Call for papers: 2018 The National Pastime
The 2018 SABR national convention will take place in Pittsburgh from June 20-24. To coincide with the convention, the summer 2018 issue of The National Pastime will focus on baseball in Pittsburgh and the immediate environs.
Pittsburgh has ample baseball history, dating from the 19th century to the present, from the 1882 Allegheny club to today’s Pirates, who count 11 Hall of Famers among their number. Pittsburgh was the site of important Negro Leagues history as well, and home to both the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords. The legacies of Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell are referenced regularly in Major League Baseball today. And then there are the minor leagues, colleges, scouts, umpires, women in baseball, and more with Pittsburgh connections that could be explored.
For this issue of The National Pastime, we are looking for research articles on a variety of topics. Articles may be historical, biographical, or analytical, but please avoid personal narrative, oral histories, or interviews. No reprints: new articles only. Purely biographical articles should be coordinated with the BioProject, while those with unique takes or analysis are welcome.
This issue of The National Pastime will be edited by publications director Cecilia Tan. She will be taking queries and abstracts until December 15, 2017, and will make assignments no later than January 1. First drafts of articles will be due no later than March 1 and rewrites (if needed) will be due by April 1.
Queries should include 1-2 paragraphs of brief but detailed encapsulation of the article idea, as well as a description of why you are interested in it or qualified to research it. Be specific about the sources you plan to use and what of your research is original.
If you can estimate the length of the finished article, that is good, too. Typical articles tend to run 2,000 to 5,000 words — the size of a midterm paper, not a masters thesis. The upper limit on papers for the TNP is around 6,000 words. If you are given a word count limit by the editor, you must try to stick to it. Articles which exceed assigned page count may need to be cut or relegated to digital-only distribution and not be included in the print edition of the journal.
To query, email to ctan@sabr.org with the subject line “TNP Query:” and a key word or two on your subject. For example: “TNP Query: Germantown and Baseball”.
Remember that every article must include proper citation of sources and present a clear thesis, and to be published in a SABR journal your SABR membership must be current. (Click here to join.) For full writers’ guidelines and details on how to prep your manuscript for submission, click here or submit a query to ctan@sabr.org and you will receive the full guidelines in reply.
— Cecilia M. Tan
Originally published: November 20, 2017. Last Updated: November 20, 2017.