2013 SABR Convention: SABR 43 in Philadelphia

July 31-August 4, 2013
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
1201 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 191077

Presentations Schedule Committee Meetings Posters Speakers Vendors Room Information Photo Galleries #SABR43 on Twitter

SABR 43: Tips from the Convention Planners

By Seamus Kearney

YO! Welcome to the SABR 43 Planners Page. I’d like to clue you folks in who are coming to Philly for SABR 43 (July 31-August 4 at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown), I will give you a bunch of links that will focus on the food, attractions and history of this great city.

If you have any questions during your stay, please don’t hesitate to ask a friendly SABR 43 volunteer for assistance (they’ll be in the royal blue shirts throughout the convention!) The Connie Mack Chapter will have an information table near our registration area at the Marriott to help point you in the right direction.

Food options near the Marriott

Philadelphia is a town noted for our fine eateries that fit all wallet sizes. I’ll be giving you lots of info on where to eat. Here’s a start:

$ = inexpensive (most plates under $10)
$$ = moderately expensive ($11-$30)
$$$ = expensive ($31-60)

READING TERMINAL MARKET
A treasure for anyone visiting but a godsend for those staying in the Marriott and nearby. Just in back of the hotel, on 12th Street between Filbert and Arch Streets, is this market whose roots can be traced to purveyor sheds along High [now Market] Street in colonial Philadelphia. It is chock-full of eateries (mostly inexpensive), produce stalls, meat & fish purveyors and Pennsylvania Dutch stalls. There are also two table areas where you can take your sandwiches and meals to eat while listening to piano music played by volunteer musicians. Check it out with this interactive map: http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/merchants/

Down Home Diner – Inexpensive breakfast ($)
Herschel’s – Jewish deli sandwiches ($)
DeNic’s – Best pork sandwich in USA ($)
Beck’s – Southern & Cajun cooking ($)
Pearl’s Oyster Bar – Oysters and seafood ($$)
Dutch Eating Place – Always crowded, breakfast & lunch ($)
Spataros – Great cheesesteaks, esp. w/provolone ($)

CHINATOWN
Close by the terminal and a 7-8 minute walk from the back of the hotel is Philadelphia’s Chinatown. From Vine Street to Arch Street and bordered by 11th and 8th, the area features bars, restaurants and markets purveying Asian culture and food. Here is a link to the restaurants of Chinatown; two of the best are Sang Kee Peking Duck and the Nan Zhou Noodle House: http://www.urbanspoon.com/nf/21/2007/2013/Philadelphia/Chinatown/Chinese-Restaurants

Sang Kee – Peking duck a specialty ($$)
238 N 9th St.
Nan Zhou Noodle – Cheap, no frills, noodles made in-house ($)
1022 Race St.

CLOSEST TO HOTEL

Field House – Burgers and fries, lots of TVs ($$)
1150 Filbert St.
Maggiano’s – Italian, checkered cloths ($$)
1201 Filbert St.
Hard Rock Cafe – Not Woodstock food ($$$)
NE corner, 12th & Market Sts
McCormick & Schmidt’s – Seafood & steaks, prepared well ($$$)
1 S. Broad St.
The Capital Grill – Another chain – but good ($$$)
1338 Chestnut St.
Sansom Oyster House – Best seafood in Philly ($$$)
1516 Sansom St.

SOUTH 13TH STREET
Restaurants on South 13th St., from Chestnut to Walnut Street

Barbuzzo – Cozy, great Italian, small plates ($$)
110 S. 13th St.
Zavino – Pizza, tapas, Italian, friendly staff ($$)
112 S. 13th St.
El Vez – Mexican, Spanish & Southwestern ($$$)
121 S. 13th St.
McGillin’s – Oldest pub in Philly, terrific atmosphere ($$)
1310 Drury Ln.
The Corner – Cozy, eclectic American ($$$)
102 S. 13th St.
Time – Not cozy, eclectic American ($$$)
1315 Sansom St.
Jamonera – Tapas and small plates ($$$)
105 S. 13th St.
Zia Pizza – Pizza, cheese steaks and hoagies ($)
107 S. 13th St.
Sampan – pan-Asian cuisine, large and small plates ($$$)
124 S. 13th St.
Graffiti Bar – cozy, outdoor bar in alley attached to Sampan ($$)
124 S. 13th St.

VEGETARIAN

Vedge – VERY creative, small portions ($$)
1221 Locust St.
Singapore Kosher – Chinatown, no frills, good food ($$)
1006 Race St.
Harmony Vegetarian – Chinatown, very good ($$)
135 N. 9th St.
Mi Lah – A little walk but worth it ($$)
218 S. 16th St.

OTHER OPTIONS

Giorgio on Pine – Italian. Fresh pasta, a bit noisy ($$)
1328 Pine St.
La Viola and La Viola Ovest – Both Italian, on opposite sides of the street. Ovest is roomier. ($$)
252 S. 16 St.
Russet – French, Continental. ($$$)
1521 Spruce St.
Bliss – Continental, Fusion. ($$$)
220 S. Broad St.
Girasole – Italian. ($$$)
Broad and Pine
Estia – Greek. ($$$)
1405 Locust St.
Vallari – Tapas. ($$)
1229 Spruce St.

Take the “Ted Williams Walk”

One of the fun things you can do at SABR 43 is take the “Ted Williams Walk.”

Ted is, of course, the last major leaguer to hit .400 over the course of the long season. And he finalized this feat during a season-ending doubleheader against the Philadelphia A’s at Shibe Park in 1941. Though technically his average could be rounded up to .400 [.39955] — it wasn’t actually .400, and he decided to play. But Ted was nervous the night before these games and he chose to walk off this nervousness with an long walk throughout Center City. Accompanied by clubhouse attendant, Johnny Orlando, he set off from the Ben Franklin Hotel at 9th and Chestnut Streets.

No one knows the exact path of Ted’s walk to fame, but we have created a made-up route that includes some contemporary drinking establishments. Click here for all the details.

CENTER CITY DISTRICT

Philadelphia’s Center City has a quasi-governmental organization whose function is to make Center City clean and friendly. They have an interactive map site with dozens of attractions accessible: http://www.centercityphila.org/life/Guide.php

Here’s a few pdf files that will help you on how to travel about our city.

SEPTA TRANSIT MAP
Check out the Center City section in the Bottom Right
http://www.septa.org/maps/region/pdf/phila.pdf

ANOTHER CENTER CITY TRANSIT MAP
http://septa.org/maps/region/pdf/ccp.pdf

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Baseball Notables Buried Nearby