SABR 54 Daily Schedule
July 29–August 2, 2026
Hilton Cleveland Downtown Hotel
100 Lakeside Ave E
Cleveland, OH 44114

Here is the daily schedule for the SABR 54 convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Click on a link below for more details about each session.

Click here to scroll down to that day’s schedule:
Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday

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Wednesday, July 29

1:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. (Lakeside Foyer, 5th floor)
Registration Desk Open
The registration desk will be open for attendees to get their materials. You can also exchange your chit for a Guardians game ticket and pick up your pre-ordered SABR 54 souvenir shirts and caps.

3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. (Cleveland Now boardroom, 3rd floor)
SABR Board of Directors Meeting

6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. (Superior D)
Welcome Reception, presented by Baseball-Reference.com
Join us at the SABR 54 Welcome Reception — everyone is welcome! We’ll talk baseball and help show you how to get the most out of your SABR convention experience. Awards to be presented at the Welcome Reception are the Henry Chadwick Awards and 2026 research awards. Enjoy a buffet including corn dogs, brats, sauerkraut, Cleveland’s Stadium Mustard, Cracker Jack, pretzels, pizza station, and Farmers’ Market Crudité Station, as well as cash bar. Presented by Baseball-Reference.com.

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Thursday, July 30

7:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. (Veterans ABC)
Ross Adell First-Time Attendee Coffee Talk
Ross Adell, a SABR member for almost 25 years before he died of cancer in 2006 at the age of 50, loved a good party. He enjoyed making new friends and introducing them to kindred baseball spirits. That’s what the SABR convention is all about. For those of you attending your first convention, we know it can be a bit daunting. But we want you to feel welcome and Ross would, too. Grab a cup of coffee while meeting fellow SABR members and convention attendees. From 7:30 a.m.-8:00 a.m., we will also discuss tips on navigating convention, especially useful for first-time attendees. Open to all SABR 54 attendees.

7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (Lakeside Foyer, 5th floor)
Registration Desk Open
The registration desk will be open for attendees to get their materials. You can also exchange your chit for a Guardians game ticket and pick up your pre-ordered SABR 54 souvenir shirts and caps.

7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (Veterans ABC)SABR Clubhouse Open
An interactive hub to connect, relax, and have fun with fellow attendees. Featuring vendor booths, poster presentations, office hours with SABR leaders, tutorials, and meetups, drop by the SABR Clubhouse for conversation starters, a new book, or to check out daily activities.

8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. (Superior D)
Annual Business Meeting
The Annual Business Meeting is your chance to hear how the organization is faring and about its near-term plans. Hear reports from SABR’s CEO, Board of Directors, and others.

9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. (Superior D)
Welcome Remarks: Chris AntonettiChris Antonetti, President of Baseball Operations for the Cleveland Guardians, will welcome attendees at SABR 54.

10:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. (Superior D)
Roland Hemond Award presentation
The winner of the 2026 SABR Roland Hemond Award will be announced.

10:30 a.m.-10:55 a.m. (Superior D)
RP01: The 1904 Cleveland Blues-Pittsburg Pirates Post-Season Series
Richard J. Puerzer

10:30 a.m.-10:55 a.m. (Superior C)
RP02: Comparing Players Across Eras via Full House Modeling
Daniel Eck

10:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (Superior A)
SABR Institutional Memberships
Hear from SABR’s Paul J. Zwirecki about our Institutional Membership program. A SABR Institutional Membership is ideal for libraries, museums, and historical societies; high schools; or higher education departments, especially History, American Studies, and Sports Analytics programs. Click here to learn more.

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Superior A)
Committee Meeting: Nineteenth Century
Bob Bailey, co-chair (bobbailey@cox.net)
Peter Mancuso, co-chair (pjm0746@gmail.com)
Jon Popovich, co-chair (jayz43_1b@yahoo.com)

11:00 a.m.-11:25 a.m. (Superior D)
RP03: Who Was That Guy? Identification of Unknown Minor Leaguers in Baseball-Reference
Terry Bohn

11:00 a.m.-11:25 a.m. (Superior C)
RP04: Isolating True Pitcher Talent: A Skill-based Framework for Measuring Eliteness
Hannah Dean

11:30 a.m.-11:55 a.m. (Superior D)
RP05: From Pennant to Picture Show: John McGraw, the New York Giants, and the Play Ball Serial
Daniel R. Levitt

11:30 a.m.-11:55 a.m. (Superior C)
RP06: Best and Worst Benches
Chris Jaffe

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (SABR Clubhouse)
League Park presentation
Ken Krsolovic and Bryan Fritz

12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. (Superior A)
Committee Meeting: Baseball Memories
Joe Shaw, co-chair (rjshaw2@cox.net)

12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. (Superior D)
Committee Meeting: BioProject
Alan Cohen, visiting chair (adc0317@comcast.net)

12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. (Superior C)
Committee Meeting: Baseball Index
Joseph Wancho, visiting chair (jw2462@twc.com)

1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (Superior D)
Committee Meeting: Business of Baseball
Michael Haupert, chair (mhaupert@uwlax.edu)
Guest speaker: Rob Fitts

1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. (Superior C)
Trivia Contest preliminary round & quarterfinals
Trivia at SABR 54 is for all baseball fans. Come test your knowledge against SABR’s best! The Trivia Contest is open to all SABR convention attendees. Just show up with your thinking cap on and follow the instructions.

2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. (Superior D)
Committee Meeting: Baseball and the Arts
Joanne Hulbert, co-chair (jhulbert49@gmail.com)
Jay Hurd, co-chair (jayh0912@gmail.com)

2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. (Superior A)
Committee Meeting: Women in Baseball
Leslie Heaphy, chair (lheaphy@kent.edu)

3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. (Off-Site)
Cleveland History Bus Tour
Join us for a behind-the-scenes bus tour of Cleveland baseball’s history. The tour will include roundtrip bus transportation to: League Park, featuring on-field access, a visit to the Baseball Heritage Museum, and “Baseball Art as the Game’s Storyteller” art exhibit; Rocky Colavito statue with a guided talk from author Joe Gazzo; Ray Chapman gravesite at Lake View Cemetery with a guided talk from author Scott Longert. The buses for the tour will depart from the hotel at 3:15 p.m. and return to the hotel at approximately 6:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. (Off-Site)
Cleveland Public Library Open House
SABR 54 attendees are invited to visit the Main Branch of the Cleveland Public Library, 325 Superior Ave., just a short walk from the convention hotel. This is a free event, open to all attendees, and does not require advance registration. Housed in a historic 1925 building, the CPL is the third-largest public research library in the country. The Sports Research Center holds more than 25,000 books, magazines and primary research materials, including archival photos, scrapbooks, autographs, clippings, and oral history recordings from the Eugene Murdock Collection.

7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (Superior D)
Major League film screening and Q&A
Academy Award-winning writer and director David S. Ward will participate in a Q&A and film screening of Major League, the classic baseball film from 1989 about the hapless Cleveland Indians. The Q&A will be moderated by Jonathan Knight, author of The Making of Major League: A Juuuust a Bit Inside Look at the Classic Baseball Comedy.

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Friday, July 31

7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (Lakeside Foyer, 5th floor)
Registration Desk Open
The registration desk will be open for attendees to get their materials. You can also exchange your chit for a Guardians game ticket and pick up your pre-ordered SABR 54 souvenir shirts and caps. Please note: Chits for your Guardians ballgame ticket must be redeemed at the registration desk before 11:00 a.m. Friday.

7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (Veterans ABC)
SABR Clubhouse Open
An interactive hub to connect, relax, and have fun with fellow attendees. Featuring vendor booths, poster presentations, office hours with SABR leaders, tutorials, and meetups, drop by the SABR Clubhouse for conversation starters, a new book, or to check out daily activities.

8:00 a.m.-8:25 a.m. (Superior D)
RP07: Boston’s Royal Rooters and the Birth of Modern Fandom
Paul Ringel

8:00 a.m.-8:25 a.m. (Superior C)
RP08: The Mediocrity of the “Man Who Made Mediocrity Famous:” An Examination of Bob Uecker’s Playing Career
Matthew Prigge

8:30 a.m.-8:55 a.m. (Superior D)
RP09: Larry MacPhail and the Brooklyn Dodgers
John Philips

8:30 a.m.-8:55 a.m. (Superior C)
RP10: The Legendary Life of Luscious “Luke” Easter
Ryan Brecker

9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. (Superior A)
Committee Meeting: Official Scoring
John Bauer, chair (jwbauer72@gmail.com)
Guest speakers: Stew Thornley, Bob Maver

9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. (Superior B)
Committee Meeting: Biographical Research
Bill Carle, chair (bbxpert@aol.com)

9:00 a.m.-9:25 a.m. (Superior D)
RP11: Are Injury-based Contract Penalties Warranted?
Joshua Morison

9:00 a.m.-9:25 a.m. (Superior C)
RP12: MLB Playoff Projection Systems: How good are they (and can they be better)?
Vinay Kumar

9:30 a.m.-9:55 a.m. (Superior D)
RP13: I Know of No Rule of Law: Stan Musial, Walter O’Malley, and the Korean War’s Wage and Price Controls
Steve Gietscher

9:30 a.m.-9:55 a.m. (Superior C)
RP14: Scouting the Scouts: Do 20-80 Grades Predict Major League Success?
Mike Reed

10:00 a.m.-10:25 a.m. (Superior D)
RP15: An Economic History of Ballparks
J.C. Bradbury

10:00 a.m.-10:25 a.m. (Superior C)
RP16: Born for the Big Leagues
Jacob Garrbett

10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Superior D)
1990s Cleveland Indians Panel
A panel featuring Cleveland baseball greats Sandy Alomar Jr., Carlos Baerga, Mike Hargrove, Kenny Lofton, and Charles Nagy, moderated by sports writer Paul Hoynes, 2026 BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipient.

12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m. (Superior C)
Committee Meeting: Origins
Bruce Allardice, chair (bsa1865@gmail.com)

12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. (Superior D)
A Conversation with Tom Hamilton
A one-on-one interview with Cleveland Guardians broadcaster and Ford C. Frick Award recipient Tom Hamilton, moderated by John McMurray.

1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Superior A)
Committee Meeting: Minor Leagues
Jack V. Morris, chair (jackmo77@comcast.net)
Guest speaker: Pat Filippone

1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Superior B)
Research Committee Chairs Meeting
Allison Levin, chair (allison.levin@gmail.com)

1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Superior C)
Committee Meeting: Retrosheet
Tom Thress, chair (tthress@retrosheet.org)

1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. (Superior D)
Committee Meeting: Ballparks
Kevin Johnson, chair (kjokbaseball@yahoo.com)Guest speaker: Bob Busser

2:30 p.m.-2:55 p.m. (Superior D)
RP17: Ain’t No Man Got to Be Common: Satchel Paige in Popular Culture
David Krell

2:30 p.m.-2:55 p.m. (Superior C)
RP18: Words Above Replacement: A Computational Evaluation of Player Portrayals in Baseball Writing
Lindsay Dial

3:00 p.m.-3:25 p.m. (Superior D)
RP19: Satchel Paige in Cleveland
Mark Armour

3:00 p.m.-3:25 p.m. (Superior C)
RP20: Beer and Silver Bullets: The Role of Women’s Baseball in Branding Coors Light
Roberta J. Newman

3:30 p.m.-3:55 p.m. (Superior D)
RP21: Cleveland Indians Only “Dynasty”
Dave Bohmer

3:30 p.m.-3:55 p.m. (Superior C)
RP22: Ethics on the Diamond: Understanding MLB’s Steroid Era Through Organizational Culture and Moral Reasoning
Victoria Lovinggood

4:00 p.m.-4:25 p.m. (Superior D)
RP23: Frank Robinson: The Historial and Tumultuous Cleveland Experience
John Burbridge Jr.

4:00 p.m.-4:25 p.m. (Superior C)
RP24: How We Played the Game: Baseball at Manzanar (1942-1945)
Russ Speiller

5:30 p.m.-10:05 p.m. (Off-Site)
Guardians vs. Diamondbacks, 7:05 p.m.
Attendees at SABR 54 will have a special opportunity to visit Progressive Field for the Cleveland Guardians game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on the evening of Friday, July 31. All SABR members will gather in the Paul Davis Pennant District for an all-you-can-eat pregame buffet menu. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and Food will be served from 5:30 p.m. until one hour after scheduled first pitch. Progressive Field is a 20-minute walk from the Hilton Cleveland Downtown hotel. Click here for Progressive Field bag policies and more ballpark information. Chits for your ballgame ticket must be redeemed at the SABR registration desk by 11:00 a.m. Friday.

• Note: Tickets in the Upper Box Outfield seating option are adjacent to the pregame buffet space in the Paul Davis Pennant District. Tickets in the Lower Box seating option are NOT adjacent to the pregame buffet space. Attendees selecting the Lower Box option will enjoy the buffet in the Paul Davis Pennant District with the full SABR group before moving to their seats for the game.
  

11:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. (Superior B foyer, 5th floor)
Baseball Card “Pack Rip”
All convention attendees are welcome to join SABR’s Baseball Cards Committee for our annual “pack rip” night! If you have not attended this fun, informal gathering before, let’s sit around and open baseball card packs from all eras, sharing stories, swapping favorites, and trading cards with fellow SABR members. Whether you’re a serious collector or you haven’t opened a pack in years, we’re sure you’ll still have a great time. Maybe you’ll find that rookie card you’ve always dreamed of, or discover new cards that strike your fancy. There will also be opportunities to win special prizes throughout the night. Festivities will begin following the film screening on Thursday night. In order to participate, you must bring at least 10 “unopened” packs — any baseball cards will do, and feel free to be creative! — to contribute to the pool to ensure that everyone goes home with some cards.

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Saturday, August 1

8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Lakeside Foyer, 5th floor)Registration Desk Open
The registration desk will be open for attendees to get their materials. Please note: Chits for any pre-ordered merchandise items must redeemed at the registration desk before 10:00 a.m. Saturday.

8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (Veterans ABC)
SABR Clubhouse Open
An interactive hub to connect, relax, and have fun with fellow attendees. Featuring vendor booths, poster presentations, office hours with SABR leaders, tutorials, and meetups, drop by the SABR Clubhouse for conversation starters, a new book, or to check out daily activities.

8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. (Superior D)
Committee Meeting: Deadball Era
John McMurray, chair (deadball@sabr.org)

9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. (Superior D)
Cleveland Guardians Baseball Analytics Panel
A panel featuring Cleveland Guardians front-office executives Sky Andrecheck, Kyle Burris, and Keith Woolner.

10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (Superior D)
Progressive Field Panel
A panel on Progressive Field featuring executives from the Cleveland Guardians.

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Veterans ABC)
Poster Presentations
On Saturday, SABR 54 poster presenters will be available for questions and discussion with their posters in Veterans ABC. The posters will be available for viewing all week during the convention. Click here to learn more about the SABR 54 poster presentations.

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Superior D)
Committee Meeting: Games Project
John Fredland, chair (johnfredland@gmail.com)

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Superior C)
Committee Meeting: Collegiate Baseball
Karl Green, chair (atlcrackersfan@gmail.com)

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Superior A)
Billy Altman: Learning the Score: Bats, Balls, and Rock ‘n’ Roll
Billy Altman is an award-winning cultural journalist, critic and historian; a founding curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland; and an official scorer for Major League Baseball at New York Mets and Yankees games since 2004.

12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. (Superior D)
Committee Meeting: Baseball Cards
Jason Schwartz, chair (jason.1969@yahoo.com)
Guest speaker: 2026 Jefferson Burdick Award recipient

12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. (Superior C)
Committee Meeting: Games and Simulations
Mark Wendling, co-chair (mwendlingremote@shaw.ca)
Derek Bain, co-chair (derekbain21@gmail.com)
Guest speaker: Steve Etzel

1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (Superior B)
Regional Chapter Leaders Meeting
Jessica Smyth, chair (jsmyth@sabr.org)

1:00 p.m.-1:25 p.m. (Superior D)
RP25: Stress Ultrasound of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament of the Elbow: Can We Predict Who Will Need Tommy John Surgery?
Levon Nazarian

1:00 p.m.-1:25 p.m. (Superior C)
RP26: Charleston and Rogan in the Philippines before the Manila League
Geri Driscoll

1:30 p.m.-1:55 p.m. (Superior D)
RP27: Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes: How the BBWAA Votes for the Hall of Fame
Neal Traven

1:30 p.m.-1:55 p.m. (Superior C)
RP28: Behind the Scenes at a Japanese Ballpark
Robert Fitts

2:00 p.m.-2:25 p.m. (Superior D)
RP29: Drafting the Game: The Creation of the 1857 Rules of Baseball
Tom Shieber

2:00 p.m.-2:25 p.m. (Superior C)
RP30: A High Fence to Climb: The Impact of Extended Netting on Fan Safety Perspectives
Matthew E. Martin

2:30 p.m.-2:55 p.m. (Superior D)
RP31: Past Speed-Up Attempts in Major League Baseball
Stew Thornley

2:30 p.m.-2:55 p.m. (Superior C)
RP32: Redefining the American Dream: Emerging Routes for Young Asian Players
KK Lee

3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. (Superior D)
Committee Meeting: Black Sox Scandal
Jacob Pomrenke, chair (buckweaver@gmail.com)

3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. (Superior D)
Committee Meeting: Baseball Records
Trent McCotter, chair (treant985@gmail.com)

3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. (Cleveland Now boardroom, 3rd floor)
SABR Board of Directors Meeting

5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. (Hope E)
Friends of SABR Donor Dinner
The Friends of SABR philanthropy program hosts an invitation-only special dinner to honor our top donors and help them learn about how their gifts have made a difference to the organization and to the betterment of baseball. SABR Chief Executive Officer Scott Bush and Executive Vice President Scott Carter will be at the dinner to engage in discussions on any topics of interest to members. To learn more, visit SABR.org/donate.

7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (Superior D)
Closing Ceremonies with Trivia Contest Finals
Join us for SABR’s Closing Ceremonies. Awards to be presented at the Closing Ceremonies are the Bob Davids Award (at approximately 7:25 p.m.), annual chapter awards (7:55 p.m.), and Doug Pappas Award (8:25 p.m.) in between rounds of the Trivia Contest. Then settle in to watch SABR’s trivia experts as they try to answer questions that are presented in ascending difficulty. This year’s Trivia Contest includes new themes, new rules, and the popular “Immaculate Feud” competition based on the Immaculate Grid game produced by Baseball-Reference.com. Who will win the SABR 54 Trivia Contest? Come watch to find out.