SABR Founder John Pardon Passes Away at 70
John Pardon, one of the sixteen founders of the Society for American Baseball Research, died Sunday, October 19 of cancer. He was 70.
Born in East Meadow, New York, John grew up in Ossining, New York (next to Sing Sing Prison) and was a former sports writer in Ossining and Asheville, North Carolina. He also worked for the Department of Veteran Affairs, from which he retired. A kind and gentle man, John loved to be punny as possible, and he approached life as something to be lived and enjoyed.
John Pardon, one of the sixteen founders of the Society for American Baseball Research, died Sunday, October 19 of cancer. He was 70.
Born in East Meadow, New York, John grew up in Ossining, New York (next to Sing Sing Prison) and was a former sports writer in Ossining and Asheville, North Carolina. He also worked for the Department of Veteran Affairs, from which he retired. A kind and gentle man, John loved to be punny as possible, and he approached life as something to be lived and enjoyed. After he had a portion of his colon removed to combat his colon cancer, he enjoyed talking about having a semi-colon.
A life-long bachelor, John held many leadership positions in SABR, including Vice-President, secretary and director. He chaired the Minor League Committee. He was named as a Bob Davids Award winner in 1998 and was a recipient of the SABR Salute in the 1997-98 SABR membership directory. He was also awarded the Casey Stengel Chapter’s Meritorious Service Award in 1995.
John was a strong proponent of SABR’s archives, always insisting that SABR’s historical papers be preserved. He also kept tabs on SABR’s Endowment, contributing something to it on an annual basis. A member of SABR’s Legacy Circle, John made provisions for SABR in his estate planning.
He attended 32 SABR conventions. He always arrived early to do his sight-seeing in the host city ahead of time, and he always was willing and eager to help the local committee with stuffing of goody bags.
Minor league baseball research was John’s main focus and expertise (he and Jerry Jackson put together “The Cities of Professional Baseball”), but he also was a member of a dozen other research committees.
John will be missed by so many of the SABR members whose lives he touched over the years.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2008 from 2-4 and 7-9pm at the EDWARD F. CARTER FUNERAL HOME 41
Originally published: October 20, 2008. Last Updated: October 20, 2008.