Call for papers: 2026 The National Pastime
The next SABR national convention will be held on July 29-August 2, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. The 2026 issue of our annual convention journal, The National Pastime, will focus on “Baseball on Lake Erie.” Stories about Cleveland baseball — amateur, major league, minor league and Negro Leagues — will be welcomed, as will stories about baseball from other locales around Lake Erie, including Toledo, Buffalo and Southern Ontario.
- All SABR members are welcome to submit an article for TNP; abstracts will be accepted through December 15, 2025.
For almost as long as there’s been professional baseball, there’s been professional baseball in Cleveland. From the Forest Citys to the infamous Spiders to Cleveland’s current team, the Guardians, Cleveland has been a major league city for more than 150 years. But it’s been home to a variety of teams at a variety of venues.
As cities grew to prominence along Lake Erie, they also became home to baseball teams, including big cities like Toledo and Buffalo, as well as smaller cities like Sandusky; Erie, Pennsylvania; and Windsor, Ontario. In addition, the region is home to dozens of colleges and a thriving amateur baseball scene as well. Many major leaguers have come from the area or at one point called it home, from the Delahanty brothers (Cleveland) to the Naylor brothers (Mississauga, Ontario), to Lefty Grove (Norwalk) and Sam Jethroe (Erie, Pa.)
We are seeking a mix of topics showcasing the diversity of baseball throughout the region. We’re looking for articles which may feature major, minor, or Negro league baseball, along with college, high school, and more. Research articles could be historical, biographical, or statistical, but please avoid personal narrative.
This issue of The National Pastime will be co-edited by Elizabeth Roscher and Vince Guerrieri. To submit an article idea or abstract please fill out this form by December 15. If the form does not give enough space to adequately explain the idea, please upload a document. Only submissions sent using the online portal will be considered. Authors will be notified of accepted submissions by January 5, with first drafts due by February 1, 2025, and rewrites (if needed) will be due by April 15.
Queries should include a paragraph about the topic, an explanation of its importance to the region, a brief description of why you are interested in it, the resources you intend to use, and what of your research is original. Topics should not duplicate previously published work without significantly expanding the research.
The length for TNP articles is 1,500 to 2,500 words; the size of a midterm paper, not a masters thesis. Please estimate how long you expect your article to be as part of your query. If you are given a word count limit by the editor, you must stick to it.
For full writers’ guidelines and details on how to prep your manuscript for submission, click here. Remember that to be published in a SABR journal, your SABR membership must be current. (Click here to join.)
— Cecilia M. Tan
SABR Publications Director
Originally published: November 17, 2025. Last Updated: November 5, 2025.