This Week in SABR: February 8, 2019
Welcome to “This Week in SABR!” Click here to view this week’s newsletter on the web. Here’s what we’ve been up to as of February 8, 2019:
Announcing more speakers for the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference
We are pleased to announce more of our featured speakers and panelists at the eighth annual SABR Analytics Conference, presented by MLB and KinaTrax in Phoenix, Arizona.
The SABR Analytics Conference will be held Friday, March 8 to Sunday, March 10, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix. The conference is open to all baseball fans — regular registration discounts are available online only through February 14. Click here to register!
Here is some more information about our featured speakers:
- Dr. Steven Cadavid, president and founder of KinaTrax
- Greg Cain, Vice President of Baseball Data for MLB Advanced Media
- Seth Daniels, Director of Sales and Marketing for Rapsodo
- Travis Petersen, Senior Data Scientist at MLB Advanced Media
- Mike Petriello, Stats Analyst for MLB Advanced Media
- Cory Schwartz, Vice President of Data Operations for MLB Advanced Media
- Daren Willman, Director of Baseball Research and Development for MLB Advanced Media
They will join our other featured speakers, who are expected to include: John Dewan, owner of Baseball Info Solutions; Mike Ferrin, Arizona Diamondbacks and SiriusXM MLB Network Radio broadcaster; Vince Gennaro, SABR President; Rob Neyer, author of Power Ball: Anatomy of a Modern Baseball Game and host of the new weekly podcast, SABRcast with Rob Neyer; Carlos Peña, MLB Network analyst and former All-Star first baseman; Eno Sarris, staff writer for The Athletic; Jason Benetti, Chicago White Sox broadcaster; Steve Berthiaume, Arizona Diamondbacks broadcaster; Kyle Boddy, founder and owner of Driveline Baseball; Eduardo Perez, ESPN baseball analyst and former major-league player; Dr. Lee Picariello, owner and operator of Mindful Athlete Training; and more.
Click here to learn more about our speakers and panelists. Please note: All speakers are subject to change depending on availability.
For more information, visit SABR.org/analytics.
In Memoriam: Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson accomplished as much in baseball as anyone ever has: Rookie of the Year; MVP of each league; MVP of the World Series; MVP of the All-Star Game; Gold Glove winner; Manager of the Year; Triple Crown winner; and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His accomplishments on the field led to his Baseball Hall of Fame induction in 1982 and recognition as one of the finest players in the history of the game.
As Maxwell Kates wrote in his SABR biography, Robinson was also “one of the smartest and toughest players of his time, and one of its most renowned leaders. He earned the respect and admiration of his teammates wherever he traveled.” He fulfilled a dream of Jackie Robinson in 1975 when he became the first African American manager in MLB history with the Cleveland Indians. Frank Robinson spent more than three decades as a manager, winning more than 1,000 games overall, and then worked as a high-ranking executive with Major League Baseball.
The baseball legend and trailblazing pioneer died at the age of 83 on Thursday, February 7 after a prolonged illness.
Robinson, as Kates wrote, “would not want to be remembered as a racial pioneer. He would prefer to be immortalized as a baseball player who conducted his craft to the best of his ability in the field and at the plate.” But he was all of the above — and more. His uncompromising style and relentless determination inspired everyone who played with and against him and generations of players he managed.
Click here to read the full obituary at SABR.org.
Related links:
- Read the SABR biography of Frank Robinson, by Maxwell Kates (SABR BioProject)
- Listen to Frank Robinson’s Oral History interview with Fay Vincent from October 1, 2004 (SABR Oral History Collection)
- April 8, 1975: Frank Robinson debuts as first black manager in major leagues (SABR Games Project)
- Watch MLB Network’s video tribute to Frank Robinson (MLB.com)
- Jay Jaffe: Frank Robinson, superstar slugger and trailblazer (FanGraphs)
- Barry Svrluga: Frank Robinson, the Nats’ first manager, was D.C.’s treasure (Washington Post)
- Thomas Boswell: The Frank I knew (Washington Post)
- Ken Rosenthal: Fond memories of Frank Robinson (The Athletic)
- Michael Baumann: Remembering Frank Robinson, a trailblazing titan (The Ringer)
- Jeff Katz: F. Robby, baseball card icon (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
Last chance to vote for 2019 SABR Analytics Conference Research Awards winners
Here’s your chance to vote for the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference Research Award winners, which will recognize baseball researchers who have completed the best work of original analysis or commentary during the preceding calendar year.
Click here to cast your vote for the winners at SABR.org.
Contemporary Baseball Analysis
- Wayne Boyle, Sean O’Rourke, Jeff Long, and Harry Pavlidis, “Robo Strike Zone: It’s Not as Simple as You Think,” Baseball Prospectus, January 29, 2018.
- Jonathan Judge, “The Performance Case for DRC+,” Baseball Prospectus, December 3, 2018.
- Travis Sawchik, “Baseball Positions Are Starting to Lose Their Meaning,” FiveThirtyEight, August 28, 2018.
- Jeff Sullivan, “Banning the Shift Is a Solution in Search of a Problem,” FanGraphs, December 5, 2018.
- Meredith Wills, “How One Tiny Change to the Baseball May Have Led to Both the Home Run Surge and the Rise in Pitcher Blisters,” The Athletic, June 6, 2018.
Contemporary Baseball Commentary
- Patrick Dubuque, “A Hymn for the Index Stat,” Baseball Prospectus, December 3, 2018.
- Jeff Passan, “Here’s Why Baseball’s Economic System Might Be Broken,” Yahoo! Sports, January 16, 2018.
- Sheryl Ring, “The Human Side of the Cubs’ Addison Russell Decision,” FanGraphs, December 6, 2018.
- Eno Sarris, “The Next ‘Moneyball’ is Already Happening All Around Us, in the Wild West of Player Development,” The Athletic, December 7, 2018.
- Neil Weinberg, “Building Better Statistical Incentives,” The Hardball Times Annual 2018, January 25, 2018.
Historical Analysis/Commentary
- Britni de la Cretaz, “The Hidden Queer History Behind ‘A League of Their Own,’ ” Narratively, May 30, 2018.
- Steven Goldman, “Placeboball: When Baseball Proves Itself Nonessential,” The Hardball Times, June 7, 2018.
- Ben Lindbergh, “The Sabermetric Movement’s Forgotten Foremother,” The Ringer, February 20, 2018.
- Rachael McDaniel, “Doug Ault and the Triumph of Joy,” Baseball Prospectus, January 11, 2018.
- Dayn Perry, “The White Sox Ballpark in Chicago That Never Was and Could Have Changed History,” CBS Sports, April 10, 2018.
Details and criteria for each category can be found here. Only one work per author was considered as a finalist.
Voting for the winners will be conducted until 11:59 p.m. MST on Monday, February 11 at SABR.org, BaseballProspectus.com, FanGraphs.com, HardballTimes.com, and BeyondtheBoxScore.com, with results weighted equally at 20%.
Results will be announced and presented at the eighth annual SABR Analytics Conference, presented by MLB and KinaTrax, March 8-10, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. Learn more or register for the conference at SABR.org/analytics.
Registration discounts end February 14 for 2019 SABR Analytics Conference
Join us for the eighth annual SABR Analytics Conference, presented by MLB and KinaTrax, on Friday, March 8 to Sunday, March 10, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix, where we’ll bring together the top minds in the baseball analytics community to discuss, debate and share insightful ways to analyze and examine the great game of baseball. All baseball fans are welcome to attend.
The regular registration discount ends on Thursday, February 14, so register today to join us!
The Analytics Conference schedule consists of a combination of Guest Speakers, Panels, and Research Presentations — plus the unique Diamond Dollars Case Competition, in which undergraduate, graduate and law school students from across the country analyze and present a real baseball operations decision.
- Registration: Click here to register for the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference; SABR members: $445 regular registration (until February 14, 2019); $595 afterward. Students: $350; includes one-year membership to SABR.
- Hotel: Click here to book your room at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix at the special SABR rate of $229/night (plus tax). Please note: Rooms are also available under the SABR group block for the nights of Wednesday, March 6; Thursday, March 7; and Sunday, March 10. If you are visiting Arizona for spring training, please contact Deb Jayne to check on availability.
- Speakers: Click here for a list of featured speakers.
- Diamond Dollars Case Competition: Learn more or apply now to participate in the 2019 Diamond Dollars Case Competition.
- Yoseloff Scholarship: Click here to learn more about the Yoseloff Scholarship to attend the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference.
- Research Awards: Cast your vote now for the winners of the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference Research Awards.
- Research presentations: Stay tuned for more news on 2019 SABR Analytics Conference research presentations. Click here to learn more about submitting an abstract.
- Sponsors: Click here to learn more about our sponsors.
For more information on the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference, visit SABR.org/analytics.
The SABR Bookshelf: Winter 2019
Periodically throughout the year, SABR.org publishes The SABR Bookshelf, a listing of new books that are received at the SABR office.
Here are The SABR Bookshelf listings for Winter 2019:
SABR.org/content/sabr-bookshelf-winter-2019
Click on the link above for more detailed information on each of these books:
- Time for Expansion Baseball, edited by Maxwell Kates and Bill Nowlin
- Base Ball’s 19th Century “Winter” Meetings, 1857-1900, edited by Jeremy K. Hodges and Bill Nowlin
- 1995 Cleveland Indians: The Sleeping Giant Awakes, edited by Joseph Wancho
- Charles Ebbets: The Man Behind the Dodgers and Brooklyn’s Beloved Ballpark, by John G. Zinn
- The Days of Rube, Matty, Honus and Ty: Secens from the Early Deadball Era, 1904-1907, by Chuck Kimberly
- Bobby Maduro and the Cuban Sugar Kings, by Lou Hernandez
- The Last Yankee Dodgers: Fred Kipp, from Brooklyn to Los Angeles and the Bronx, by Fred Kipp and Scott Kipp
- Last Seasons in Havana: The Castro Revolution and the End of Professional Baseball in Cuba, by Cesar Brioso
- K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches, by Tyler Kepner
- 108 Stiches, by Ron Darling
- The New York Yankees in Popular Culture, edited by David Krell
- The Cleveland Indians, 1946-1960, by Shawn Eckhart
- San Diego’s First Padres and “The Kid”: The Story of the Remarkable 1936 San Diego Padres and Ted Williams’ Professional Baseball Debut, by Tom Larwin, Carlos Bauer, Dan Boyle, Frank Myers, and Larry Zuckerman
- Great American Baseball Stories, edited by Jeff Silverman
Bolded names indicates that the author(s) is a SABR member. Click here for a list of publishers found in the SABR Bookshelf, along with their contact information.
To learn more about the SABR Bookshelf, or how to add your new baseball book to a future edition, click here.
2019 Larry Ritter Book Award nominees announced
Each year, SABR’s Deadball Era Committee presents the Larry Ritter Book Award to recognize the best new baseball book primarily set in the Deadball Era that was published during the previous calendar year. The Ritter Award is presented during the Deadball Committee’s meeting at the annual SABR convention.
Here is the list of Ritter Award nominees for 2019:
- A Franchise on the Rise: The First Twenty Years of the New York Yankees, by Dom Amore (Skyhorse Publishing);
- September 1918: War, Plague, and the World Series, by Skip Desjardin (Regnery History)
- Game Faces: Early Baseball Cards from the Library of Congress, by Peter Devereaux (Smithsonian Books)
- Manager of the Giants: The Tactics, Temper and True Record of John McGraw, by Lou Hernandez (McFarland & Co.)
- The 1914 Boston Braves: A Miracle in Beantown, by Matthew Hock (self-published)
- The Days of Rube, Matty, Honus and Ty: Scenes from the Early Deadball Era, 1904-1907, by Chuck Kimberly (McFarland & Co.)
- Gettysburg Eddie: The Story of Eddie Plank, by Lawrence Knorr (Sunbury Press)
- Take Nothing for Granted in Baseball: The Harry Pulliam Story, by Mark Peavy (CreateSpace)
- Tinker, Evers, Chance: The Chicago Cubs and the Dawn of Modern America, by David Rapp (University of Chicago Press)
- Ty Cobb Unleashed: The Definitive Counter-Biography of the Chastened Racist, by Howard W. Rosenberg (Tile Books)
- America’s Game: A History of Major League Baseball through World War II, by Bryan Soderholm-Difatte (Rowman & Littlefield)
- The World Series in the Deadball Era: A History in the Words and Pictures of the Writers and Photographers, edited by Steve Steinberg (SABR and St. Johann Press)
- Charles Ebbets: The Man Behind the Dodgers and Brooklyn’s Beloved Ballpark, by John G. Zinn (McFarland & Co.)
The nominees’ list will be pared down to four finalists in early March, with the 2019 Larry Ritter Award to be publicly announced the following month.
For a list of past Ritter Award winners, click here.
Early registration is now open for SABR 49 in San Diego
We hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a spectacular SABR 49 convention this summer in San Diego. Conference and hotel registration is now available at SABR.org/convention.
Click here for more information on the SABR 49 All-Inclusive Package, Early-Bird Registration, and optional sessions. Click here to register for SABR 49.
- Registration: Click here for complete information on the SABR 49 All-Inclusive Package, Early-Bird Registration, and optional sessions. Or click here to register for SABR 49! We’re again offering a special All-Inclusive Package for the annual SABR convention. For the $369 all-inclusive rate, SABR members can get:
— Full registration to SABR 49 in San Diego (early-bird: $289; regular rate: $319)
— 1 ticket in the Upper Infield Reserved (1B) section to the Padres vs. Cardinals game on Friday, June 28 at Petco Park ($24 value)
— 1 ticket to the Awards Luncheon on Friday, June 28 ($70 value)
— 1 exclusive SABR 49 convention logo lapel pin
— 2 complimentary Continental breakfasts on Thursday and Friday mornings*
*The Continental breakfast benefit is only available when you register for the All-Inclusive Package.
Non-members can pay $399 for the All-Inclusive Package; the deadline to register is Monday, May 6, 2019. - Hotel: The special SABR group rate at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego of $224/night (single rate) or $254/night (double rate) is only available to registered convention attendees. After you register for the SABR 49 convention, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with details on how to book your hotel room at the SABR group rate. If you do not receive your confirmation email after registering, please contact Deb Jayne at djayne@sabr.org. There are a limited number of rooms in our group block, so be sure to register for SABR 49 early!
- Awards Luncheon: SABR will host a special Awards Luncheon on Friday, June 28 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. The Awards Luncheon, which includes a meal, will feature the announcement of SABR’s annual awards — including the Bob Davids Award, our highest honor. One ticket to the Awards Luncheon is included in the all-inclusive package or guest tickets are available for $70 when you register for SABR 49.
- Research presentations: SABR invites all members to present their research findings to their colleagues attending SABR 49. The deadline to submit your abstract is Sunday, February 24, 2019. Click here for complete details and application form.
- Yoseloff Scholarship: Students, click here to learn more about a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend SABR 49 in San Diego. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 29, 2019.
Visit SABR.org/convention to learn more or to register for the SABR 49 convention.
SABR 49: Call for presentations
SABR invites all members to present their research findings to their colleagues attending SABR 49, the 2019 annual convention in San Diego.
Through on-site judging, the most highly-regarded presentations will receive the Doug Pappas Award for best oral presentation and the SABR Convention Poster Presentation Award for best poster presentation.
- Click here to submit abstracts for SABR 49: http://bit.ly/sabr49-presentations
The submission deadline for SABR 49 abstracts is midnight PST on Sunday, February 24, 2019.
Click here for complete details and submission criteria.
Students, apply now for a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend SABR 49 in San Diego
With generous funding from The Anthony A. Yoseloff Foundation, Inc., SABR will award up to four scholarships to high school or college students to attend SABR 49 on June 26-30, 2019, in San Diego. This scholarship will pay for registration, transportation and lodging (double occupancy) up to a total value of $1,250.
The objective of this scholarship fund is to encourage high school and college-level student engagement with baseball research and to engender an active interest in baseball and SABR.
- Download an application form: Click here to download a Yoseloff Scholarship form to attend SABR 49 in San Diego
All applications must be postmarked or e-mailed to Jeff Schatzki at jschatzki@sabr.org no later than Friday, March 29, 2019.
Click here for complete details and submission criteria.
Call for nominations: 2019 SABR Board of Directors election
The SABR Nominating Committee seeks nominations for candidates for the 2019 elections. All candidates for the Board of Directors must have been members of the Society for at least the preceding four years to be eligible for election. Deadline for nominations is February 28, 2019. Nominees must prepare a Candidate Statement Form following guidelines that will be available from any Nominating Committee member. The Candidate Statement Form must be received by the Nominating Committee chair no later than March 15.
The offices to be filled:
- President (2-year term; currently Vince Gennaro)
- Director (3-year term; currently Chris Dial)
- Director (3-year term; currently Bill Nowlin)
Self-nominations are welcome. If you would like to nominate yourself or another candidate or suggest a question for the candidates, contact Nominating Committee chair Neal Traven at beisbol@alumni.pitt.edu.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
SABR to launch new baseball podcast in 2019: SABRcast with Rob Neyer
Baseball fans, tune in this season to SABRcast with Rob Neyer, a new weekly podcast hosted by award-winning author and longtime SABR member Rob Neyer.
SABRcast, which will launch around Opening Day in the spring of 2019, will feature insights and analysis of what’s happening in modern baseball on and off the field, plus compelling interviews with figures from around the game — and music from The Baseball Project.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
SABR Digital Library: 1995 Cleveland Indians: The Sleeping Giant Awakes
Add a new baseball book to your collection with the newest title from the SABR Digital Library:
1995 Cleveland Indians: The Sleeping Giant Awakes
Edited by Joseph Wancho
Associate Editors: Rick Huhn, Len Levin, and Bill Nowlin
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-943816-94-1, $9.99
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-943816-95-8, $21.95
410 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Click here to read the full description of this book at SABR.org.
SABR members, get this e-book for FREE!
- E-book: Click here to download the e-book version of 1995 Cleveland Indians for FREE from the SABR Store. Available in PDF, Kindle/MOBI and EPUB formats.
- Paperback: Get a 50% discount on the 1995 Cleveland Indians paperback edition from the SABR Store ($15.99 includes shipping/tax; delivery via Kindle Direct Publishing can take up to 4-6 weeks.)
Having trouble downloading our e-books? To view PDF files on your computer, click here to download the free Adobe Reader software. Having trouble downloading e-books to your Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader or iPad? Click here for additional help.
Sign up today for the 2019 SABR Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference
The 11th annual Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference will be held April 26-27, 2019, at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
Note: Space is extremely limited and some research presentations will be double-tracked. On the final page of your registration form, please indicate your preferred choice of Research Presentation for each of the six pairs that are double-tracked.
- Registration: Click here to download the registration form (PDF). Registrations can be accepted by mail only: send BOTH completed 19th Century Base Ball Conference registration forms to: Peter Mancuso, 6970 Ely Road, New Hope, PA 18938. Enclose your personal check for the appropriate amount and make payable to “SABR,” with “Fred 19cBB Conference” written on the check’s memo line.
- Cost: Conference registration is $65 per person, including the Saturday luncheon. Tickets for the optional Friday evening Welcoming Dinner ($45) at Templeton Hall and Saturday evening Post-Conference Gathering ($35) at the historic Otesaga Hotel can also be purchased in advance for you or a guest. Anyone who wishes to purchase an extra ticket for a guest to attend the Saturday luncheon only ($35) can also do so.
- RSVP: Please mail your registration form no later than February 6. Registration is limited to the first 80 people to sign up, so please register early!
- Contact: For questions, or if you miss the registration mailing deadline, contact Peter Mancuso at peterplus4@earthlink.net to see if space is still available.
The 2019 conference will be highlighted by a keynote address from baseball historian Joanne Hulbert, along with a panel discussion on “The Birth of Baseball Cards” with John Thorn, Peter Devereaux, Tom Shieber, and Jeff Katz; a special presentation by Richard Hershberger on “The Evolution of Baseball Rules”; a Member Spotlight interview of Priscilla Astifan by Bob Bailey; plus book signings, research presentations, and a welcome dinner.
For more information, or to register, visit SABR.org/ivor-campbell19c.
Renew your membership by February 28 to receive the SABR Baseball Research Journal
For those of you whose memberships expired recently, there’s still a little time left to renew and be a part of the SABR community again in 2019. If you’ve already renewed, we thank you for your support and look forward to another exciting year ahead.
Renew now to receive the Spring 2019 edition of the Baseball Research Journal, plus discounts on registration to the 2019 SABR Analytics Conference and SABR 49 in San Diego, and a lot more! Please note: We MUST receive your dues by February 28, 2019, in order for you to receive the upcoming BRJ.
- Here’s how to renew: You can renew your membership for 1 year or 3 years online at the SABR Store; by phone at (602) 496-1463; or by mailing this downloadable PDF form and your payment to the SABR office at Cronkite School at ASU, 555 N. Central Ave. #416, Phoenix, AZ 85004.
Dues are the same as they have been in recent years: $65 for an annual membership or $45 for anyone under 30 or over 65. Click here for a full list of SABR membership benefits.
New team ownership histories: Boston Unions and Worcester Nationals
The SABR Team Ownership Histories Project is a joint effort of SABR’s Business of Baseball Committee and the BioProject. The intention is to keep its essays up-to-date and to provide as much detail as possible about the organization and composition of ownership groups, franchise sales, relocations, stadiums, and other issues that provide the financial context for team success on the field.
Two new articles were published this week, part of a new section on the defunct franchises in major-league history. We will be publishing more articles on defunct major-league franchises from the National Association, National League, American Association, Union Association, Players League, and Federal League:
- Boston Unions team ownership history (1884), by Charlie Bevis
- Worcester Nationals team ownership history (1880-82), by Charlie Bevis
Click here to read all published team ownership histories at SABR.org.
This project is a continuing effort. Some team articles have been assigned, but anyone who wishes to contribute is encouraged to contact Andy McCue at amccue@sabr.org. The project is also looking for authors interested in writing the ownership history of the Milwaukee and/or Atlanta Braves, all versions of the Athletics, the Angels, Brewers, Nationals, Padres, Pirates, Rockies, Orioles, and Rays. Thanks to Len Levin for his work in copy editing all of these essays. To learn more or to read the author guidelines, click here.
6 new SABR biographies published
Six new biographies were posted this week as part of the SABR Baseball Biography Project, which brings us to a total of 4,786 published biographies. Here are the new bios published this week:
- Dick Armstrong, by Bob Golon (first-time author)
- James Billings, by Charlie Bevis
- Erv Brame, by Gregory H. Wolf
- Jerry Cram, by Kevin Duffy (first-time author)
- Jack Gleason, by Brian Flaspohler
- Buck O’Neil, by Bob LeMoine
All new biographies can be found here: SABR.org/bioproj/recent
- Search for any SABR biography: You can now visit sabr.org/bioproj_search to search for any player — or manager, executive, scout, spouse, broadcaster, or umpire — who appears in the SABR BioProject. You can also browse all of these BioProject categories and a lot more, including 300-game winners, Hall of Famers, 1960s All-Stars, or Negro Leaguers, at our Browse page: sabr.org/bioproj/browse.
- Read all bios from From Spring Training to Screen Test book online: In From Spring Training to Screen Test: Baseball Players Turned Actors, published by SABR in 2018 and edited by Rob Edelman and Bill Nowlin, we told the stories of the stars and supporting players on baseball diamonds who also became stars and supporting players in the movies, on Broadway, in vaudeville and, eventually, on television and in concert halls. All of the biographies in From Spring Training to Screen Test are now available to be read online at the SABR BioProject. Click here to download a free e-book edition or get 50% off the paperback edition of From Spring Training to Screen Test.
2 new stories published by the SABR Games Project
Two new game stories were posted this week as part of the SABR Games Project. Here are the new game stories:
- September 18, 1968: Cardinals’ Ray Washburn no-hits the Giants, by Joseph Wancho
- October 3, 1993: Indians bid farewell to Cleveland Stadium, by Joseph Wancho
In addition, these game stories from Moments of Joy and Heartbreak: 66 Significant Episodes in the History of the Pittsburgh Pirates (SABR, 2018), edited by Jorge Iber and Bill Nowlin, were also posted online:
- June 19, 1934: Pie Traynor replaces George Gibson as Pirates manager, by Jack Zerby
- April 27, 1938: Arky Vaughan slams Cubs, edges Cubs, by Joseph Wancho
- May 4, 1938: Lloyd Waner’s big game with 4 hits, 5 RBIs lifts Pirates, by Blake Sherry
- May 30, 1939: Johnny Rizzo sets Pirates record with nine RBIs in a game, by Bob LeMoine
- August 27, 1949: Tiny Bonham’s last game, by C. Paul Rogers III
- June 25, 1950: Ralph Kiner hits for cycle with 8 RBIs in Pirates’ win over Dodgers, by Mike Huber
- September 23, 1951: Murry Dickson wins 20th game for seventh-place Pirates, by Richard “Pete” Peterson
- June 6, 1952: Murry Dickson and the Bucs shave ‘The Barber’, by Paul Hofmann
- April 13, 1954: Pirates’ Vern Law celebrates return from military service with Opening Day win, by Gordon J. Gattie
- May 16, 1954: Pioneering Pirates rookie Curt Roberts collects three hits, continues steady defense, by Jack Zerby
- September 24, 1955: Bob Friend clinches NL ERA title for last-place Pirates, by Gordon J. Gattie
- July 25, 1956: Roberto Clemente hits an inside-the-park, walk-off grand slam to lift Pirates, by Steven C. Weiner
- June 12, 1970: Pirates’ Dock Ellis throws a no-hitter, by Richard Puerzer
- September 1, 1971: Pirates field first all-black lineup in baseball history, by Richard Puerzer
To read more stories from the Pittsburgh Pirates greatest games book at the SABR Games Project, click here.
New Games Project stories can be found at SABR.org/gamesproject/recent. Find all published Games Project articles at SABR.org/GamesProject.
- Get involved: Have memories of a game you attended? Or a game you watched that caught your interest? Write about it! Writing for the Games Project is an easy way to get involved as a SABR member. Find out how by reading the Games Project FAQs section or checking out the Authors’ Guidelines. We have editors and fact checkers who are willing to help you write your first article.
- Read all stories from Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis online: In Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis: Home of the Browns and Cardinals at Grand and Dodier, edited by Gregory H. Wolf and published by SABR in 2017, we shared stories of 100 memorable games at the venerable ballpark which played host to the St. Louis Cardinals and Browns from 1909 through 1966. From Babe Ruth’s 3-homer World Series day to one-armed outfielder Pete Gray’s major-league debut to Eddie Gaedel’s pinch-hitting appearance to Bob Gibson’s Game 7 heroics, you can now find all game stories from the Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis book online at the SABR Games Project. Click here to read them all. Or click here to download a free e-book copy or get 50% off the paperback edition.
Listen to a new episode of Behind the Numbers: Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM
Behind the Numbers: Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM, a radio show hosted by SABR President Vince Gennaro, is back for the Hot Stove League offseason at a new time, 4:00-5:00 p.m. ET on Sundays, on MLB Network Radio.
This week’s guests are SABR member Ben Lindbergh of The Ringer and Harry Pavlidis of Baseball Prospectus.
You can also listen to archives of recent episodes on-demand on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App. Click here to learn more. Behind the Numbers: Baseball SABR Style on SiriusXM focuses on examining and interpreting the statistical analysis that plays a critical role in baseball today. It airs weekly throughout the year on MLB Network Radio, available to subscribers nationwide on XM channel 89, Sirius channel 209, and on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App.
Register for the 2019 Southern Association Conference in Birmingham
SABR’s Rickwood Field Chapter announces the 16th annual Southern Association Conference, which will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Dedicated to the preservation of the history of the Southern Association and the history of baseball in the South, the conference will take place from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at historic Rickwood Field, located at 1137 2nd Avenue West, Birmingham, AL 35204.
The cost is $35.00 per person, and a snack breakfast and full lunch is included. Contact David Brewer or Clarence Watkins with questions or if you are interested in giving a presentation.
Last call for SABR award nominations
- McFarland-SABR Baseball Research Award, due 2/15/2019: The McFarland-SABR Baseball Research Award honors the authors of the best articles on baseball history or biography completed or published during the preceding calendar year. To submit a nomination for the 2019 awards, please contact Len Levin at lenlevin5@hotmail.com.
Please note: Only ONE entry per nomination will be considered (do not submit multiple nominations for the same award). For more information on SABR Awards, click here.
ICYMI: Highlights from last week’s This Week in SABR
We’ve heard your feedback: Some of you have said you look forward to “This Week in SABR” every Friday, but sometimes there are just too many compelling articles and announcements to read every week. We’re not complaining — hey, keep up the great work! — but we know the feeling. So in an effort to make the length of this newsletter more manageable to read, we’ll summarize some of the repeating/recurring announcements in a special “In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)” section of “This Week in SABR”.
Here are some major headlines from recent weeks that we don’t want you to miss:
- Jane Leavy’s The Big Fella wins 2019 SABR Seymour Medal
- Check out highlights and photos from 2019 SABR Day
- Read SABR biographies of the Hall of Fame Class of 2019
- SABR member Jayson Stark wins 2019 J.G. Taylor Spink Award
- SABR Digital Library: Base Ball’s 19th Century “Winter” Meetings, 1857-1900
- SABR Digital Library: Time for Expansion Baseball
- Craig Brown wins 2018 George Michael SABR Pictorial History Award
- SABR Media Committee’s Baseball Buffet podcast now available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
- Read articles from the Fall 2018 Baseball Research Journal online
- SABR presents 2018 Rawlings Platinum Glove Awards to Matt Chapman, Nolan Arenado
- Students, apply now for a SABR Negro Leagues Committee scholarship in 2019
- 2019 SABR Black Sox Scandal symposium to be held in Chicago
- Listen to interviews at the SABR Oral History Collection website
- Check out new articles from the SABR Team Ownership Histories Project
- Get a gift for baseball fan in your life with the new SABR Store @ CafePress
- Help support SABR’s 19th Century Baseball Grave Marker Project
- All e-books in SABR Digital Library available for free to members
All previous editions of This Week in SABR can be found here: https://sabr.org/content/this-week-in-sabr-archives.
Welcome, new members!
We’d like to welcome all of our new SABR members who have joined this week. You can find all Members-Only resources at members.sabr.org and the Membership Handbook can be downloaded here.
Please give these new members a warm welcome and help them make the most of their membership by giving them the opportunity to get involved in their local chapter or a research committee.
You can find contact information for any SABR member in the online membership directory (SABR.org/directory).
Name | Hometown | Name | Hometown | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eric Abneri | Lido Beach, NY | Mick McKamie | San Antonio, TX | ||
Matthew Bailey | Chandler, AZ | Mitch McLachlan | Troy, MI | ||
Budd Bailey | Buffalo, NY | John McLaughlin | Rocky River, OH | ||
Alejandro Quiroga | San Diego, CA | Roberta Mendonca | W. Sacramento, CA | ||
Adam Bennett | Spring Green, WI | Matthew Morrissette | Watertown, MA | ||
Jim Blakemore | Morrison, IL | Nicholas Naylor | Ashburn, VA | ||
Todd Bouverot | Fanwood, NJ | Tom O’Brien | Littleton, CO | ||
Joseph Burke | Oak Lawn | Jim O’Connell | Neptune, NJ | ||
Scott Burks | Keizer, OR | Seth Oglesby | Chesapeake, VA | ||
Matthew Chandler | Lafayette, IN | Mark Peterson | Carlsbad, CA | ||
Jack Clark | Ann Arbor, MI | Joe Pritchard | Waunakee, WI | ||
Terry Diederich | Goshen, IN | William Rosser | Sand Springs, OK | ||
Michael Farley | Sparkill, NY | Chris Schreiner | Ithaca, NY | ||
Michael Finn | Marana, AZ | Buddy Smith | Shoreline, WA | ||
Ron Gerrard | Henderson, NV | Frank Spataro | Cincinnati, OH | ||
Robert Hanmore | St. Charles, MO | Allen Stare | Jacksonville, IL | ||
John Hennessy | Dunellen, NJ | Wesley Story | Richmond, TX | ||
John Hundley | Chicago, IL | Emma Sullivan | Elk Grove, CA | ||
Jack Ireland | Toronto, ON | Scott Sullivan | Cincinnati, OH | ||
Don Kladstrup | Paris, FRA | Kevin Tholke | Shaker Heights, OH | ||
Michael Kuhse | Arlington, VA | Gary Thorne | Solvang, CA | ||
Michael Lombard | Houston, TX |
Research Committee news
Here are the new research committee updates this week:
- Deadball Era: February 2019 newsletter (click here for Herm Krabbenhoft appendix)
Find all SABR research committee newsletters at SABR.org/research.
Regional Chapter news
Here are the new regional chapter updates this week:
- SABR Day highlights! Check out more stories and photos from SABR Day events around the globe at SABR.org/sabrday
- Hemond-Delhi Arizona Chapter: February 2019 newsletter (Phoenix, AZ)
- Magnolia Chapter: Follow along with updates from the Atlanta-based Magnolia Chapter on Twitter at @MagnoliaSABR. For a complete list of SABR chapters and committees on social media, click here.
Visit SABR.org/chapters for more information on SABR regional chapters.
SABR Events Calendar
Here is a list of upcoming events on the SABR calendar:
- February 8: Babe Ruth Museum: Babe’s Birthday Bash (Baltimore, MD)
- February 9: Lefty O’Doul Chapter/Dusty Baker-Sacramento Chapter joint SABR Day meeting (San Leandro, CA)
- February 9: Hank Gowdy Chapter book club meeting (Columbus, OH)
- February 9: Halsey Hall Chapter book club meeting (Roseville, MN)
- February 9: Field of Dreams Chapter SABR Day meeting (Des Moines, IA)
- February 9: West Texas Chapter meeting and baseball talks (Fort Concho, TX)
- February 11: Halsey Hall Chapter research committee meeting (Brooklyn Center, MN)
- February 13: Bob Davids Chapter Monthly Hot Stove Dinner (Arlington, VA)
- February 13: Tim Wendel: “Summer of ’68” book signing (San Francisco, CA)
- February 13: Civil Rights Center: “Catalyst for Change: Baseball in Atlanta” (Atlanta, GA)
- February 16: Northwest Chapter winter meeting (Tualatin, OR)
- February 16: South Florida Chapter meeting (Tamarac, FL)
- February 16: Connecticut Smoky Joe Wood Chapter Strat-O-Matic Gameday event (Durham, CT)
- February 16: Gary Sarnoff: “History of Negro Leagues” (Waynesboro, VA)
- February 18: Larry Dierker Chapter monthly meeting (Houston, TX)
- February 19: Bob Davids Chapter Maryland Hot Stove Dinner (Silver Spring, MD)
- February 20: Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter “Called Shot” monthly meeting (Baltimore, MD)
- February 20: Rocky Mountain Chapter monthly luncheon (Denver, CO)
- February 21: Magnolia Chapter “Third Thursday” monthly meeting (Sandy Springs, GA)
- February 23: Sweet Lou Johnson Lexington Chapter meeting (Lexington, KY)
All SABR meetings and events are open to the public. Feel free to bring a baseball-loving friend … and make many new ones! Check out the SABR Events Calendar at SABR.org/events.
Around the Web
Here are some recent articles published by and about SABR members:
- Richard Goldstein: Overlooked no more: Moses Fleetwood Walker (New York Times)
- Jayson Stark: Move back the mound? MLB and players are open to that, and more (The Athletic)
- Jeff Sullivan: Let’s look at a bunch of proposed changes to baseball (FanGraphs)
- Sam Miller: Welcome to a small-market team’s worst nightmare (ESPN.com)
- Aaron Gleeman: The age of PECOTA (Baseball Prospectus)
- Rob Mains: Why PECOTA hates your favorite team in 2019 (Baseball Prospectus)
- Jeff Passan: Kyler Murray owns his future in a truly historic sense (ESPN.com)
- J.P. Hoornstra: Dodger fan’s death is more than a cautionary tale about foul balls (Orange County Register)
- Shakeia Taylor: Baseball and jazz (Baseball Prospectus)
- Kevin Johnson: Chronicles and stories from Negro League ballparks (Seamheads.com)
- Ryan Whirty: A look at the desegregation of the PCL (Home Plate Don’t Move)
- David Kagan: Yasiel Puig, physicist? (The Hardball Times)
- Stephanie Springer: Rehashing the minor-league drug program (The Hardball Times)
- Joe Posnanski: Would Babe Ruth be a star in today’s game? (The Athletic)
- Kate Morrison: DRC+ and observables (Baseball Prospectus)
- Wes Jenkins: Examining the box score of Mariano Rivera’s final game (The Hardball Times)
- Frank Jackson: Holding ’em hitless and going the distance — when it doesn’t count (The Hardball Times)
- Chris Bouton: Revisiting baseball’s 1887 labor negotiations (The Hardball Times)
- Tim Jenkins: Highjacked to the Suds City (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
- Jason Schwartz: Extra! Extra! Read all about the prehistory of 1981 Donruss! (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
- Anthony Salazar: The Great Wax Pack Derby: A New Participation Project (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
Read these articles and more at SABR.org/latest.
This Week in SABR is compiled by Jacob Pomrenke. If you would like us to include an upcoming event, article or any other information in “This Week in SABR,” e-mail jpomrenke@sabr.org.
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Originally published: February 8, 2019. Last Updated: April 3, 2020.