This Week in SABR: July 18, 2025
Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, July 18, 2025.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.
SABR Defensive Index rankings released through July 13
More highlights, photos from SABR 53 in Texas
Register now for Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference in Louisville
SABR Local Grants update: Sea Foam House night baseball exhibit
Call for papers: 2026 SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference
Learn more about new SABR Institutional Memberships
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SABR Defensive Index rankings released through July 13
San Diego right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and Boston center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela lead their respective leagues in the updated SABR Defensive Index™ rankings through Major League Baseball games of Sunday, July 13.
The SABR Defensive Index is used to help select the winners of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® and Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™, presented by SABR.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Check out more highlights, photos from SABR 53
Couldn’t make it to Texas for SABR 53? Check out more coverage of our 2025 convention from the Westin DFW Airport online:
- Listen to highlights from Texas Rangers Ballparks Panel with Tom Schieffer, Fred Ortiz, Rob Matwick, and Chuck Morgan (audio)
- Listen to highlights from the Beckett Baseball Cards Panel with Dr. James Beckett, Rich Klein, and Paul Rogers (audio)
- Listen to highlights from the Texas Minor League Baseball Panel with Tim Purpura, Bob Baillargeon, Rick Herrscher, and Paul Rogers (audio)
- Listen to highlights from committee meeting speakers at SABR 53, including Dr. James Beckett, Tony Barnette and Aaron Fischman, Scott Bush, Mark Presswood, Dan Hill, and more (audio)
For more coverage of SABR 53, visit SABR.org/convention.
Register now for Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
All baseball fans are welcome to attend the 2025 Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference. Full and single-day registration is available now at SABR.org/malloy.
- Register: Click here to register online for the 2025 Malloy Conference. Full registration is $195. Students: $75. Single-day registration is also available for $90 for Friday or Saturday. Extra tickets can be purchased for Thursday’s Education Forum at the Galt House, Thursday’s “meet and greet” reception at the Roots 101 African American Museum, Friday’s Louisville Bats baseball game at Slugger Field, or Saturday’s awards banquet at the Galt House. All of these sessions are included in the full registration package.
- Hotel: A special group rate at the Galt House Hotel of $159/night (plus tax) is available to registered convention attendees. To book your room, click here or call 502-589-5200. The Galt House Hotel is located at 140 N. 4th St., Louisville, KY 40202.
- Schedule: Click here to view the 2025 Malloy Conference schedule.
- Information Packet: Click here to download the Malloy Conference informational packet (PDF)
- Contact: For questions, email Leslie Heaphy at Lheaphy@kent.edu.
Visit SABR.org/malloy for more information or to register.
SABR Local Grants update: Sea Foam House night baseball exhibit
A new storyboard exhibit recognizing the first baseball game played under artificial light in 1880 has been installed at the site of the Sea Foam House in Hull, Massachusetts. The project was partially funded through a Local Grant received by the SABR Boston Chapter. A dedication ceremony was held on June 11, 2025, with Steve Greenberg, President of the Hull Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Hull Historical Society, as master of ceremonies. Herb Crehan from the SABR Boston Chapter and Dennis Riley, Chair of the Hull Historical Society, also participated. Following the ceremony, a luncheon was held at the nearby Hull Council on Aging.
The town of Hull is planning a public anniversary celebration on September 2, the 145th anniversary of the original game on September 2, 1880. More details will be shared as they are confirmed.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Call for papers: 2026 SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference
All SABR members are invited and encouraged to submit a Research Presentation Proposal Abstract on any topic of 19th-century baseball for the 2026 Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The 17th annual Ivor-Campbell Conference is scheduled for April 24-25, 2026. The deadline for proposal Abstracts is October 31, 2025.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Join SABR on August 9 for Lefty O’Doul Monument Renovation and Celebration Event
Join us this summer for an unforgettable tribute to a San Francisco legend! SABR’s Lefty O’Doul Bay Area Chapter invites all baseball fans to a hometown hero celebration honoring Francis Joseph “Lefty” O’Doul, whose magnificent baseball grave monument has been fully restored at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in California.
- When: Saturday, August 9, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.
- Where: Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, 1370 El Camino Real, Colma, CA 94014
- Cost: Free and open to the public
Click here to watch a promo video, produced by filmmaker and SABR member Jon Leonoudakis.
The celebration will begin with the dramatic unveiling of Lefty’s newly restored monument — an impressive 6-foot, 5-inch tall tribute that truly captures the essence of this baseball icon. Afterward, the festivities move to nearby Molloy’s Tavern, where we’ll raise a glass to celebrate Lefty’s 128th birthday surrounded by fellowship, good cheer, and our shared passion for baseball—America’s beloved national pastime.
The renovation was possible thanks to funding from the SABR Local Grants Program and the San Francisco Giants.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Learn more about new SABR Institutional Memberships
A SABR Institutional Membership is the perfect way to connect your group with baseball’s rich history. Whether you are supporting historical or analytical researchers or engaging with baseball fans in your community, SABR provides the network, tools, and expertise to enhance your offerings.
A SABR Institutional Membership is ideal for libraries, museums, and historical societies; high schools; and higher education departments, especially History, American Studies, and Sports Analytics programs.
Institutional Members receive unlimited access to SABR’s extensive collection of digital publications; exclusive research resources, including access to historical newspaper databases; engagement opportunities with SABR experts and a network of baseball historians and analysts.
To learn more, contact Paul J. Zwirecki for details on membership options and enrollment.
Get involved: SABR BioProject seeks reviewers, editors
The SABR Biography Project needs your help! All baseball biographies submitted to the BioProject undergo rigorous editing, which includes initial vetting and editing, fact-checking, and copy editing. We are looking for volunteers for each of these stages.
These editors play an important role in the development of the bios and help ensure the high quality and critical acclaim of our research. While experience in editing and fact checking is helpful, it is not necessary. We encourage anyone interested to contact Rory Costello or Gregory H. Wolf for more details.
Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.
2 new stories published at SABR BioProject
- Ed Mensor, by Darren Gibson
- Tullar Field (Wellsville, NY), by Kurt Blumenau
Visit SABR.org/bioproject to learn more about the SABR Biography Project or to get involved.
7 new stories published at SABR Games Project
- September 6, 1869: Joe Start hits four home runs to lead Atlantic Club over Eckfords in championship match, by David Rader
- July 29, 1955: Ted Williams’s solo home run in the first inning proves a game-winner for Red Sox, by Bill Nowlin
- July 25, 1968: Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle reunite for Yankees’ exhibition in Syracuse, by Kurt Blumenau
- September 7, 1970: Twins’ Hal Haydel earns win with five-inning relief outing in major league debut, by Al Strauss (first-time author)
- May 17, 1985: Dave Parker’s homer leads Reds over Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium, by John Fredland
- September 28, 1988: Orel Hershiser pitches his 59th consecutive scoreless inning, breaking Don Drysdale’s record, by Jake Rinloan
- July 23, 2000: Pedro Martínez throws third shutout of the season for Red Sox, by Bill Nowlin
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.
New Oral History interview: Dan Spillner
- Dan Spillner, MLB pitcher for 12 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox
Recorded June 24, 2025, by John McMurray
Visit SABR.org/oralhistory to find more interviews from the SABR Oral History Collection.
Stan Musial
Edited by Bill Nowlin and Glen Sparks
Visit SABR.org to download the free e-book edition or save 50% off the paperback edition of all Digital Library books.
Here are some SABR headlines from recent weeks that we don’t want you to miss:
- Tom Hufford selected as 2025 Bob Davids Award winner
- Bruce Bochy honored with 2025 Roland Hemond Award
- Read articles from The National Pastime: Baseball in Texas and Beyond
- SABR chapters honored for exceptional performance in 2024-25
- Lahman Database files now available for download
- Jason Schwartz, Ebenezer Olubayode win 2025 convention presentation awards
- Anson Whaley selected as winner of 2025 SABR Jefferson Burdick Award
- Al Reach selected as SABR’s Overlooked 19th Century Base Ball Legend
- Download the 2025 SABR Annual Report
- SABR Defensive Index rankings released through June 8
- Save the date: Join us for SABR Analytics Conference on Feb. 27-March 1, 2026
- SABR and Abilene Christian University announce partnership
- Tyrone Brooks appointed to SABR Board of Directors
- View a collection of nearly 100,000 player surveys in the new Weiss Baseball Questionnaires collection
- Read articles from Spring 2025 Baseball Research Journal
- SABR Digital Library: Here Comes the Pizzer: The Found Poetry of Baseball Broadcasts
- Learn more about recipients of SABR Local Grants in 2025
- Hundreds of ProQuest US newspapers added to SABR Research Resources
- Browse the new, searchable SABR MLB Team Employee Database
- Find complete collection of SABR-Rucker Archive baseball images online
- Historical Black Newspapers Collection added to SABR Research Resources
- Get a gift for baseball fan in your life with the SABR Store @ CafePress
Please give a warm welcome to all new SABR members who joined this week! View more Members-Only resources at members.sabr.org or click here to download the Membership Handbook. Find contact information for any SABR member in the online Membership Directory.
| NAME | HOMETOWN | NAME | HOMETOWN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zidaan Aamer | Chicago, IL | Jake Ludington | Santa Cruz, CA | ||
| Micheal Beatty | Chicago, IL | Edward McGinley | New Smyrna Beach, FL | ||
| Luis Capri | Orlando, FL | Brent Middleton | Marysville, OH | ||
| Michael Doren | Berkeley Heights, NJ | Gary Moskalyk | Thunder Bay, ON | ||
| Meghan Hanna | Hooksett, NH | Cole Newbauer | Chicago, IL | ||
| Duke Hill | Henrico, VA | Christopher Tidball | Seattle, WA | ||
| David Keys | Las Cruces, NM | Anthony Whited | Friendswood, TX |
- Events Calendar: Find details of all upcoming SABR events.
- Video Replays: This week, we heard from the joint AL Central Chapters with a midseason update. Click here to view video replays of virtual SABR events.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
- July 19: Talkin’ Baseball: Stephen Dittmore (9:00 a.m. EDT)
- July 19: Bay Area/Sacramento (CA) Chapter joint meeting with Noel Hynd, Dennis Snelling, Robert Elias (11:00 a.m. PDT)
- July 19: Oklahoma Chapter meeting (2:00 p.m. CDT)
- July 21: Bob Broeg St. Louis (MO) Chapter meeting with Doug Feldmann (6:00 p.m. CDT)
- July 21: Central Florida Chapter meeting with Dennis Snelling (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- July 21: Clyde Sukeforth (NH/ME) Chapter meeting with Robyn Jensen (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- July 21: Halsey Hall (MN) Chapter research committee meeting (7:00 p.m. CDT)
- July 22: Collegiate Baseball Committee meeting with Tom Jacobs (8:00 p.m. EDT)
- July 23: Southern Michigan Chapter / Turkey Stearnes Foundation meeting with Negro Leagues panel (4:00 p.m. EDT)
- July 23: New SABR Member Experience Meeting (8:00 p.m. EDT)
- July 26: Schott-Pelican (LA) Chapter meeting (10:00 a.m. CDT)
- July 27: Baltimore Babe Ruth (MD) Chapter meeting with Jeffrey Orens (7:00 p.m. EDT)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
- July 18: Clyde Sukeforth Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Manchester, NH)
- July 18: Bob Davids Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Alexandria, VA)
- July 19: Babe ‘n’ Bob Chapter Breakfast (Edgewater, MD)
- July 19: Halsey Hall Chapter Hot Stove Saturday Morning (Minneapolis, MN)
- July 19: Rogers Hornsby Chapter ballgame/meet-up (San Antonio, TX)
- July 20: Bud Metheny/Hampton Roads Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Norfolk, VA)
- July 23: Clyde Sukeforth Chapter outreach meeting (Keene, NH)
- July 23: Sebring-Stovey Williamsport Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Williamsport, PA)
- July 26: Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter meeting (Chicago, IL)
- July 27: Cliff Kachline Induction Day Chapter meeting (Cooperstown, NY)
To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.
- Asian Baseball: Check out the new committee website at sabrasianbaseball.com, launched this week with articles, news, and upcoming events.
- Official Scoring: All SABR members are invited to fill out a committee survey on keeping score at baseball games.
Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.
- Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter: Summer 2025 newsletter (Baltimore, MD)
Sign up for SABR chapter announcements at SABR.org/chapters.
Click here to learn more about SABR chartered communities.
Here are some recent articles published by and about SABR members:
- Joseph Gerth: Louisville baseball legend was forgotten. Negro Leagues group hopes to fix that. (Louisville Courier-Journal)
- Jillian Bartsch: Banner hosts ‘Baseball ALZ-Stars’ for dementia support (KVOA.com)
- Clinton Yates: Hank Aaron’s legacy still brings former Black baseball players together (Andscape)
- Mark Armour: The Satchel Paige Project (WordPress)
- Stephen J. Nesbitt: The swing-off stole the show at the All-Star Game. Should MLB go further than that? (The Athletic)
- Rob Mains: One Extreme to Another (Baseball Prospectus)
- John Thorn: The Braves’ All-Star Game Ballparks (Our Game)
- Sam Blum: Far from MLB, Chris Carter completes his long quest for 500 home runs (The Athletic)
- Daniel R. Epstein: (Not) Everybody Is a Star (Baseball Prospectus)
- Davy Andrews: Has Ceddanne Rafaela Made the Leap? (FanGraphs)
- Russell A. Carleton: Better Living Through Geometry (Baseball Prospectus)
- Tyler Kepner: ‘Once in a generation’: The All-Star throw that rocketed Dave Parker to Cooperstown (The Athletic)
- David Laurila: Hunter Goodman Cut Down On Chase and Was Chosen For the All-Star Team (FanGraphs)
- J.J. Cooper: MLB Draft’s ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ Faces Long Odds To Make Majors (Baseball America)
- Dan Cichalski: Thomas Boswell’s legacy to be honored with Career Excellence Award (MLB.com)
- Alex Speier: How much — or how little — of the Red Sox’ success can be attributed to trading Rafael Devers? (Boston Globe)
- Jake Mintz: Something is missing from this year’s MLB Draft — the players (Yahoo! Sports)
- Michael Clair: Once given an ultimatum, Andrés Muñoz is now the next great Mexican MLB pitcher (MLB.com)
- Stacey May Fowles: Review of SABR’s From Bytown to the Big Leagues (Literary Review of Canada)
- Leander Schaerlaeckens: Vintage baseball: the charm of a sport where the 1860s never ended (The Guardian)
- Steven Goldman: Enemy Alien DiMaggio (Baseball Prospectus)
- Matt Monagan: 500-foot HRs? How about Atlanta’s famous 500-mile HR? (MLB.com)
- Alex Coffey: He helped run the Vet for 20 years. Now, pieces of it are in his Delco garage. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- Sam Gazdziak: Obituary: Billy Hunter (1928-2025) (RIP Baseball)
- Roy Carlson: Lifting the Lid: Additional Topps Vintage Retail Box Findings Unveiled (Sports Collectors Daily)
- Documentary about 1930s baseball star who played at Bowman Field to be shown in Williamsport (Williamsport Sun-Gazette)
- Gary Cieradkowski: Danny Hayling: The Duke of Hazard (Infinite Baseball Card Set)
- Ryan Whirty: Alex Albritton on the field (Negro Leagues Up Close)
- Mike Bates/Bill Parker: The New 4,000 Hit Club with Adam Darowski (This Week in Baseball History)
- Bruce Drennan: Interview with author Doug Kurkul on reliving MLB’s glory days (YouTube)
- Mark Kolier: Tim Raines, a HOFer whose career stats don’t tell the story (Almost Cooperstown)
- Jeff Cohen/Len Aberman: Baseball and BBQ interview with Denny Neagle (Baseball and BBQ)
- Yoichi Nagata: Firsts in Japanese Baseball (SABR Asian Baseball)
- Glenn Evans: Crossing the Tracks: 1903 (SABR Games and Simulations)
Please note: Some articles may require a separate subscription to view online. SABR does not endorse, and is not responsible or liable for, any content that appears on a third-party website.
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. To find past editions of TWIS, click here.
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Originally published: July 18, 2025. Last Updated: July 18, 2025.