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This Week in SABR: June 12, 2026

This Week in SABR: June 12, 2026

Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, June 12, 2026.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web

Top Headlines

New SABR Shop features apparel, home goods, and BRJ cover art
SABR Defensive Index rankings released through June 7
SABR 54: Register now to join us for the Cleveland convention
Last call: Vote now for All-Time Segregation Era Team
Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference begins next week in Memphis
Call for papers: SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference


Research Collection Events Calendar Around the Web

SABR Shop featured items

New SABR Shop features apparel, home goods, and BRJ cover art

SABR is excited to announce the launch of the new SABR Shop, an online store featuring SABR-branded apparel, home goods, prints, and more for baseball fans.

Among the featured items are exclusive prints showcasing cover art from the Baseball Research Journal, along with a growing collection of SABR merchandise celebrating the organization’s worldwide community. Baseball Research Journal posters feature every edition including the artwork of acclaimed artist and SABR member Gary Cieradkowski, with iconic depictions of Babe Ruth and Satchel Paige amongst other legends of the game. Apparel options include hats, shirts, sweatshirts, and pullovers in men’s, women’s, and unisex selections. New merchandise and designs will continue to be added in the coming months, offering fresh options for the SABR fan in your life.

Current SABR members can receive an introductory 10% discount by using the coupon code SABRShop26 at checkout. The offer is good for all products in the shop through June 30, 2026. Visit the SABR Shop today at sabr.shop.

 


 

SABR Defensive Index (SDI)

SABR Defensive Index rankings released through June 7

New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger and Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong lead their respective leagues in the updated SABR Defensive Index™ rankings through Major League Baseball games of Sunday, June 7.

The SABR Defensive Index is used to help select the winners of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® and Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™, presented by SABR.

Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.

 


 

SABR 54: 1990s Cleveland Indians Panel with Sandy Alomar Jr., Carlos Baerga, Mike Hargrove, Kenny Lofton, Charles Nagy

SABR 54: Join us in Cleveland for the 2026 convention

SABR’s 54th annual convention is scheduled for July 29–August 2, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. SABR 54 will feature a Major League 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. The full schedule is now available online.

Our featured speakers and panelists are expected to include Chris Antonetti, Sandy Alomar Jr., Carlos Baerga, Tom Hamilton, Mike Hargrove, Kenny Lofton, Charles Nagy, Paul Hoynes, David S. Ward, Sky Andrecheck, Keith Woolner, Kyle Burris, and more.

Along with a fantastic speaking lineup, here are more highlights to look forward to at SABR 54:

  • Cleveland Guardians vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game on Friday, July 31, featuring a pregame buffet for SABR members that will give attendees a great opportunity to socialize and network.
  • Exciting optional programming including a bus tour of historic Cleveland baseball sites, featuring a stop at League Park (former home of the Indians and Buckeyes amongst numerous others) where you’ll be able to play catch on the same grounds where Babe Ruth hit his 500th home run.
  • Upgraded Welcome Reception featuring great food, drink, and SABR award presentations.
  • Expanded Closing Ceremonies featuring our famous Trivia Contest, which will again include the popular “Immaculate Feud” segment and expanded opportunities for participation.
  • Social gatherings, including a coffee talk on Thursday morning and an Open House at the Cleveland Public Library, to help first-timers and veterans alike make the most of their convention and SABR experience.
  • A fantastic hotel property at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown, conveniently located within walking distance of Progressive Field and other downtown attractions like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Visit SABR.org/convention to learn more.

Call for on-site volunteers at SABR 54

Anyone who is interested in helping out as an on-site volunteer at the registration area during SABR 54 in Cleveland is encouraged to contact SABR’s Jessica Smyth to sign up. Convention volunteers help to pass out registration badges and goody bags, ballgame tickets, and convention merch. Volunteers will receive a free convention T-shirt if they sign up for a shift.

 


 

SABR All-Time Eras Teams

All-Time Eras: Last chance to vote for Segregation Era Team

Throughout the 2026 season, SABR members will have a chance to vote on SABR’s All-Time Eras Teams as we celebrate the 150 years of baseball and American history since the founding of the National League in 1876.

  • Cast your vote now for the Segregation Era team (1920-1946). Or click here to view the full player list for the Segregation Era ballot. All current SABR members are eligible to vote. Voting ends at 11:59 PM MST on Saturday, June 13.
  • Join us from 8:00-9:00 PM Eastern on Wednesday, June 24 for a special Zoom webinar as we reveal the Segregation Era (1920-1946) team, and hear a presentation on “Increased Access and Persistent Barriers: Professional Baseball from 1920 to 1946” by Seth S. Tannenbaum of Manhattanville University. Click here to pre-register for this Zoom event.

Tannenbaum is the author of Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites: Democracy and Division at the Twentieth Century Ballpark and an assistant professor of sport studies at Manhattanville University, where he teaches classes including Baseball and American Society, Spectators and Fans, Urban Sport, and American Sport History. 

Visit SABR.org/all-time-eras-teams to learn more about the project, including the players selected to the 19th Century Era and Deadball Era teams.

 


 

Cape Cod Baseball League: From College Stars to Big League Futures, edited by Mike Richard and Bill Nowlin

SABR Digital Library: Cape Cod Baseball League: From College Stars to Big League Futures

Add a new baseball book to your collection from the SABR Digital Library:

Cape Cod Baseball League: From College Stars to Big League Futures
Edited by Mike Richard and Bill Nowlin
Associate editors: Len Levin and Carl Riechers
Foreword by Peter Gammons
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-960819-64-2, $9.99
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-960819-65-9, $24.95
8.5″ x 11″, 182 pages

The Cape Cod League is the premier amateur baseball league in the United States, and this book presents stories of the people, places, and players who have made it great. This book takes a comprehensive look at the Cape Cod Baseball League as only SABR can, encompassing both analytical articles on the importance of the league in MLB development and historical pieces documenting the past and present.

Some 25 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and a number of invited guests offer here some of their experiences and perspectives. Former Los Angeles Dodgers GM Dan Evans called his work on the Cape as “the greatest scouting experience of my life.” Peter Gammons now lives on Cape Cod, but still enthuses about being “lucky enough to go to a Cape League game” and in his foreword to the book reminisces about seeing a player he’s never forgotten, embodying the league’s motto: “Where the stars of tomorrow shine tonight.”

Visit SABR.org/ebooks to download your free e-book edition or save 50% off the purchase of a paperback edition.

 


 

John "Bud" Fowler, SABR's 2020 Overlooked 19th Century Legend who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2022 (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)

Vote now for 2026 SABR Overlooked 19th Century Legends of the Year

Each year, SABR’s Nineteenth Century Research Committee selects its Overlooked 19th Century Base Ball Legend — a 19th century player, manager, executive or other baseball personality not yet inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

This will be the final SABR Nineteenth Century Overlooked Legends election. From 2009 through 2025, 17 selections were made. In 2026, we will choose eight additional selections, completing the project with 25 Overlooked Legends. The ballot is split into four tracks, with two winners to be selected from each track: Players from the Major Leagues (1876–1900); Pioneers/Contributors; Managers/Executives/Umpires; and Black Baseball.

  • 2026 finalists: Earlier this year, committee members selected the finalists for the 2026 Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legend. Click here to view the finalists’ bios, compiled by project co-chairs Adam Darowski and Joe Williams. 
  • Vote now! Click here to access the 2026 ballot. All SABR members are eligible to vote in the election for this year’s Overlooked 19th Century Legend. You will vote for ten (ranked) candidates from the ballot, regardless of the track. ALL BALLOTS MUST BE CAST PRIOR TO 11:59 PM PDT on Sunday, June 21, 2026.

All SABR members are eligible to cast a vote. The winners will be announced this summer during the Nineteenth Century Committee’s business meeting at SABR 54 in Cleveland, Ohio.

 


 

SABR's Four Pillars Fund

Contribute to SABR’s Four Pillars Fund

Research – Preservation – Scholarship – Future of the Game. These are the four pillars on which SABR stands as an organization.

Each represents one of our core values, and together they form the foundation of a global community dedicated to understanding, celebrating, and advancing the great game of baseball. With the support of donors like you, we’re not only fortifying that foundation, but we’re also building what comes next.

This spring, we ask you to contribute to the FOUR PILLARS FUND. Our goal is to raise $85,000 during this campaign to strengthen each of our four pillars by supporting baseball research, committing to preservation, furthering the reach of our scholarship, and building a bridge to the future of the game.

To donate or learn more about SABR’s Four Pillars Fund and the existing efforts and exciting new initiatives that will be funded by a successful campaign, visit SABR.org/donate/four-pillars.

 


 

Spring 2026 Baseball Research Journal

Read articles from the Spring 2026 Baseball Research Journal

With an original cover illustration of pitching grips designed by SABR member Gary Cieradkowski, we hope you enjoy the e-book edition of the Spring 2026 Baseball Research Journal! The e-book edition was sent to all SABR members on Thursday, May 21. Anyone who has subscribed to the print edition should receive their copy in the mail in the next 2-4 weeks.

We hope you enjoy the Spring 2026 Baseball Research Journal!

 


 

American Legion Baseball Park in Council Bluffs, Iowa (City of Council Bluffs)

Join us on June 25 for dedication of Council Bluffs historical marker in Iowa

On Thursday, June 25, SABR’s Field of Dreams Chapter in Iowa will host a dedication ceremony for the installation of a historical marker where a significant ballpark in Council Bluffs once stood. All baseball fans are invited to attend. The dedication ceremony will feature guest speakers and a baseball memorabilia display provided by the Marsh Collection. 

SABR members, friends, and family are also invited to attend a Triple-A baseball game that evening between the Omaha Storm Chasers and the Columbus Clippers at Werner Park in nearby Omaha, Nebraska. The Field of Dreams Chapter is reserving group tickets along the left-field foul line for $13 each. Please email John Shorey to reserve your tickets.

The Field of Dreams Chapter was a recipient of a SABR Local Grant in 2026 for this project. Click here to learn more about the Local Grants program.

Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.

 


 

Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference logo

Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference begins next week in Memphis

SABR’s annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference will be held next week 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. 

The full schedule is now available online. The conference will be highlighted by a film screening of Black Diamonds, Blues City: Stories of the Memphis Red Sox; special presentations on Bob Boyd and J.B. Martin; many research presentations; a Memphis Redbirds game; and a “meet and greet” reception at the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery on Beale Street.

Visit SABR.org/malloy to learn more.

 


 

SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference logo

Call for papers: 2026 SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference

SABR and the International Women’s Baseball Center have announced a call for papers for the eighth annual SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference, scheduled as a virtual event for October 9–11, 2026. Registration information will be available soon at SABR.org/women-in-baseball-conference.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Batters Up: The Future is Now.” We welcome abstracts on all topics and time periods relating to women in all aspects of baseball, including research on history, sociological and economic impacts, and global developments; international growth of the game, MLB-sponsored girls baseball events, the first WPBL season, women in the front office, and more. Abstracts accepted for posters and/or oral presentations.

Please submit abstracts of approximately 200 words, along with contact information and a short biography, by July 6, 2026, to Leslie Heaphy.

 


 

SABR 19th Century Grave Marker Project to honor baseball clown Frank “Slivers” Oakley on June 27

SABR’s 19th Century Grave Marker Project is pleased to announce the completion of its latest project for baseball clown Frank “Slivers” Oakley at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Maspeth, New York. All baseball fans are invited to join us for a dedication ceremony at 1:00 PM on Saturday, June 27, 2026.

Oakley was a star of the circus and vaudeville acts and his one-man baseball act inspired future generations of baseball clowns and mascots. As project chair Sam Gazdizak explains in an article at RIPBaseball.com, “Oakley became one of the earliest entertainers to bring baseball into the realm of pop culture. You can draw a line from the Phillie Phanatic and Blooper and Mr. & Mrs. Met all the way back to the early days of professional baseball. That line starts with Slivers.”

MLB Official Historian John Thorn first brought Slivers’ story to light and recommended him for inclusion in the Grave Marker Project. Thorn also made available online rare film footage of Slivers’ baseball act from a 1907 Vitagraph novelty film.

Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.

 


 

April 11-12 Board minutes posted

Minutes from the Board of Directors meeting on April 11-12, 2026, in Chicago have now been posted on the SABR website.

Click here to view all past minutes of SABR Board meetings.

 


 

SABR Research Collection updates

Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.

SABR Research Collection: Bill Monbouquette, 2001 Seattle Mariners, President Franklin Roosevelt

5 new stories published at SABR Games Project

Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.

Read articles from 2001 Seattle Mariners book online

In April, the SABR Digital Library published Two Outs, So What!: The 2001 Seattle Mariners, edited by Steve Friedman, Eric Vickrey, and Bill Nowlin, the story of a magical season when pennant fever gripped the Pacific Northwest during the Mariners’ record-setting run to 116 wins, the most in American League history.

All of the biographies, essays, and articles from Two Outs, So What! are now available to read online in the SABR Research Collection.

Click here to download the free ebook edition or save 50% off a purchase of the paperback edition.

 


 

Featured E-Book from the SABR Digital Library

Turnstyle: The SABR Journal of Baseball Arts, Volume 5 (2026)

Turnstyle: The SABR Journal of Baseball Arts, Volume 5 (2026)
Edited by Joanne Hulbert and Jay Hurd

Visit SABR.org to download the free e-book edition or save 50% off the paperback edition of all Digital Library books.

 


 

Recent Highlights

Here are some SABR headlines from recent weeks that we don’t want you to miss:

 


 

New Members

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
Andrew Blais West Orange, NJ     Zachary Kranc Colchester, CT
Timothy Bosley Hanover, PA     Ainsleigh Kratky Omaha, NE
Adam Brecek Granite Bay, CA     Colin Kurk Chicago, IL
Richard Butner Laurel, DE     Kyle Lamb Tallahassee, FL
Dean Dailey Sycamore, IL     Jefferson Lin Pittsburgh, PA
Marshall Dawson Smyrna, GA     Bruce Moorehead Chesterfield, VA
Joe Flynn Fishers, IN     Joseph Ozenne Franklin, TN
Kevin Gorey Lakeville, CT     Nick Quintero Miami, FL
Bill Howe Arlington Heights, IL     Asher Reed Coppell, TX
Kelly Jackson Oberlin, OH     Henry Schau Park Ridge, IL
John Joyce Kingston Springs, TN     James Shaeffer Belle Haven, VA
Kevin Kamper East Meadow, NY     Eric Smith Medina, OH
Carole Klinger West Palm Beach, FL     Carlos Valero Guaynabo, PRI
Mike Korrigan Martinsburg, WV     Sean Vinsel Woodbury, MN
Rick Kramer Osprey, FL     Matthew Wolfe Rochester, NY

 


 

SABR Events Calendar

SABR's Deadball Era Committee will host a virtual Author Talk meeting with Kevin Baker on Monday, June 15, 2026, at 8:00 PM Eastern Time. All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Kevin Baker is the author of The New York Game: Baseball and the Rise of a New City. His sequel to this book will be coming out in the spring of 2027 and cover the years 1945 to 1973.

Upcoming Virtual Meetings

  • June 13: Bob Davids (DC) Chapter Talkin’ Baseball: Rob Fitts (9:00 AM EDT)
  • June 13: Pop Lloyd (FL) Chapter meeting with Marshall Garvey (11:00 AM EDT)
  • June 15: Bob Broeg St. Louis (MO) Chapter meeting with Paul Doutrich (6:00 PM CDT)
  • June 15: Central Florida Chapter meeting with Brett Phillips (7:00 PM EDT)
  • June 15: Larry Dierker (TX) Chapter meeting (7:00 PM CDT)
  • June 15: Deadball Era Author Talk: Kevin Baker (8:00 PM EDT)
  • June 17: SABR Baseball Memories meeting (7:00 PM EDT)
  • June 17: New Member Experience meeting (8:00 PM EDT)

Upcoming In-Person Meetings

  • June 13: East Tennessee Chapter meeting and vintage ballgame (Knoxville, TN)
  • June 13: Bob Davids Chapter Nationals Park ballgame/meet-up (Washington, DC)
  • June 13: Allan Roth Chapter meeting/ballgame (San Bernardino, CA)
  • June 16: Bob Davids Chapter Hot Stove Dinner (Silver Spring, MD)
  • June 17: Sebring-Stovey Williamsport Chapter: Lumber Yards Baseball Tour (Williamsport, PA)
  • June 17: Hank Gowdy Columbus Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Columbus, OH)
  • June 18: Magnolia Chapter Third Thursday meeting (Sandy Springs, GA)
  • June 18-21: 2026 SABR Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference (Memphis, TN)
  • June 19: Rocky Mountain Chapter: State of the Rockies Luncheon with Paul DePodesta (Denver, CO)
  • June 19: Halsey Hall Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Hamel, MN)
  • June 20: Babe ‘n’ Bob Chapter Breakfast (Edgewater, MD)
  • June 20: Halsey Hall Chapter book club meeting (Roseville, MN)
  • June 20: Lajoie-Start Southern New England Chapter spring meeting (N. Attleborough, MA)

To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.

 


 

Research Committee news

Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.

 


 

Regional Chapter news

Sign up for SABR chapter announcements at SABR.org/chapters.

Click here to learn more about SABR chartered communities.

 


 

Around the Web headlines

Here are some recent articles published by and about SABR members:

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.

Are you receiving our e-mails? “This Week in SABR” goes out by e-mail to all members on Friday afternoons. If they’re not showing up, try adding “sabr.notes@sabr.org” to your contact list to ensure they show up in your inbox.



Originally published: June 12, 2026. Last Updated: June 12, 2026.
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