SABR welcomes new Town Ball research committee
SABR’s Board of Directors has approved the formation of a new research committee: the Town Ball Committee.
The committee’s mission is to conduct research on baseball and its cultural significance to towns and local communities. While Town Ball blurs the line between amateur and professional baseball, the committee’s approach to research seeks to answer how baseball shaped local communities, and how the communities in turn shaped baseball. By maintaining a broad definition for Town Ball research, the committee encourages collaboration with other research groups to create a more complex understanding of baseball’s impact on American culture.
The committee leader is Jude Butler. All SABR members are eligible to sign up for email announcements from this committee. Click here to visit the committee page and select “Join Group” to become a committee member.
SABR’s 36 research committees reflect the diverse interests of our members, with groups devoted to the study of a specific area related to the game — from Baseball and the Arts to Statistical Analysis to the Deadball Era to Women in Baseball. Click here to find the full list of SABR research committees and learn more about their work.
Originally published: November 17, 2025. Last Updated: November 17, 2025.