This Week in SABR: July 24, 2026
Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, July 24, 2026.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.
SABR 54 convention begins next week in Cleveland
Seeking presentation judges and timekeepers at SABR 54
All-Time Eras: Voting now open for Integration Era Team
2026 executives, college staffs added to SABR MLB Team Employee Database
SABR Research Collection celebrates Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
Analytics Certification courses now available in Spanish
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One week left before SABR 54 in Cleveland!
SABR’s 54th annual convention is scheduled for July 29–August 2, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Full registration or single-day registration for SABR 54 can be purchased online in advance or on-site during convention registration hours beginning on Wednesday, July 29 at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown hotel. Click here for complete details on SABR 54 registration rates.
Our Major League-sized lineup of featured speakers includes Cleveland Guardians President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti; former Cleveland greats Sandy Alomar Jr., Carlos Baerga, Mike Hargrove, Kenny Lofton, and Charles Nagy; Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick; BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipient Paul Hoynes; Major League writer and director David S. Ward; Guardians broadcaster and Ford C. Frick Award recipient Tom Hamilton; Guardians executives Sky Andrecheck, Keith Woolner, and Kyle Burris, and more.
Please note: All speakers are subject to change depending on availability.
Whether you’re attending your first SABR convention or returning as a longtime regular, this is a great year to be part of the experience. Newcomers will find plenty of opportunities to connect and build baseball friendships, while veteran attendees can look forward to a richly layered event. It promises to be an unforgettable week of baseball fellowship in “The Land,” and we hope you’ll join us!
- Schedule: Click here for the full convention schedule.
- Featured Speakers: Click here to learn more about speakers and panelists.
- Research Presentations: Click here for the full list of research presentations.
- Poster Presentations: Click here for the full list of poster presentations.
- Committee Meetings: Click here for the schedule of research committee meetings.
- Transportation Tips/Area Attractions: Click here to learn more about getting to and around Cleveland.
Visit SABR.org/convention to learn more or to register today!
Seeking research presentation judges and timekeepers at SABR 54
At SABR 54 in Cleveland, we are seeking on-site judges of oral and poster presentations and also room timekeepers to keep the schedule on track.
Winners of the Doug Pappas Award for oral presentations and the Best Poster Award will be determined based on the judges’ evaluations. Judges will submit scores for whichever presentations you choose to attend/view, using forms that will be provided. (If you’re presenting a poster, you can still judge oral presentations and vice versa.) After evaluations for all presentations have been completed, a judges’ meeting will review the outcomes and make the final decisions.
Room timekeepers sit near the podium during a 2-hour block of presentations, and signal to each presenter how much time is left in their session. To volunteer to be a presentation judge or room timekeeper at SABR 54, please contact Neal Traven.
A look back at the 2008 SABR convention in Cleveland
Next week, the annual SABR convention will return to Cleveland, Ohio, for the first time in nearly two decades. Back in 2008, Hall of Famer Bob Feller welcomed 632 attendees to the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Cleveland, the city where the organization was then headquartered. Ron Shapiro, agent to five Hall of Fame players and father of Indians general manager Mark Shapiro, was the keynote speaker. Mark Shapiro continued the baseball discussion afterward in a session with minor league executive Mike Veeck.
A player panel of former Cleveland players included Len Barker, Dave Burba, Joe Charboneau, Vern Fuller, and Kevin Rhomberg. A media panel was led by Bob DiBiasio, with broadcasters Tom Hamilton and Rick Manning and sports writer Russ Schneider. Rob Neyer, Charles Alexander, and Tom Swift participated in an authors’ roundtable. A baseball origins panel with David Block, Larry McCray, Sam Marchiano, and Tom Shieber followed the world premiere of the documentary Base Ball Discovered. Convention attendees saw an interleague game at Progressive Field as future Hall of Famer C.C. Sabathia shut out the Cincinnati Reds in his final home start for Cleveland. Attendees also saw minor league games at Akron’s Canal Park and Lake County’s Classic Park.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
All-Time Eras: Voting now open for Integration 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. The All-Time Eras Teams project is an interactive opportunity for all SABR members to participate in, debate with one another, and learn more about the iconic players and figures from different eras.
- Cast your vote now for the Integration Era team (1947-1972). Or click here to view the full player list for the Integration Era ballot. All current SABR members are eligible to vote.
Each ballot period will culminate with a virtual Zoom webinar which includes a presentation covering that era of American history prior to the unveiling of the team chosen by our members. The Integration Era team will be unveiled on Tuesday, August 18, along with a special presentation by acclaimed author Howard Bryant. Click here to pre-register for this Zoom meeting.
Visit SABR.org/all-time-eras-teams to learn more about the project, including players selected to the 19th Century Era, Deadball Era, and Segregation Era teams.
2026 executives, college baseball staffs added to SABR MLB Team Employee Database
SABR’s historical database of Major League Baseball team employees has been recently updated to include entries from the 2026 season and to add new entries for thousands of coaches and staff members employed by college baseball teams dating to the late nineteenth century. The SABR MLB Team Employee Database, published through SABR’s Business of Baseball Committee, offers a unique lens into major league front and back offices, from team owners to ticket sales.
Exclusive to SABR members, the MLB Team Employee Database is available for viewing to all SABR members on the Research Resources page. Browse or search by person, team, or season to learn more about the scope of baseball and business operations. Major additions to the database include employees from all 2026 MLB team media guides, as well as a new feature that includes employees of major college baseball programs, going back to the earliest days of collegiate play in the late 1800s.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
SABR Research Collection celebrates Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
On Sunday, July 26, the Baseball Hall of Fame welcomes three new members: Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones, and Jeff Kent. SABR celebrates Cooperstown’s Class of 2026 by highlighting Research Collection articles featuring the new inductees, including player biographies, Games Project recaps of memorable games, and player surveys from the Weiss Baseball Questionnaires.
SABR’s Cliff Kachline Chapter will also hold its annual Induction Day meeting at 6:00 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, July 26 at Tillapaugh’s in Cooperstown. All baseball fans are invited to attend this free, open-to-the-public event. Our guest speakers include Tom Gilbert, Steve Kuzmiak, Tom Russo, and Brian Frank.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
SABR Analytics Certification courses now available in Spanish
SABR is pleased to announce that the first three courses in the SABR Analytics Certification Program are now available in Spanish, expanding access to its online, on-demand curriculum for Spanish-speaking students, coaches, scouts, front-office professionals, and fans around the world.
SABR se complace en anunciar que los primeros tres cursos del Programa de Certificación en Analítica de SABR ya están disponibles en español, ampliando el acceso a su plan de estudios en línea y bajo demanda para estudiantes, entrenadores, cazatalentos, profesionales de oficinas centrales y aficionados de habla hispana en todo el mundo.
The newly translated courses include:
- Level One: Conversational Analytics and Critical Thinking in Baseball
- Level Two: Advanced Analytics in Baseball
- Level Three: Introduction to Baseball Programming
Since its launch, the SABR Analytics Certification Program has helped learners develop practical skills in baseball analytics through expert-led instruction, real-world applications, and portfolio building exercises. By offering these courses in Spanish, SABR is taking an important step toward making high-quality analytics education more accessible to the global baseball community. Translation services were provided by LingoPal AI and José Hernández Lagunes.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Get your SABR merch at our new online shop
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.
Visit the SABR Shop today at sabr.shop.
Call for papers: 2027 SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference
All SABR members are invited and encouraged to submit a Research Presentation Proposal Abstract on any topic of 19th-century baseball for the 2027 Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The 18th annual Ivor-Campbell Conference is scheduled for April 16-17, 2027.
The deadline for proposal Abstracts is October 31, 2026. Your abstract must be between 250-500 words for a 20- to 25-minute presentation focused primarily on events taking place prior to 1901. Please include name, title, and contact information and send your proposal as a Microsoft Word or PDF attachment to Peter Mancuso.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Register now for 2026 SABR Northern New Jersey 19th Century Baseball Interdisciplinary Symposium
SABR’s Nineteenth Century Research Committee will host the Northern New Jersey 19th Century Interdisciplinary Symposium as a special virtual event on Saturday, November 14, 2026. The focus of this symposium will be on the rich early baseball and related history of the region, which extends from the New York state border south through Monmouth and Mercer counties.
- Registration for all SABR members is now open; click here to sign up. The cost is $15 per person. The one-day Zoom event will run from approximately 12:00 PM to 5:30 PM Eastern Time on November 14.
The symposium will be highlighted by a keynote address from Jonathan Mercantini, Associate Provost for Special Projects and Professor of History at Kean University. He is an appointed member of the New Jersey Historical Commission and a Trustee of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. The welcome address will be given by John Thorn, the Official Historian of Major League Baseball and the co-founder of SABR’s Nineteenth Century Committee.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Call for papers: Turnstyle: The SABR Journal of Baseball Arts
With the recent release of Volume 5 of Turnstyle: The SABR Journal of the Baseball Arts, SABR’s Baseball and the Arts Committee now turns its sights to submissions for Volume 6.
All SABR members are encouraged to send along your submission, or your questions, to editors Joanne Hulbert or Jay Hurd before September 15, 2026. We are looking for poetry, memoir, artwork, humor, short fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, and parody.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.
New additions to 19th Century League and Team Resources collection
SABR’s Nineteenth Century Committee has added more files to the 19th Century League and Team Resources collection, which aims to collect all available pre-1900 baseball documents and make them available online to future researchers.
The collection now includes the 1887 Millennium Plan proposal by Francis Richter, editor of The Sporting Life. Richter’s plan was a radical reorganization of professional baseball, including allowing minor league teams to reserve players; setting up a draft of minor league players (which evolved into the Rule 5 draft); grading players by position and reassigning them to teams before each season; a severe limitation on player sales; and a salary cap. The Millennium Plan was never fully adopted but it did influence other actions like the Brush Classification System. Click here to learn more.
7 new stories published at SABR Biography Project
- Tim Dillard, by Michael Trzinski
- Mort Flohr, by Kurt Blumenau
- Chris Howard, by Bill Nowlin
- Joe Ostrowski, by Len Pasculli
- Travis Snider, by David Bilmes
- Ruby Stephens, by Ken Clawson
- Charlie Weber, by Bill Lamb
Visit SABR.org/bioproject to learn more about the SABR BioProject or to get involved.
4 new stories published at SABR Games Project
- July 30, 1946: Boo Ferriss throws sixth shutout of season for first-place Red Sox in Cleveland, by Bill Nowlin
- September 17, 1962: San Jose Bees capture California League title in final Class C minor-league game, by Kurt Blumenau
- May 1, 2001: Reigning NL MVP Jeff Kent drives in seven runs in first appearance at PNC Park, by John Fredland
- August 8, 2016: Giants’ Brandon Crawford records 7 hits in a game, becomes fifth NL/AL player to reach milestone, by Thomas J. Brown Jr.
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.
The Negro Leagues’ 1931 Homestead Grays: The Color of Greatness
Edited by Thomas Kern and Bill Nowlin
Visit SABR.org to download the free e-book edition 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:
- SABR Defensive Index rankings released through games of July 12
- Photos, highlights from Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference in Memphis
- Field of Dreams Iowa Chapter dedicates historical marker for Council Bluffs ballpark
- 2026 Henry Chadwick Award recipients announced
- Save the date: Join us for SABR Analytics Conference on March 12–14, 2027
- Read articles from the Spring 2026 Baseball Research Journal
- New Research Resources portal and member login launched
- Learn more about recipients of SABR Research Grants in 2026
- Fourth course in SABR Analytics Certification program is now available
- 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Adams | Merrimack, NH | Japheth Knopp | Columbia, MO | ||
| Johnny Almaraz | Miami, FL | James Lopez | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Jamie Barras | Hartlepool, ENG | Cody Mahoney | Dwight, IL | ||
| Peter Barrows | South Yarmouth, MA | Phil May | Ada, MI | ||
| Marcelo Blander Rodriguez | New York, NY | Paul Mechmann | Rockvale, TN | ||
| Tommy Chen | Los Angeles, CA | James Mooney | Garden City, NY | ||
| Sarah Cross | Renton, WA | Jesse Peterson | Chelsea, MA | ||
| Greg Estes | Saratoga, CA | Bill Ranauro | Walpole, NH | ||
| Bryan Figueroa | Playa Del Rey, CA | Michael Salmon | Los Angeles, CA | ||
| Xavier Glover | Queens, NY | Mark Trainor | Mattapoisett, MA | ||
| Avram Hiller | Portland, OR | Mike Webb | Burlington, NJ | ||
| Mark Jones | Winterville, NC | Zach Widbin | Ballston Spa, NY | ||
| Charissa Kastner | West Covina, CA | Barry Wiegand | Washington, DC | ||
| Michael Kelly | Easton, PA | Michael Zorska | Chagrin Falls, OH |
- Events Calendar: Find details of all upcoming SABR events.
- Video Replays: This week, we heard from Ed Baranoski (“Predicting Earned Run Average”). Click here to view video replays of virtual SABR events.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
- July 25: Schott-Pelican (LA) Chapter meeting (10:00 AM CDT)
- July 25: Oklahoma Chapter meeting with Paul Bohannon and Jesse Asbury (2:00 PM CDT)
- July 26: Baltimore Babe Ruth (MD) Chapter meeting with Mark Langill (7:00 PM EDT)
- July 27: Rocky Mountain Chapter meeting with Jerrod Cotosman and Brandon Smith (7:00 PM MDT)
- August 3: Central Florida Chapter meeting with Rick Vaughn (7:30 PM EDT)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
- July 26: Clyde Sukeforth Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Manchester, NH)
- July 26: Cliff Kachline Chapter Induction Day meeting (Cooperstown, NY)
- July 26: Rogers Hornsby Chapter ballgame/meet-up (San Antonio, TX)
- July 26: Quebec Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Trois-Rivières, QC)
- July 29–August 2: SABR 54 convention (Cleveland, OH)
- August 3: Rocky Mountain Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Denver, CO)
- August 4: Bob Davids Chapter Virginia Hot Stove Dinner (Arlington, VA)
- August 5: Buck O’Neil/North Florida Chapter meeting (Tallahassee, FL)
- August 5: Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter fellowship meeting (St. Louis, MO)
To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.
- Biographical Research: June 2026 newsletter
Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.
- Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter: Summer 2026 newsletter (Baltimore, MD)
- Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter: Summer 2026 newsletter (St. Louis, MO)
- Lajoie-Start Chapter: June 20 meeting recap (North Attleboro, MA)
- Pee Wee Reese Chapter: Summer 2026 newsletter (Louisville, KY)
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:
- Adam Kurkjian: New SABR book tracks more than 1,800 Cape Cod League players who reached MLB (Cape Cod Times)
- Swaiti Mestri: Study finds high school track experience gives baseball players an edge MLB teams overlook (Phys.org)
- Justice B. Hill: A powerful voice Cleveland needs to hear about League Park’s future is coming here (Cleveland.com)
- Anthony Castrovince: Cleveland writer ‘Hoynsie’ set to enter Cooperstown for colorful career excellence (MLB.com)
- Tyler Kepner: For surging Red Sox, signs of turnaround were always 60 feet, 6 inches away (The Athletic)
- Sarah Langs: Who was the last pitcher with a hit as a batter? (MLB.com)
- Steven Goldman: The Dodgers vs. the Pinstriped Padosamas (Baseball Prospectus)
- Jayson Stark: Baseball Hall of Fame tiers for active players: Who has helped their HOF case? (The Athletic)
- Matt Eddy: Rockies’ Cristian Arguelles Tops .400 In ACL, Setting New Standard For Teenagers In Rookie Ball (Baseball America)
- Dan Cichalski: The Maine Christmas tree farmer who played a pivotal role in discovering Jackie Robinson (MLB.com)
- David Laurila: Pete Alonso Talks Hitting (FanGraphs)
- Mario Delgado Genzor: The Hawaiian Invisiball (Baseball Prospectus)
- C. Trent Rosecrans: How a ‘nervous’ Joey Votto is prepping for his primetime debut behind the mic (The Athletic)
- Jay Jaffe: The Red Sox Have Risen From the Dead To Join the Wild Card Race (FanGraphs)
- Mark Simon: The Potential New Homes For Daulton Varsho (Sports Info Solutions)
- Dan Szymborski: When Will the Athletics Be Truly Competitive Again? (FanGraphs)
- Daniel R. Epstein: The 2026 All-Star Stock Report (Baseball Prospectus)
- Frederic J. Frommer: Ted Williams, Satchel Paige and the fight to induct Negro Leaguers into baseball’s Hall of Fame (The Guardian)
- Andrew Lind: Topeka’s ‘Super Substitute’: Negro League star honored decades after playing days (WIBW.com)
- Len Hochberg: Ron Hunt, known for HBP records and unique spirit, dies at 85 (MLB.com)
- Sam Gazdziak: Obituary: Ron Hunt (1941-2026) (RIP Baseball)
- Mike Wilner: Life and death of Duane Ward resonate among Blue Jays brotherhood and from coast to coast (Toronto Star)
- Scott Pitoniak: Ernie Clement shows gratitude on baseball diamond, beyond (Rochester Business Journal)
- James Bailey: Nimble Individuals, Enduring Institutions, and The Sean Lahman Baseball Database (Economist Writing Every Day)
- Ryan Whirty: Remembering an HBCU baseball legend, Roger Cador (Negro Leagues Up Close)
- Gary Ashwill: The 1933 Negro National League Pennant (Agate Type)
- Christopher Chavis: April 25, 1946: The Genesis of a 15-Game Winning Streak (Baseball and Us)
- Jeff Cohen/Len Aberman: Baseball and BBQ interview with Roy Carlson (Baseball and BBQ)
- Greg Bates: Longtime collectors shine spotlight on new avenue for collecting with original film negatives, historic pinbacks (Sports Collectors Digest)
- Dave Wilkie: The 2000 All-Star Series in Japan (SABR Asian Baseball)
- Sion Ahn: Korea’s Senior-Junior Culture, From Obedience to Respect (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: July 24, 2026. Last Updated: July 24, 2026.