Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter meeting recap – 11/17/2015

Fourteen members and guests of the Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter gathered on a rainy night at The Original Crusoe’s Restaurant in South St. Louis on Tuesday, November 17, 2015.

Chapter president Brian Flaspohler called the meeting to order. I do not believe I have ever mentioned it before, but one of our traditions immediately after starting a meeting is to simply introduce ourselves by name. It does help us become more familiar with newer members and guests.

Thank you to Mark Stangl for bringing several copies of the convention publication ‘St. Louis’s Favorite Sport’ from SABR 22, held in St. Louis in 1992. Most of those in attendance were not members at that time and welcomed the opportunity to add it to their libraries.

It was announced that we will hold our annual Hot Stove Luncheon on January 30, 2016 (SABR Day). The venue and guest speakers will be announced as they are confirmed.

Items highlighted in our ‘Today in Baseball History’ segment: The St. Louis Browns officially becoming the Baltimore Orioles in 1953, and the new Washington franchise being awarded to Elwood Quesada in 1960. Quesada was a Washington, D.C. native, World War II hero, and head of the FAA. Also noted was William Eckert being unanimously elected baseball commissioner in 1965.

Steve Gietschier, who has the privilege of voting in the BBWAA elections for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, brought his ballot and polled those in attendance for their selections. With 14 in attendance, it took 11 votes in the room to achieve the required 75% for election. Those voted in by the attendees were Ken Griffey, Jr. (unanimously), Jeff Bagwell, Edgar Martinez, and Mike Piazza.

We also voted for those candidates on the Pre-Integration ballot and ‘elected’ Bill Dahlen and Chris von der Ahe.

General discussion topics included the postseason awards already decided (ROY’s & Managers of the Year) and those yet to be determined, the 2015 World Series, Lance Lynn’s 2016 season-ending surgery and who the Cardinals might sign to replace him, and other needs of the Cardinals for next year.

Steve Gietschier presented the trivia this month, entitled “Oh, To Do What the Royals Have Done”. The Royals lost the World Series in 2014 and came back to win this year. The last team to do that, was the 1989 Oakland A’s. The object was to determine the World Series losers and their fates the following season for the years in-between.

The next regular chapter meeting will be Monday, December 14th at Crusoe’s. All baseball fans are welcome to attend.

— Jim Leefers, Secretary