former president of the Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter and Bob Davids Chapter in Washington, DC. He helped organize the annual conventions in 2009 and 2022, and emceed the Trivia Contest at that event for 13 years.
The award — which is the Society’s highest honor — honors SABR members whose contributions to SABR and baseball reflect the ingenuity, integrity, and self-sacrifice of the founder and past president of SABR, L. Robert “Bob” Davids.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
SABR Defensive Index rankings released through August 11
Cleveland second baseman Andrés Giménez and Milwaukee second baseman Brice Turang lead their respective leagues in the updated SABR Defensive Index™ rankings through Major League Baseball games of Sunday, August 11, 2024.
The SABR Defensive Index is used to help select the winners of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® and Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™, presented by SABR.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Check out highlights and photos from SABR 52
Can’t make it to Minneapolis for SABR 52? Check out photos, stories, and highlights of our 2024 convention from the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis:
- Listen to highlights from Derek Falvey’s opening remarks (audio)
- Listen to highlights from Minnesota Twins Hitters Panel with Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, and Tom Shieber (audio)
- Listen to highlights from Minnesota Twins Pitchers Panel with Bert Blyleven, Jim Kaat, LaTroy Hawkins, Glen Perkins, and Kris Atteberry (audio)
- View photo galleries from each day at SABR 52
- D. Bruce Brown selected as 2024 Bob Davids Award winner
- Bill Smith honored with 2024 Roland Hemond Award
- David W. Smith, Bailey Hall win 2024 convention presentation awards
- SABR chapters honored for exceptional performance in 2023-24
- Scott Kent, ‘Mookie’ and ‘Goats’ teams win Trivia Contest featuring Immaculate Feud
- Tyrone Brooks appointed to SABR Board of Directors
- Chris Von der Ahe selected as SABR’s Overlooked 19th Century Base Ball Legend
- Patrick Reusse: For baseball information and great stories, SABR conventions are the place to be (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
- Bobby Nightengale: Twins exploring options as radio contract with WCCO expires at end of 2024 season (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
- Stay tuned for more highlights and stories!
For more coverage of SABR 52, visit SABR.org/convention.
David W. Smith, Bailey Hall win 2024 convention presentation awards
David W. Smith has won the 2024 Doug Pappas Award for the best oral research presentation and Bailey Hall has won the SABR Convention Poster Presentation Award for the best poster presentation at SABR 52 in Minneapolis.
Smith, the founder and retired president of Retrosheet, won the Pappas Award for his presentation, “Where Did the 24 Minutes Go?”
Hall, a rising high school senior from Austin, Texas, won the SABR Convention Poster Presentation Award for her poster, “Leadoff Walk vs. Leadoff Single: Which is Actually Worse?”
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
SABR chapters honored for exceptional performance in 2023-24
At the SABR 52 Closing Ceremonies in Minneapolis, SABR CEO Scott Bush recognized nearly 20 regional chapters whose performance in the past year exceeded SABR’s standards.
Under the guidance of SABR Chapter Liaison Pete Cottrell, SABR’s 85 chapters began working to further improve their operations by prescribing guidelines for governance, recruitment, research projects, and more.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Registration now open for 2024 SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference
Join us for the sixth annual SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference, which will be held virtually on September 20-22, 2024. All baseball fans are welcome to attend!
- Register: Click here to register for the 2024 SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference
- Schedule: Click here for the full schedule of panels and presentations
This year’s conference — co-sponsored by SABR and the International Women’s Baseball Center and hosted by Rockford University — is a virtual Zoom event. The conference will feature research presentations, panels, pylon unveiling, presentation of the Dorothy Award, and keynote speaker Jean Fruth.
Visit SABR.org/women-in-baseball-conference for complete details.
Save the date! SABR 53 will be in Dallas/Fort Worth in 2025
Save the date! SABR will be heading to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex for our 53rd annual convention on June 25-29, 2025, at the Westin DFW Airport hotel in Irving, Texas. Registration information for SABR 53 and our special hotel room block will be available at SABR.org/convention in early 2025.
The SABR 53 convention logo, which pays homage to the scoreboard at Arlington Stadium, was created by acclaimed sports graphic designer Todd Radom.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
SABR to celebrate Founders’ Day with annual celebration beginning in 2025
On August 10, 1971, L. Robert “Bob” Davids and fifteen other baseball researchers founded SABR at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. Beginning in 2025, SABR will hold a Founders’ Day event to celebrate that anniversary, the pioneers who founded SABR, and the groundbreaking research they conducted to help advance our understanding and knowledge of the game we all love.
The Founders’ Day event may occur during an in-person SABR event — such as our Annual Convention or Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference — or the celebration may be held virtually.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Students, apply for a Fall 2024 internship with SABR
The Society for American Baseball Research is seeking student interns to work during the Fall 2024 semester. The remote internship is an educational opportunity that may count toward college credit, covering 15-20 hours per week with a flexible schedule. The internship will be for a fixed period of time and is designed to provide the intern with skills and training that may be applicable to working in a nonprofit research environment or in other research-based organizations.
Please send a resume and cover letter in PDF form to jpomrenke@sabr.org by 5:00 p.m. MST on August 23, 2024.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Registration open for 2024 Saberseminar in Chicago
Sabermetrics, Scouting, and the Science of Baseball, which donates 100% of ticket proceeds for the benefit of the Angioma Alliance, puts you up close with some of baseball’s top coaches, statisticians, scouts, doctors, and scientists. All SABR members are invited to attend on August 24-25 at Illinois Tech in Chicago.
Come listen to over twenty baseball research presentations from researchers, MLB insiders, and leading technology companies on statistics, roster building, and the science behind the game. Visit saberseminar.com for details.
Call for papers: 2025 SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference
All SABR members are invited and encouraged to submit a Research Presentation Proposal Abstract on any topic of 19th-century baseball for the 2025 Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The 16th annual Ivor-Campbell Conference is scheduled for April 25-26, 2025. The deadline for proposal Abstracts is October 31, 2024.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Writing opportunity: First At-Bat Home Runs
A late assignment has opened up for SABR’s upcoming First At-Bat Home Runs project. If you are interested in writing a biography of former Marlins outfielder Jeremy Hermida, please contact Bill Nowlin.
Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.
6 new stories published at SABR BioProject
- Danny Boone, by Tom Larwin
- Felix Chouinard, by Jim Leeke
- Luke Glavenich, by Darren Gibson
- Jerry Harrington, by Bill Lamb
- Hurley McNair, by Adam Darowski
- Gary Rajsich, by Michael Trzinski
Visit SABR.org/bioproject to learn more about the SABR Biography Project or to get involved.
6 new stories published at SABR Games Project
- August 17, 1904: Jesse Tannehill throws Boston’s second no-hitter of season, by Bill Nowlin
- August 14, 1949: In an upset, East stars defeat West in 17th annual East-West Classic, by Donna L. Halper
- August 15, 1986: With Mets saga behind him, George Foster homers in first appearance for White Sox, by Andrew Harner
- June 16, 1997: Mark Smith’s homer lifts Pirates over Twins in Metrodome’s first-ever interleague game, by John Fredland
- June 3, 2004: Cardinals complete sweep of Pirates in Yadier Molina’s major-league debut, by Tim Odzer
- April 11, 2023: Luis Arráez becomes first Marlin to hit for the cycle, by Mike Huber
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.
Turnstyle: The SABR Journal of Baseball Arts, Volume 4
Edited by Joanne Hulbert and Jay Hurd
Visit SABR.org to download the free e-book edition or save 50% off the paperback edition of all Digital Library books.
Here are some SABR headlines from recent weeks that we don’t want you to miss:
- Download the 2024 SABR Annual Report
- SABR special committee: 1949-50 Negro American League, independent Black teams are major-league caliber
- Check out highlights from the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
- Mohawk Giants honored with historical marker ceremony in Schenectady
- Tyrone Brooks appointed to SABR Board of Directors
- Bill Smith honored with 2024 Roland Hemond Award
- Chris Von der Ahe selected as SABR’s Overlooked 19th Century Base Ball Legend
- Negro Leagues Committee awards scholarships in 2024 essay contest
- SABR member Joe Castiglione honored with 2024 Ford C. Frick Award
- Read articles online from Spring 2024 Baseball Research Journal
- Check out highlights, photos, and stories from the 2024 SABR Analytics Conference
- SABR Digital Library: 1939 Baltimore Elite Giants
- Learn more about recipients of SABR Local Grants in 2024
- Find complete collection of SABR-Rucker Archive baseball images online
- Historical Black Newspapers Collection added to SABR Research Resources
- Get a gift for baseball fan in your life with the SABR Store @ CafePress
Please give a warm welcome to all new SABR members who joined this week! View more Members-Only resources at members.sabr.org or click here to download the Membership Handbook. Find contact information for any SABR member in the online Membership Directory.
| NAME | HOMETOWN | NAME | HOMETOWN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deborah Bloom | Goshen, IN | Luke Moisant | Snohomish, WA | ||
| Steve Bolster | Minnetonka, MN | Umberto Morelli | Derby, CT | ||
| Justin Carter | Sacramento, CA | Stewart Peebles | Sunnyvale, CA | ||
| Glenn Foster | Troy, NY | Jon Rimmer | Brick, NJ | ||
| Aria Gerson | Nashville, TN | Bryan Rogusky | Yellow Springs, OH | ||
| Jason Heon | West Haven, CT |
- Events Calendar: Find details of all upcoming SABR events.
- Video Replays: This week, we heard from Aaron Fischman (A Baseball Gaijin) and the 19th Century Book Club (Playing For Keeps). Click here to view video replays of virtual SABR events.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
- August 17: Rocky Mountain (CO) Chapter Baseball Cards meeting (11:00 a.m. MDT)
- August 19: Bob Broeg St. Louis (MO) Chapter meeting (6:00 p.m. CDT)
- August 19: Clyde Sukeforth (NH/ME) Chapter meeting with Jerry Grillo (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- August 19: Halsey Hall (MN) Chapter research committee meeting (7:00 p.m. CDT)
- August 21: Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Committee meeting (7:30 p.m. EDT)
- August 21: Jack Graney (OH) Chapter meeting with Jerry Izenberg (8:00 p.m. EDT)
- August 21: New SABR Member Experience Meeting (8:00 p.m. EDT)
- August 24: Hank Gowdy Columbus (OH) Chapter book club meeting (9:30 a.m. EDT)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
- August 17: Babe ‘n’ Bob Chapter Breakfast (Edgewater, MD)
- August 17: Kekionga Chapter of Fort Wayne meeting (Fort Wayne, IN)
- August 17: Halsey Hall Chapter book club meeting (Roseville, MN)
- August 17: Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter: Book Series (Baltimore, MD)
- August 17: Dusty Baker-Sacramento Chapter meeting (Placerville, CA)
- August 17: Central Florida Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Port St. Lucie, FL)
- August 18: Field of Dreams Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Des Moines, IA)
- August 18: Quebec Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Trois-Rivières, QC)
- August 20: Ottawa Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Ottawa, ON)
- August 20: Bob Davids Chapter Hot Stove Dinner (Silver Spring, MD)
- August 21: Rocky Mountain Chapter monthly lunch (Denver, CO)
- August 24: Robinson-Kell Chapter meeting (Hot Springs, AR)
- August 24: Ted Williams Chapter meeting (San Diego, CA)
- August 24: Jon Leonoudakis baseball film screenings (San Francisco, CA)
- August 24: Central Illinois/Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Joliet, IL)
To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.
- Ballparks: August 2024 newsletter
- Origins: August 2024 newsletter
Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.
- Rickwood Field Chapter: August 2024 newsletter (Birmingham, AL)
- Rogers Hornsby Chapter: August 2024 newsletter (Austin, TX)
Sign up for SABR chapter announcements at SABR.org/chapters.
Click here to learn more about SABR chartered communities.
Here are some recent articles published by and about SABR members:
- Mike Petriello: Outfield defense is better than ever in 2024 (MLB.com)
- Ken Makin: Negro Southern League Museum: Willie Mays, a dugout, and the ‘best’ baseball museum (Christian Science Monitor)
- Derrick Goold: Can Cardinals outrun their flaws facing top rivals with 41 games to go? (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- John Thorn: Baseball Pioneers: Charles W. Mears (Our Game)
- Matt Monagan: The magic of baseball under Alaska’s Midnight Sun (MLB.com)
- Lindsey Adler: His Career Went Up in Flames. Now Baseball’s Most Combustible Pitcher Is Back. (Wall Street Journal)
- Jay Jaffe: Jackson Holliday Has Delivered a Welcome Jolt (FanGraphs)
- Rob Mains: Atlanta Braves Holdings Reports Second Quarter 2024 Earnings (Baseball Prospectus)
- Michael Rosen: It’s Release Angles All The Way Down (FanGraphs)
- Mark Simon: Defenses Can’t Stop Bobby Witt Jr. (Sports Info Solutions)
- Davy Andrews: Why Did the White Sox Intentionally Walk Juan Soto To Face Aaron Judge? (FanGraphs)
- Patrick Dubuque: How to Miss on a Team by 28 Games (and Counting) (Baseball Prospectus)
- David Laurila: For Seattle’s Bryce Miller, a Splitter Means Better Splits (FanGraphs)
- Russell A. Carleton: Whose Hand Is On The Controller? (Baseball Prospectus)
- Michael Morgan: Bloomer Girls and Bobbies: How women playing baseball rose in America (Delmarva Now)
- Clayton McMahan: Baseball historian looks to add monument to Black baseball in Fort Wayne (WANE.com)
- Ryan Whirty: From the Big Easy to Saskatchewan to Honolulu (Negro Leagues Up Close)
- Amanda Lane Cumming: Detroit’s Old Tiger Stadium and Honoring History (NW Baseball History)
- Michael Clair: The ‘future of baseball’ came to play at Haarlem’s Honkbalweek (MLB.com)
- Jimmy Parker: Norman Rockwell — Behind The Scenes (Uni Watch)
- Dan Cichalski: In 1905, Christy Mathewson had the best World Series ever (MLB.com)
- Jeff Cohen/Len Aberman: Baseball and BBQ interview with Kevin Mitchell (Baseball and BBQ)
- Jason Schwartz: The baseball cards of Rachel Robinson (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
Please note: Some articles may require a separate subscription to view online. SABR does not endorse, and is not responsible or liable for, any content that appears on a third-party website.
This Week in SABR is compiled by Jacob Pomrenke. If you would like us to include an upcoming event, article, or any other information in “This Week in SABR,” e-mail jpomrenke@sabr.org. To find past editions of TWIS, click here.
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Originally published: August 16, 2024. Last Updated: August 16, 2024.