SABR Games Project: Authors’ Choice 2024
On this page, find the SABR Games Project’s first Authors’ Choice list. We polled our authors to nominate the favorite articles that they wrote in 2024. Twenty-five authors responded and their stories are collected below.
This list is a great reflection of the spirit of the Games Project, covering games from 1877 through 2023, and including selections from the minor leagues, amateur baseball, and women’s baseball.
Writing a story for the Games Project is an easy way to get involved as a SABR member. Find out how by reading the Games Project FAQs section or checking out the Authors’ Guidelines.
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more.
August 21, 1950: AAGPBL barnstormers delight Montreal fans with a ‘jeu spectaculaire’
Written by Gary Belleville
“I chose this game because I had a lot of fun discovering that Québec fans enthusiastically welcomed professional women baseball players in 1950. I also enjoyed the challenge of translating French newspaper reports with my basic French skills; the English papers didn’t have enough information on this game for a Games Project article.”
August 30, 1993: Brien Taylor’s last hurrah: eight shutout innings in Double A
Written by Kurt Blumenau
“My favorite stories this year involved the minor leagues, including pieces on Rod Serling and Yogi Berra dropping in on New York-Penn League games 15 seasons apart. But I chose this one because it captures a can’t-miss phenom at his apex, while reminding us that there’s a place in baseball history for can’t-miss phenoms who do, in fact, miss.”
September 13, 1995: Ottawa Lynx win International League championship
Written by Patrick Brown
“Since I only have one 2024 article … my choice is easy. However, beyond that, the fact that the research for the article gave me a reason to go through the memorabilia of my four-year stay in Canada starting 30 years ago also made it special.”
April 8, 2023: Trash Pandas pitch no-hitter in bizarre loss to Lookouts
Written by Thomas J. Brown Jr.
“I chose this game because it is about one team pitching a no-hitter but still finds a way to lose the game. It is a ‘feat’ that doesn’t happen very often.”
April 2, 1991: Ryan vs. Ryan: Nolan duels son Reid in spring exhibition game
Written by Richard Cuicchi
“This game is likely as close as ever in which a father and son pitched in an official game together, albeit an exhibition game. Of course, the Griffey and Raines father-son duos are the only ones to play together as position players.”
July 3, 1877: Louisville’s Charley Snyder becomes first major leaguer to wear a catcher’s mask
Written by Larry DeFillipo
“I uncovered this game after more than a year trying to identify which catcher was the very first to wear a mask in a regular season game. It coincidentally was a game in which the journalist son of the Louisville Grays’ owner was drafted to play, the same journalist who later, in a newspaper also owned by his father, broke the Louisville game-fixing scandal story that ultimately sank the fortunes of the franchise.”
July 4, 1940: Ab Wright’s bombastic Independence Day leads Millers over Saints
Written by T.S. Flynn
“Ab Wright’s monster day at the plate stands as one of the best offensive performances in American Association history, and the backstory involves a heated rivalry, holiday split double-headers, mass transit, and personalities who represented both sides of the rivalry during their careers.”
April 19, 1949: Pirates’ Rip Sewell outduels Cubs’ Dutch Leonard in first Opening Day matchup of starters in their 40s
Written by John Fredland
“Every once in a while, research for a Games Project article reveals some previously undocumented aspect of baseball history. I wanted to write about Rip Sewell, a Pirates great of the 1940s. I discovered that his Opening Day 1949 matchup with Chicago Cubs knuckleballer Dutch Leonard was one of only two major-league season openers in which both pitchers were in their 40s. Randy Johnson and David Wells in 2005 was the other.”
June 23, 1963: Jim Piersall celebrates 100th career home run with backward trot around bases
Written by Steve Ginader
“The story highlights Jimmy Piersall’s bipolar disorder and how he conquered it to have a productive major-league career. It also highlighted his outgoing personality and how much he enjoyed playing the game.”
June 18, 2002: Cardinals’ Darryl Kile beats Angels in his final career start
Written by Harrison Golden
“To me, this particular game speaks to Donald Hall’s classic line about baseball ‘joining the long generations of all the fathers and all the sons,’ albeit bittersweetly, given the sad week that followed in St. Louis.”
October 20, 1924: José Méndez, Kansas City Monarchs shut out Hilldale Club to win first Negro League World Series
Written by Donna L. Halper
“I’ll go with the first Negro Leagues World Series, because of its historical importance in telling the entire story of the Negro Leagues. Plus, I had a lot of fun researching it, and there was a lot of information, thanks to good coverage from the Black press.”
June 6, 1975: Aaron, Brewers spoil Nolan Ryan’s bid for double no-hit history
Written by Andrew Harner
“I happened upon this game by chance and loved writing about the connection of two all-time greats in such a pivotal moment.”
October 3, 1993: With Nolan Ryan watching, George Brett collects his final hit in final game at Arlington Stadium
Written by Madison McEntire
“I am tempted to nominate Nolan Ryan’s last shutout that we saw on our honeymoon in 1991. But my favorite story published in 2024 was the last game at Arlington Stadium on October 3, 1993.”
July 1, 1966: Pirates rookie Woodie Fryman faces only 27 batters in 1-hit shutout of Mets
Written by Thomas E. Merrick
“Woodie Fryman was less than one year removed from town ball in Kentucky when he just misses a perfect game. It is the type of story that makes us love sports in general, and baseball in particular.”
June 29, 1969: Fergie Jenkins outduels Bob Gibson on Billy Williams Day as Cubs star ties NL consecutive games mark
Written by Victoria Monte
“While this is the only article I published in conjunction with Gregory Wolf this year, it’s a great one to highlight anyway. Another classic pitching duel between Bob Gibson and Fergie Jenkins was made even more enticing by Billy Williams’s milestone appearance – an encapsulation of baseball’s ability to showcase multiple historical storylines within the same game.”
July 12, 1943: Babe Ruth and Ted Williams bat in same lineup for charity game in Boston
Written by Bill Nowlin
“Maybe my favorite was July 12, 1943, the only game in which Babe Ruth and Ted Williams batted in the same lineup.”
September 7, 1974: Orioles pitchers set AL scoreless innings record in Cleveland
Written by Tim Otto
“The Baltimore pitching staff set an AL consecutive scoreless innings record that still stands today. Three outs away from tying Pittsburgh’s NL scoreless innings record set in 1903, a two-run homer cut the Orioles’ lead to one run. On a close play at first, the next batter was called out and three Indians were ejected after various demonstrations of outrage. Earl Weaver then filed a protest concerning the timing of naming replacements. It was ultimately moot as the Orioles held on for the win.”
May 4, 1980: Dusty Baker bats out of turn, then homers as Dodgers beat Phillies
Written by Laura H. Peebles
“We may be ‘overweight’ on Dusty Baker stories, but I can’t resist submitting this one given the number of times I’ve been able to chat with him. Dusty bats out of turn, opposing manager challenges and wins – and Dusty proceeds to hit a three-run homer, which is the margin of victory for the Dodgers.”
November 1, 2010: Tim Lincecum, Giants beat Rangers for their first World Series title since moving to San Francisco
Written by Jake Rinloan
“It has historical significance, a lot of color, and was a good game.”
September 21, 1966: Cubs beat Reds before lowest attendance ever at Wrigley Field
Written by Cory Ritterbusch
“We often look at the golden era of baseball with its high popularity, but many teams struggled to get fans into the park, even at charming Wrigley Field.”
April 6, 1993: Dusty Baker wins managerial debut as Giants edge Cardinals on Opening Day
Written by Tom Schott
“There is so much I like about this game: Cardinals vs. Giants (the two teams I chronicle) on Opening Day in St. Louis, Dusty Baker’s first game as manager and it was against Joe Torre, and a snappily played 2-hour 23-minute pitchers’ duel.”
July 17, 1954: Dodgers field first majority-Black lineup in National League history
Written by Alan Stowell
“A game with some historical significance and an exciting, extra inning battle featuring seven future Hall of Famers.”
July 2, 2004: Andrew Miller records every out by strikeout, but Cape Cod league game fogged out
Written by Stew Thornley
“I’m not sure if we have others from the Cape Cod League, and this league and these games are all fascinating. This one was a game that never was but is among the erased performances that used to happen in baseball that are worth preserving.”
October 29, 2019: Stephen Strasburg’s Game 6 gem pushes World Series to the limit
Written by Steven C. Weiner
“In Stephen Strasburg’s 13 seasons with the Washington Nationals, they won four National League East Division titles and made five postseason appearances. Their 2019 World Series title was unforgettable as is Strasburg’s unassailable impact on franchise history. Thank you, Stephen Strasburg.”
April 14, 1962: Angels chill Twins in blustery season opener
Written by Mike Worley
“I like it because my grandmother, a big football fan, was willing to sit out in the cold with me and a younger brother.”