Call for papers: 2025 The National Pastime
The next SABR national convention will be held on June 25-29, 2025, in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. The 2025 issue of our annual convention journal, The National Pastime, will focus on the region, which includes not only the DFW Metroplex but also North, Central, and West Texas, as well as Oklahoma and parts of Louisiana and Arkansas (but not Houston or South Texas). If it is covered by the Rangers Radio Network, we’re interested.
All SABR members are welcome to submit an article for TNP; abstracts will be accepted through December 15, 2024.
Texas and Oklahoma have a long history of baseball. The origins of the Texas League go back to 1888, and dozens of professional and semiprofessional leagues have existed over the decades. College baseball leagues have appeared in the records almost as long. The two states have produced hundreds of major leaguers between them, along with their fair share of Hall of Famers (note that articles about well-known players like Mickey Mantle would need to break new ground, not merely reproduce old stories). The Rangers themselves have won three pennants and their first World Series. Former Rangers owner George W. Bush even became President.
As always, everything is bigger in Texas, and we are seeking a mix of topics showcasing the diversity of baseball throughout the region. We’re looking for articles which may feature major, minor, or Negro league baseball, along with college, high school, and more. Research articles could be historical, biographical, or statistical, but please avoid personal narrative.
This issue of The National Pastime will be co-edited by Steve West and Publications Director Cecilia Tan. To submit an article idea or abstract please fill out this form by December 15. If the form does not give enough space to adequately explain the idea, please upload a document. Only submissions sent using the online portal will be considered. Authors will be notified of accepted submissions shortly afterward, with first drafts due no later than February 1, 2025, and rewrites (if needed) will be due by April 15.
Queries should include a paragraph about the topic, an explanation of its importance to the region, a brief description of why you are interested in it, the resources you intend to use, and what of your research is original. Topics should not duplicate previously published work without significantly expanding the research.
The length for TNP articles is 1,500 to 2,500 words; the size of a midterm paper, not a masters thesis. Please estimate how long you expect your article to be as part of your query. If you are given a word count limit by the editor, you must stick to it.
For full writers’ guidelines and details on how to prep your manuscript for submission, click here. Remember that to be published in a SABR journal, your SABR membership must be current. (Click here to join.)
— Cecilia M. Tan
SABR Publications Director
Originally published: November 25, 2024. Last Updated: November 13, 2024.