SABR 51: Massey, Lesch, Roney, Simon, Smith win SABR Trivia Contest
SABR 51 team trivia champions: Cary Smith, R.J. Lesch, Mark Simon, Stephen Roney
After falling on a dramatic final question to Dan Massey in the individual finals, R.J. Lesch of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, finally captured his first SABR Trivia Contest team championship on Saturday, July 8, 2023, at SABR 51 in Chicago.
The team known as the “Barry Lyons All-Stars” consisted of Lesch; Stephen Roney of Ladera Ranch, California; Mark Simon of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; and Cary Smith of Buffalo Grove, Illinois. They dominated questions about Chicago baseball in the Jeopardy!-style contest moderated by D. Bruce Brown.
The runner-up team, called “The DL,” included David Kaiser of Watertown, Massachusetts; Mark Lewers of Spotsylvania, Virginia; William Lewers of McLean, Virginia; and David W. Smith of Newark, Delaware.
Lesch, Roney, and Simon are all first-time winners of the SABR Trivia Contest. Smith won an individual title in 2004.
In the individual finals, Massey, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, held off a furious second-half comeback attempt by Lesch. Massey broke an 18-18 tie on a question about Hall of Fame Seattle Mariners hitting coaches, and then sealed his win on a question about Mickey Mantle’s 1956 Triple Crown-winning season.
Massey’s previous three individual trivia titles came in 2014, 2017, and 2018; he also won a team title in 2022. His four individual titles are second all-time in SABR convention history, tied with Mike Caragliano and one behind Bill Carle’s five championships.
The SABR Trivia Contest was moderated by D. Bruce Brown, president of the Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter and co-chair of Horsehide Trivia with T. Scott Brandon. Brown and Brandon wrote and edited the questions. Assistance in evening sessions at SABR 51 was given by David Firstman, Damian Begley and others. Brandon assembled the game boards of the semifinal and final rounds.
To view a list of previous SABR Trivia Contest winners, click here.
For more coverage of SABR 51, visit SABR.org/convention.
Originally published: July 8, 2023. Last Updated: July 8, 2023.