This Week in SABR: July 19, 2024
Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, July 19, 2024.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.
SABR 52: Join us for Trivia Contest, Town Ball Game
Check out first-half rankings of SABR Defensive Index
SABR Research Collection celebrates Hall of Fame 2024 class
Joe Castiglione to be honored in Cooperstown this weekend
Join us on July 25 for Schenectady Mohawk Giants ceremony
Call for papers: 19th Century Conference in Cooperstown
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SABR 52: Check out the full schedule for Minneapolis
Single-day registration for SABR 52 on August 7-11, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is now available at SABR.org/convention. Full or single-day registration can be purchased online in advance or on-site during convention registration hours beginning on Wednesday, August 7 at the Hyatt Regency hotel. Click here for complete details on SABR 52 registration rates.
The full schedule for SABR 52 is now available online, and each day is full of terrific panels, presentations, and committee meetings that we’re sure you’ll enjoy.
- Register now: Click here for complete details on full and single-day registration.
- Schedule: Click here to view the complete SABR 52 schedule.
- Featured Speakers: Click here to learn more about our Featured Speakers.
- Research Presentations: Click here to view the full list of Research Presentations.
- Poster Presentations: Click here to view the full list of Poster Presentations.
- Committee Meetings: Click here to view the schedule of Committee Meetings.
- Exhibitors Room: Click here to learn about our Exhibitors Room vendors.
- Transportation Tips: Click here for Twin Cities transportation tips and area attractions.
Visit SABR.org/convention to learn more.
SABR 52 Trivia Contest to feature new themes, Immaculate Feud
At SABR 52 in Minnesota, the Trivia Contest is anything but trivial! This year’s Trivia Contest will include new themes, new rules, and a brand-new format: an “Immaculate Feud” competition based on the popular Immaculate Grid game produced by Baseball-Reference.com. All attendees at SABR 52 are invited to participate in this year’s Trivia Contest and test their baseball brains against their friends and fellow SABR members.
The Trivia Contest preliminary tests are open to all SABR 52 attendees and will be held from 4:00-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 8 at the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Just show up with your thinking cap on and follow the instructions! Teams can be formed in advance or on-site, so new attendees and solo participants are encouraged to join the fun.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
SABR 52: Tickets now available for Town Ball Game
On Sunday, August 11, attendees at SABR 52 have the opportunity to watch a game of Minnesota town ball in Cologne, which is hosting the Region 7C qualifying tournament at Fritz Field. The ballpark is located off US Highway 212, just 35 miles from the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Minneapolis.
One (1) game ticket plus roundtrip bus transportation is $40 per person. The SABR bus will depart the Hyatt Regency hotel at 9:45 a.m. and return to the hotel at approximately 3:30 p.m. Please note: This optional event is limited to 30 attendees, so make sure to register early!
SABR Defensive Index rankings released through July 14
Texas second baseman Marcus Semien and Milwaukee second baseman Brice Turang lead their respective leagues in the updated SABR Defensive Index™ rankings through Major League Baseball games of Sunday, July 14.
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.
SABR Research Collection celebrates Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024
On Sunday, July 21, the Baseball Hall of Fame welcomes four new members: Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer, Todd Helton, and Jim Leyland. SABR celebrates Cooperstown’s Class of 2024 by highlighting Research Collection articles featuring the new inductees.
Click here to read SABR BioProject articles on each of the new inductees and find Games Project articles on memorable games from their careers.
SABR member Joe Castiglione to be honored with 2024 Ford C. Frick Award
During Induction Weekend in Cooperstown, Boston Red Sox announcer Joe Castiglione, a SABR member since 1984 and the longest-tenured broadcaster in franchise history, will be honored as the 2024 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for excellence in broadcasting by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Castiglione is the fourth SABR member to receive the Frick Award, following Detroit Tigers icon Ernie Harwell (1981), Joe Garagiola (1991), and Kansas City Royals voice Denny Matthews (2007).
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Join us on July 25 for Schenectady Mohawk Giants historical marker ceremony
All baseball fans are invited to join us at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 25 for a dedication ceremony of a historical marker commemorating the Mohawk Giants team in Schenectady, New York. The ceremony at SUNY Schenectady’s West Campus, which is open to the public, will include speakers from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. SABR’s Cliff Kachline Chapter received a SABR Local Grant in 2023 for the funding and installation of the marker, which is located on the site of Island Park in Schenectady.
The Mohawk Giants were one of Black baseball’s most talented teams during an era of racial segregation in the early 20th century. The 1913 team, which included star pitchers Frank Wickware and Harry Buckner, was recently recognized by SABR’s Special Negro Leagues and Teams Committee as a major-league-caliber team.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Call for papers: 2025 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 2025 Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The 16th annual Ivor-Campbell Conference is scheduled for April 25-26, 2025. The deadline for proposal Abstracts is October 31, 2024.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Writing Opportunities: 2001 Mariners, 2005 White Sox books
SABR is looking for new authors for two upcoming book projects. We need pinch-hitters to step up and write a biography of Al Martin and coach Matt Sinatro for the 2001 Seattle Mariners book, and a biography of David Sanders for the 2005 Chicago White Sox book. Please contact Bill Nowlin if you are interested in contributing.
Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.
7 new stories published at SABR Games Project
- July 22, 1918: Bullet Joe Bush throws his fifth 1-0 shutout of season for surging Red Sox, by Bill Nowlin
- July 3, 1973: Perry brothers make pitching history, but home runs ruin their outing, by Richard Cuicchi
- August 1, 1985: Pro wrestling promotion muscles in on minor-league game in Newark, by Kurt Blumenau
- June 30, 1990: Cecil Fielder breaks out of home-run slump in Tigers’ win over Royals, by Madison McEntire
- July 22, 2004: Orioles’ slugging overcomes Ortiz’s triples in Red Sox rookie Alvarez’s debut, by Karl Cicitto
- November 1, 2010: Tim Lincecum, Giants beat Rangers for their first World Series title since moving to San Francisco, by Jake Rinloan
- April 8, 2023: Trash Pandas pitch no-hitter in bizarre loss to Lookouts, by Thomas J. Brown Jr.
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.
Dodger Stadium: Blue Heaven on Earth
Edited by Bill Nowlin and Glen Sparks
Visit SABR.org/ebooks 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:
- Download the 2024 SABR Annual Report
- SABR special committee: 1949-50 Negro American League, independent Black teams are major-league caliber
- Check out photos and highlights from the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
- SABR Defensive Index rankings released through June 9
- In Memoriam: Willie Mays
- Allan Simpson’s Baseball America’s Ultimate Draft Book available in special e-book edition
- Read articles online from Spring 2024 Baseball Research Journal
- Check out highlights, photos, and stories from the 2024 SABR Analytics Conference
- 2024 Henry Chadwick Award recipients announced
- SABR Digital Library: 1939 Baltimore Elite Giants
- Learn more about recipients of SABR Local Grants in 2024
- SABR announces partnership with Alzheimer’s Association
- 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Dermody | Medford, MA | Tom Simon | Burlington, VT | ||
| Matt Gray | Bristol, RI | Dan Simons | Sherwood Park, AB | ||
| Eric Mommsen | Somersworth, NH | Winston Simpson | Manassas, VA | ||
| Shun Nagata | Rye, NY | Quinn Wahl | North Branch, MN | ||
| Cameron Playle | San Antonio, TX | Kenley Webb | Glasgow, KY | ||
| James Reed | Centennial, AL | Peiyuan Xu | Grapevine, TX |
- Events Calendar: Find details of all upcoming SABR events.
- Video Replays: This week, we heard from authors Steve Steinberg (Mike Donlin) and Matt Dahlgren (Rumor in Town); Leslie Heaphy, Kat Williams, and Ryan Woodward of the International Women’s Baseball Center; Joe Bryan of Payoff Pitch Baseball; and a Joint AL Central Chapter midseason meeting. Click here to view video replays of virtual SABR events.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
- July 20: Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Committee meeting (12:00 p.m. EDT)
- July 21: Rickwood Field (AL) Chapter meeting with Josh Wilker (4:00 p.m. EDT)
- July 24: Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter meeting with Glendon Rusch (7:00 p.m. CDT)
- July 25: SABR Baseball Memories meeting (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- July 27: Schott-Pelican (LA) Chapter meeting (10:00 a.m. CDT)
- July 28: Baltimore Babe Ruth (MD) Chapter meeting (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- July 28: Lou Criger (IN) Chapter meeting with Alex Painter (8:00 p.m. EDT)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
- July 20: Babe ‘n’ Bob Chapter Breakfast (Edgewater, MD)
- July 20: Halsey Hall Chapter Hot Stove Saturday Morning (Minneapolis, MN)
- July 20: Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter meeting (Chicago, IL)
- July 21: Cliff Kachline Chapter Induction Day meeting (Cooperstown, NY)
- July 25: Mohawk Giants historical marker ceremony (Schenectady, NY)
- July 25: Hank Gowdy Columbus Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Columbus, OH)
- July 27: Bob Davids Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Hagerstown, MD)
- July 27: Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Chicago, IL)
To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.
- Baseball Records: Summer 2024 newsletter
Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.
- Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter: Summer 2024 newsletter (Baltimore, MD)
- Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter: Summer 2024 newsletter (St. Louis, MO)
- Bob Davids Chapter: July 2024 newsletter (Washington, DC)
- Buck O’Neil/North Florida Chapter: July 10 meeting recap (Tallahassee, FL)
- Mathewson-Plank Chapter: Check out the chapter’s new Facebook discussion group and follow along for updates on “Today in Central Pennsylvania Baseball History” (Harrisburg, PA)
- Rogers Hornsby Chapter: July 2024 newsletter (Austin, TX)
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:
- La Velle E. Neal III: Joe Mauer’s Hall of Fame induction another feather in St. Paul’s cap (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
- Chad Finn: Red Sox radio icon Joe Castiglione to be celebrated at Hall of Fame (Boston Globe)
- Tyler Kepner: Hall of Fame haul: On Main Street in Cooperstown, a treasure trove of trinkets for $100 (The Athletic)
- Shakeia Taylor: New monument for Chicago White Sox great Minnie Miñoso unveiled at Graceland Cemetery (Chicago Tribune)
- Scott Talley: Ron Teasley, a star in Detroit and the Negro Leagues, honored at Comerica Park (Detroit Free Press)
- Clinton Yates: HBCU Swingman Classic attracts players, broadcasters, fans to Texas (Andscape)
- Dan Epstein: Larry Doby’s life paralleled Jackie Robinson’s; a Jewish sportswriter wants to make sure he’s not forgotten (Forward.com)
- Ben Lindbergh: The Case for Widening the MLB Foul Lines (The Ringer)
- Emma Baccellieri: How One Man Became Baseball’s Go-To Glove Doctor (Sports Illustrated)
- Mark Simon: Are You Sure You Don’t Want Kevin Kiermaier? (Sports Info Solutions)
- Lindsey Adler: The Mystery Pitch That’s Bamboozling Baseball’s Best Hitters (Wall Street Journal)
- Davy Andrews: Pitching Better Means Pitching So Much Less (FanGraphs)
- Derrick Goold: Will pressure for playoff return spark urgency in Cardinals? (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- Russell A. Carleton: Striking Out in a Crowd (Baseball Prospectus)
- Daniel Brown: Yankees hero Bucky Dent gets comic book treatment, but the profanity costs extra (The Athletic)
- Ben Clemens: Free Agent Contracts and Auction Theory: Theoretical Implications (FanGraphs)
- Rob Mains: Is This the Golden Age of Grand Slams? (Baseball Prospectus)
- Roger Cormier: Can I Get Time, Blue? (Baseball Prospectus)
- Stephanie Apstein: Seth Lugo’s Bet on Himself Has Resulted in Sudden Success As a Starter (Sports Illustrated)
- Daniel R. Epstein: The Distance From 90th to 100th (Baseball Prospectus)
- Amanda Lane Cumming: Lies! Damned Lies! And the Things They Told Us About Safeco Field (NW Baseball History)
- Jacob Pomrenke: No Duty to Perform: 2024 MLB Betting Bans (WordPress)
- Marc Vitali: From the Disco Demolition to The Big Hurt, New Book Turns Back Clock to Final Years of Comiskey Park (WTTW)
- John Thorn: Baseball Pioneers: Lee Allen (Our Game)
- Ryan Chamberlain: Sy Berger and a SABR interview from 2004 (Our Game)
- Al Yellon: Modern baseball, the ‘old days,’ and how starting pitching and the game have changed (Bleed Cubbie Blue)
- Wayne Taylor: The Ultra Rare 1887 Four Base Hits Card Set (SABR Baseball Cards Blog)
- Jeremy Gibbs: A look at the SABR G&S Daily League at the All-Star Break (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 19, 2024. Last Updated: July 19, 2024.