This Week in SABR: March 20, 2026
Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, March 20, 2026.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.
SABR 54: Hear from 1990s Indians greats in Cleveland
Call for nominations: 2026 SABR Board of Directors election
Subscribe to the Baseball Research Journal before April 1
Learn more about 2026 Local Grants recipients
2026 McFarland-SABR Baseball Research Award winners announced
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SABR 54: Hear from Sandy Alomar Jr., Carlos Baerga, Mike Hargrove, Kenny Lofton, Charles Nagy
SABR’s 54th annual convention is scheduled for July 29–August 2, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. SABR 54 will feature a Major League-sized speaker lineup we know you’ll love, alongside an invigorated social experience emphasizing SABR’s ability to unite all of us in baseball fellowship. All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Early-bird registration discounts end on May 29, 2026, so sign up today to join us!
We’re excited to announce the 1990s Cleveland Indians Panel as featured speakers at SABR 54:
- Sandy Alomar Jr.
- Carlos Baerga
- Mike Hargrove
- Kenny Lofton
- Charles Nagy
- Moderator: Paul Hoynes
Please note: All speakers are subject to change depending on availability.
Visit SABR.org/convention for more information on early-bird registration, Cleveland Guardians game, Cleveland Baseball History bus tour, and more.
Students, apply for a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend SABR 54
With generous funding from The Nanar and Anthony Yoseloff Foundation, Inc., SABR will award up to 4 scholarships to high school or college students to attend SABR 54 on July 29–August 2, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. This scholarship will pay for registration, transportation and lodging (double occupancy) up to a total value of $1,250. All applications must be postmarked or e-mailed to Scott Carter at scarter@sabr.org no later than May 15, 2026.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Subscribe to the Baseball Research Journal before April 1
In 2026, all SABR members will exclusively receive the Baseball Research Journal electronically twice a year. The Spring 2026 issue will be sent out in April. However, if you are interested in a paperback copy of BRJ for your personal library, we have rolled out a subscription option at a significantly discounted rate: $7 per issue for members, compared to $19.95 at retail.
- To subscribe and receive a printed edition of BRJ, visit SABR.org/subscribe by April 1, 2026
(If you have any questions about your subscription, please email brjsubscribe@sabr.org.)
Click here for a short video on how to subscribe to printed copies of BRJ.
Learn more about recipients of SABR Local Grants in 2026
SABR is pleased to announce the recipients of Local Grants in 2026:
- Elysian Fields Chapter: From Rube to Robinson: A Traveling Exhibit on the History of Black Baseball
- Field of Dreams Chapter: Ballpark Historical Marker in Council Bluffs, Iowa
- Halsey Hall Chapter: SABR Scholarship Outreach at Minnesota Council for Social Studies Conference
- Latino Baseball Committee / Bob Davids Chapter: Latino Baseball Player Podcast
- Schott-Pelican New Orleans Chapter: Salute to the Negro Leagues Day at Tulane University
Click here to learn more about each of these projects.
The SABR Local Grants program provides an opportunity for chapters, research committees, and chartered communities to apply for funding for their projects under SABR’s Four Pillars: Research, Scholarship, Preservation, and Future of the Game. In total, $10,000 in SABR Local Grants will be awarded in 2026. Visit SABR.org/local-grants to learn more or to apply for a future grant.
Early registration now open for 2026 Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
Early registration is now open for SABR’s annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference, which will be held on June 18-21, 2026, at the SpringHill Suites Memphis Downtown in Memphis, Tennessee. All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Full and single-day registration is available for a discounted rate before May 25, 2026.
Hosted by SABR’s Negro Leagues Committee, the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference promotes activities to enhance scholarly, educational, and literary objectives. Since 1998, the event has been the only symposium dedicated exclusively to the examination and promotion of Black baseball history. The conference is open to baseball and history fans of all ages. Each year, monies are targeted to donate books to schools or libraries; raise funds for the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project; and award scholarships to high school seniors in a nationwide essay contest and an annual art contest.
- Register: Click here to register online for the 2026 Malloy Conference. Full registration is $195 before May 25, $210 afterward. Students: $75 before May 25, $85 afterward. Single-day registration is also available for $80 for Friday or Saturday before May 25; $90 afterward. Extra tickets can be purchased for Thursday’s Education Forum at the SpringHill Suites Memphis Downtown, Thursday’s “meet and greet” reception at the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery (333 Beale Street), Friday’s Memphis Redbirds baseball game at AutoZone Park, or Saturday’s awards banquet at the SpringHill Suites. All of these sessions are included in the full registration package.
- Hotel: A special group rate at the SpringHill Suites Memphis Downtown of $159/night (plus tax) is available to registered convention attendees. To book your room, click here or call 901-522-2100. The SpringHill Suites hotel is located at 85 W. Court Ave., Memphis, TN 38103.
- High School Essay Contest: SABR’s Negro Leagues Research Committee is pleased to award $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors in its 18th annual Thomas R. Garrett Scholarship essay contest in 2026. Click here to learn more or to apply.
- Art Contest: The 17th annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference Art Contest is open to all artists in 2026.
- Library Grants: SABR’s Negro Leagues Research Committee will award two $500 Dick Clark Memorial Library Grants for 2026. Click here to download a PDF application.
Students, apply for a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend the Malloy Conference
With generous funding from The Nanar and Anthony Yoseloff Foundation, Inc., SABR will award up to four scholarships to high school or college students to attend the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference on June 18-21, 2026, in Memphis, Tennessee. This scholarship will pay for registration, transportation and lodging (double occupancy) up to a total value of $1,250. All applications must be postmarked or e-mailed to Scott Carter at scarter@sabr.org no later than April 17, 2026.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
2026 McFarland-SABR Baseball Research Award winners announced
The 2026 winners of the McFarland-SABR Baseball Research Award, which honors the best articles on baseball history or biography completed or published during the preceding calendar year, are:
- Gary Belleville, “September 13, 1897: The Washington Ladies’ Day Riot that never was,” SABR Games Project, July 25, 2025
- Tom Reinsfelder, “Some of the Least Explored Resources: Dissertations and Theses on the Subject of Baseball (1908–2024),” SABR Baseball Research Journal, Fall 2025
- William Weinbaum, “‘He was a legend’: An oral history of Satchel Paige’s final game at 59,” Andscape, February 28, 2025
The selection committee included Roberta J. Newman (chair), Stephanie Liscio, and Allen Tait.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Deadline to submit new project proposals to SABR Editorial Board is April 1
SABR’s Editorial Board welcomes new project proposals from members to be considered for publication through the Digital Library, SABR.org, or any other multimedia formats. We strongly encourage new proposals that involve collaboration between SABR research committees and/or chapters, and web-based projects with an eye toward enhanced multimedia presentation.
- Click here to submit a SABR project proposal
Next deadline: April 1, 2026 (for publication in late 2027 or 2028)
SABR seeks to publish 2-4 web-based multimedia projects and 6-8 books per year. Book projects should be of a scope that can fit in a single volume, typically between 100,000 and 200,000 total words.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Call for nominations: 2026 SABR Board of Directors election
The SABR Nominating Committee is now seeking nominations for candidates for the 2026 Board of Directors elections.
To be eligible for the Board of Directors, candidates must have been members of the Society for at least the preceding four years. Any candidate for the Vice President position must have at least one year of prior service on the Board during the preceding five-year period, per the by-laws; that requirement has been waived for the Treasurer position in this year’s election. The deadline for nominations is March 24, 2026.
The offices to be filled are:
- Vice President (2-year term)
- Treasurer (3-year term)
- Director (3-year term)
- Director (3-year term)
Self-nominations are welcome. If you would like to nominate yourself or another candidate or suggest a question for the candidates, contact Nominating Committee chair Tara Krieger.
Seeking peer reviewers for upcoming Baseball Research Journals
SABR’s publications team is seeking to expand our pool of peer reviewers for upcoming editions of the Baseball Research Journal. Are you a SABR member who has been published in the BRJ, The National Pastime, or a SABR book or website project? Would you like to read and give feedback on 1-4 papers per year?
Please email Liz Roscher with your subjects of expertise/interests and we’ll work with you to match up with any appropriate article submissions. All reviews are double-anonymous.
Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.
New Oral History interview: Lou Klimchock
- Lou Klimchock, former major league infielder and longtime director of Arizona Major League Alumni Association
Recorded March 5, 2026, by John McMurray
Visit SABR.org/oralhistory to find more interviews from the SABR Oral History Collection.
4 new stories published at SABR BioProject
- Frank Carpin, by Cory Ritterbusch
- John Ellis, by David Bilmes
- Will “Cannonball” Jackman, by Donna L. Halper
- Bob Will, by Steve Dunn
Visit SABR.org/bioproject to learn more about the SABR Biography Project or to get involved.
8 new stories published at SABR Games Project
- October 10, 1906: Ed Reulbach tosses one-hitter in Game 2 as Cubs even World Series, by John Elrod
- August 22, 1908: Irv Young tosses 17-inning shutout, scores winning run to keep Pirates in first place, by Gary Belleville
- July 19, 1964: Luis Tiant fans 11 Yankees in dazzling debut shutout, by Larry DeFillipo
- June 9, 1972: Underdog UConn shocks Texas in College World Series opening round, by Kurt Blumenau
- April 6, 2015: Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramírez both homer twice in Red Sox’s Opening Day win, by Bill Nowlin
- April 14, 2021: One foot from perfection, Carlos Rodón throws a no-hitter for White Sox against Cleveland, by Ken Carrano
- April 26, 2025: Arizona’s Eugenio Suárez hits four home runs, but Braves top Diamondbacks in 10 innings, by Jake Rinloan
- August 2, 2025: Braves overcome rain, Reds in MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol, by Alexander Harriman
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.
Vinotinto Venezuela Béisbol, 1939–2024:
85 Years of Venezuelans in the Major Leagues
Edited by Leonte Landino and Bill Nowlin
Visit SABR.org to download the free e-book edition — available in English or Spanish — 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:
- Check out highlights and photos from the 2026 SABR Analytics Conference
- New Research Resources portal and member login launched
- Gary Cieradkowski selected as winner of 2026 SABR Jefferson Burdick Award
- Dangerous Danny Gardella by Robert Elias wins 2026 SABR Seymour Medal
- Fourth course in SABR Analytics Certification program is now available
- Gary, Vicki Gillette make gift to support Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference through 2030
- Learn more about new SABR Institutional Memberships
- Negro Leagues statistics added to SABR Lahman Baseball Database
- View a collection of nearly 100,000 player surveys in the Weiss Baseball Questionnaires collection
- Hundreds of ProQuest US newspapers added to SABR Research Resources
- Find complete collection of SABR-Rucker Archive baseball images online
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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Cintron | Joshua, TX | Camron McDowell | Lithonia, GA | ||
| Rocco Collucci | South Yarmouth, MA | Christopher Mosher | Louisville, KY | ||
| Ellissa Comeaux | Granbury, TX | Bob Peatman | Atlanta, GA | ||
| Luis Cruz Santiago | San Juan, PR | Tai Phetluangsy | Amarillo, TX | ||
| David Doonan | Bradenton, FL | Becky Ramirez | Burleson, TX | ||
| Anthony Gesualdi | Winthrop, MA | Riley Rich | Burlington, MA | ||
| Kelsey Ground | Stephenville, TX | Daniel Scoca | Hawthorne, NY | ||
| India Harper | Fort Worth, TX | Jeff Swallow | Woonsocket, RI | ||
| Dan McArdle | Lillian, AL | Gilbert Weldon | Burleson, TX | ||
| Payton McClain | Red Oak, TX | Brooks White | Stephenville, TX |
- Events Calendar: Find details of all upcoming SABR events.
- Video Replays: This week, we heard from ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kurkjian; former major leaguer Lou Klimchock; authors Phil Rosenzweig (One Splendid Season) and Rob Sheinkopf (Baseball Imposters); and the Board of Directors Virtual Town Hall. Click here to view video replays of virtual SABR events.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
- March 23: Bob Broeg St. Louis (MO) Chapter Meeting with Cody Fink and Nolan Rappe (6:00 p.m. CDT)
- March 23: Clyde Sukeforth (NH/ME) Chapter meeting with Paul Hensler (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- March 23: Bob Davids (DC) Chapter meeting with Mark Pattison and David Raglin (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- March 23: Larry Dierker (TX) Chapter meeting with Jimmy Price and Mike Vance (7:00 p.m. CDT)
- March 23: Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter meeting with Ed Hartig (7:00 p.m. CDT)
- March 23: Central Florida Chapter meeting with Carlis Robinson Wright (8:00 p.m. EDT)
- March 24: Boston Chapter meeting with Bob Ellis (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- March 25: Bob Davids (DC) Chapter meeting with Ed Baranoski (6:30 p.m. EDT)
- March 25: SABR Chapter Leaders quarterly meeting (8:00 p.m. EDT)
- March 28: Bay Area/Sacramento Chapter meeting with Joe McNamara and Leslie Heaphy (11:00 a.m. PDT)
- March 29: Joint AL Central Chapter season preview meeting (5:30 p.m. EDT)
- March 29: Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter meeting with Mark Epstein (7:00 p.m. EDT)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
- March 21: Babe ‘n’ Bob Chapter Breakfast (Edgewater, MD)
- March 21: Rogers Hornsby Chapter monthly lunch (Austin, TX)
- March 26: Southern Michigan Chapter Opening Day watch party (Williamston, MI)
- March 29: Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter ballgame/meet-up (River Grove, IL)
To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.
- Nineteenth Century: Spring 2026 newsletter
- Games and Simulations: We are looking for your feedback for any and all baseball tabletop games that you have played or owned. Click here to learn more and fill out a brief survey.
Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.
- Baseball Memories: Check out the newly designed SABR Baseball Memories website to learn more about our baseball reminiscence programs or how to set one up in your area.
- Buck O’Neil/North Florida Chapter: March 4 meeting recap (Tallahassee, FL)
- Halsey Hall Chapter: April 2026 newsletter (Minneapolis, MN)
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:
- Irish Baseball Podcast interview with SABR’s Paul Zwirecki (Irish American Baseball Society)
- Gary Cieradkowski: The Burdick Award (Infinite Baseball Card Set)
- Anthony Castrovince: Venezuela stuns Team USA in the 9th to claim first World Baseball Classic title (MLB.com)
- Clinton Yates: For Dusty Baker and Nicaragua, the World Baseball Classic was worth it (Andscape)
- Tyler Kepner: How undefeated Team Italy became the ‘shot’ heard ’round the World Baseball Classic (The Athletic)
- Michael Clair: The ‘crazy hour’ dance that has carried Venezuela through the Classic (MLB.com)
- Matt Monagan: The second anthem that’s inspired ‘a small island of only 3 million’ and Puerto Rico baseball team (MLB.com)
- Howard Bryant: Other nations danced for joy at the World Baseball Classic. Team USA played toy soldiers. (The Guardian)
- Hannah Keyser: The World Baseball Classic is good now because the best players care (CNN)
- Joseph Caplan: From Coral Gables to the Big Leagues: How One ‘Cane is Changing the Game (Miami.edu)
- Mike Mazzeo: Justine Siegal named commissioner of Women’s Professional Baseball League (Sports Business Journal)
- Jayson Stark: Moving second base? No batter timeouts? Minor leagues will feature major rule changes in 2026 (The Athletic)
- David Laurila: Ryan Sloan and Kade Anderson Profile as Seattle Aces in the Making (FanGraphs)
- Chad Jennings/Zack Meisel: Catchers used to learn the umpire. With robo-umps, now they’re studying Jose Altuve and Aaron Judge. (The Athletic)
- Benjamin Hill: Believe it or not, these Minor League team names are over 100 years old (MiLB.com)
- Mike Petriello: What’s the trickiest — and easiest — outfield to play? (MLB.com)
- Mark Simon: Bad Start, Good Finish To 2025, Now 2026 (Sports Info Solutions)
- Ben Clemens: Yes, Having Stars Matters In October (FanGraphs)
- Derrick Goold: How to get through a Cardinals rebuild: Execs, players, fans give advice (and warnings) (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- Davy Andrews: When Power Peaks (Way) Too Early (FanGraphs)
- Rob Mains: Where Have All the Quality Starts Gone? (Baseball Prospectus)
- Sam Miller: What Russell Carleton Taught Me (Pebble Hunting)
- Shannon Drayer: Former Mariners blogfather Dave Cameron now helps shape their roster (Seattle Sports)
- Maddie Landis: Ben Brown’s Shiny New Sinker (Baseball Prospectus)
- Ryan Blake: Counting Pitchers on My Fingers (FanGraphs)
- Patrick Ellington Jr.: Ronald Acuña Jr.’s Clever Method of Paying Homage During the WBC (Red Black Green)
- Thomas W. Gilbert: Death in the Strike Zone (Our Game)
- Kevin Glew: Buck Martinez to be first inductee into Blue Jays’ new Hall of Excellence (Cooperstowners in Canada)
- César González-Gómez: Union in Matamoros: 1868 and the first baseball games in Mexico (ArqueoBeisbol)
- Gary Ashwill: The Year Without a Champion: 1936 Negro National League (Agate Type)
- Ryan Whirty: Webinar cuts to the chase on the Hall of Fame (Negro Leagues Up Close)
- Jimmy Parker: Great Sports Photography: A Matter of Perspective (Beauty of a Game)
- Al Doyle: Breaking Even in a Big Way (RIP Baseball)
- Joshua Mellin: When the Cubs Played on Catalina Island (Chicago Magazine)
- David Matlow: Treasure Trove wishes the Toronto Blue Jays ‘Happy 50th birthday’ (Canadian Jewish News)
- Mark Kolier: Hall of Famer Wee Willie Keeler played big (Almost Cooperstown)
- Carter Cromwell: Spring training on Okinawa (SABR Asian Baseball)
- Thomas Love Seagull: Japan’s Favorite Players: Masumi Kuwata (SABR Asian Baseball)
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: March 20, 2026. Last Updated: March 20, 2026.