Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter meeting recap – 10/23/2012

 The October 23, 2012, monthly roundtable of the Bob Broeg-St. Louis SABR Chapter drew 19 people to the group’s usual location, the Original Crusoe’s restaurant, Osceola and Compton avenues in South St. Louis.

Former Cardinals pitcher Greg Mathews (1986-88, 1990 Cardinals, 1992 Phillies) was the invited guest. He reminisced about his years playing in St. Louis for Whitey Herzog, in particular Mathews’ victories over Dwight Gooden and the Mets in September 1987 that was part of the Cardinals’ ride to the Eastern Division title that season, and his surprising (for him) start and win over the Giants in the opening game of the NLCS that season. Mathews also discussed what he saw as the need for a balance between statistical analysis and evaluation by observation in the judging of pitching prospects. In that light, he mentioned that he enjoyed seeing the recent Clint Eastwood film, Trouble With The Curve, about an aging baseball scout. A California native who now lives and coaches in the St. Louis area, Mathews will become a scout for the Cardinals.

Chapter president Norm Richards told the group about the need for more volunteers for a chapter committee to host a trivia night.

The chapter, comprising mostly crestfallen Cardinals fans, analyzed the team’s recent three-game collapse in the NLCS and discussed the early outlook on 2013.

Bob Tiemann again provided the monthly trivia quiz, on odds and ends from various seasons. Mark Stangl won with an 18 score of a possible 30.

The meeting was held on the 126th anniversary of the October 23, 1886, victory by the St. Louis Brown Stockings of the American Association over the Chicago White Stockings of the National League in the sixth and final game of that season’s “World’s Championship Series,” the greatest day in 19th century St. Louis baseball.

The next monthly roundtable is Monday, November 19, at the same location. 

Submitted by chapter secretary Jim Rygelski, approved by chapter president Norm Richards.