This Week in SABR: March 1, 2024
Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, March 1, 2024.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.
SABR Analytics Conference begins next week
2024 Henry Chadwick Award recipients announced
Register now for Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
SABR 52: Call for presentations
Subscribe to the Baseball Research Journal
Call for nominations: Board of Directors election
 |
 |
 |
2024 SABR Analytics Conference begins next week
All baseball fans are invited to join us at the SABR Analytics Conference on March 8-10, 2024, at the Beus Center for Law and Society on Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix Campus in Phoenix, Arizona. SABR members, check your email inbox for details on a special opportunity to attend the conference virtually via a Zoom livestream. Register today to join us!
- Download the SABR Analytics Conference digital program (PDF)
- Click here to view the full schedule for the 2024 SABR Analytics Conference
The Analytics Conference schedule consists of research presentations and guest speakers from throughout the baseball analytics community, career development sessions led by experienced sports professionals, and industry networking opportunities — all available for any aspiring front office executive or baseball fan to attend.
In 2024, we have invited another top group of speakers from throughout the baseball industry, including Brian Kenny, MLB Network; Michael Sonne, Chicago Cubs; Ethan Stewart, Oakland Athletics; former major-leaguer Javy Guerra; Meg Rowley, FanGraphs; Jason Bernard, Graham Goldbeck, Clay Nunnally, Mike Petriello, and Christopher Bitetto, Major League Baseball; Eno Sarris, The Athletic; Vince Gennaro, former SABR Board President; Bobby Scales, Mark Simon, and Joe Rosales, Sports Info Solutions; Clay Davenport, Gary Huckabay, Rany Jazayerli, Christina Kahrl, Rob Mains, Joe Sheehan, and Will Carroll, Baseball Prospectus; Amod Sahasrabudhe, Gemini Sports Analytics; James Buffi, Reboot Motion; Adam Nebel, Auburn University; Arnel Aguinaldo, Point Loma Nazarene University; Brian Hall, AlphaPlay; and more. We’ll also have many research presentations with a wide-ranging, diverse group of speakers throughout the conference.
Students have the option of choosing virtual ($50) or in-person ($150) registration. Both include access to General Session panels and presentations on Friday, March 8 through Sunday, March 10, and a student-only virtual session on Thursday, March 7. All student registrations also include a one-year SABR membership ($25 value) and a complimentary Rapsodo certification course ($395 value).
To learn more about the SABR Analytics Conference, or to register, visit SABR.org/analytics.
2024 Henry Chadwick Award recipients announced
SABR is pleased to announce the 2024 recipients of the Henry Chadwick Award, established to honor the game’s great researchers — historians, statisticians, annalists, and archivists — for their invaluable contributions to making baseball the game that links America’s present with its past. The 2024 recipients of the Henry Chadwick Award are:
- Larry Gerlach, who opened up the world of umpires as a source of baseball scholarship with The Men in Blue: Conversations With Umpires, named one of SABR’s top 50 baseball books of the past 50 years in 2021
- Leslie Heaphy, who has been a recognized authority on the Negro Leagues and women in baseball for more than three decades
- Sarah Langs, an educator, a historian, a true fan of the game as she has launched her inspiring career as a baseball researcher at ESPN and Major League Baseball
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Early registration is open for SABR 52 in Minneapolis
Join us in Minneapolis for SABR’s 52nd annual convention! Conference and hotel registration for SABR 52 on August 7-11, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, is now available at SABR.org/convention.
- Click here for complete details on SABR 52 Early-Bird Registration and optional sessions, including a Minnesota Twins game, St. Paul Saints game, and Target Field ballpark tour.
SABR 52 will be distinct from its predecessors, as it will feature a Hall of Fame speaker lineup we know you’ll love — including Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Bert Blyleven, and Jim Kaat — and will be the most accessible and social experience we’ve ever organized as we emphasize SABR’s ability to unite all of us in baseball fellowship. This year’s streamlined registration options will provide for a consistent and accessible experience for all attendees and the lowest registration price since 2018. We hope you’ll join us this summer in Minneapolis!
Visit SABR.org/convention to learn more.
SABR 52: Call for presentations
SABR invites all members to present their research findings to their colleagues attending SABR 52, the 2024 annual convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Click here to submit presentation abstracts for SABR 52. The submission deadline for SABR 52 abstracts is Sunday, March 10, 2024.
In addition, we seek volunteers who wish to participate in the blind review process (beginning in March) and/or on-site judging (at the convention in Minneapolis.) Those volunteers can apply by sending an email to sabr2024presentations@gmail.com.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Register now for the 2024 Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference in Cooperstown
Early registration is now open for SABR’s annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference, which will be held on June 6-9, 2024, at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Full and single-day registration is available for a discounted rate before May 24, along with a new virtual registration option.
In-person attendees will also have an opportunity to view the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s new exhibit, The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball.
- Schedule: Click here to view the 2024 Malloy Conference schedule.
- Information Packet: Click here to download the conference information packet (PDF)
- Yoseloff Scholarship: Students, learn more or apply for a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend the 2024 Malloy Conference. Deadline: April 5, 2024.
Visit SABR.org/malloy to learn more or to register.
Coming soon: Ballpark Figures: Stories of the Negro Leagues
SABR’s Ballpark Figures: Stories of the Negro Leagues, hosted by award-winning writer Shakeia Taylor, will return this summer as a 10-episode podcast series focusing on Negro Leaguers and the history of Black baseball.
Ballpark Figures will be available on your favorite podcast networks and you can listen to each episode as soon as they are released on Mondays beginning on June 3, 2024.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Subscribe to the Baseball Research Journal in 2024
Beginning in 2024, all SABR members will exclusively receive the Baseball Research Journal electronically. A majority of SABR members already receive the BRJ electronically and will not be affected by this change.
For any members who are interested in a hard copy of the publication for their personal library, we are rolling out a new subscription option at a significantly discounted rate: $7 per issue for members, compared to $19.95 at retail. (International members will pay $11 per issue.)
- Visit SABR.org/subscribe to receive future printed editions of the BRJ in the mail. Or click here if you’d like a tutorial on how to subscribe.
As with any change, we understand that you may have questions or concerns that you would like to share. Please feel free to reach out to any SABR staff member.
SABR Live Oral History: Mike Hargrove
Baseball fans, join us for a special virtual event at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, March 14: a live SABR Oral History interview with former All-Star first baseman and pennant-winning manager Mike Hargrove.
All fans are invited to attend this interview session on Zoom, which will be conducted by Oral History Committee chair John McMurray. The interview will be recorded and added to SABR’s Oral History Collection archive afterward.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
SABR announces partnership with Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association and the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) recently announced a new partnership aimed at providing Alzheimer’s information and resources to people living with the disease and their caregivers through baseball-centric sessions, jointly planned and conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association and SABR.
Working with SABR members, the partnership will seek to maximize the reach and impact of the Association to people impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. Together, the partnership will also expand the Alzheimer’s Association Major League Memories program, an initiative designed to engage the Alzheimer’s and dementia community with Major League Baseball alumni through sharing stories of game highlights and baseball memorabilia.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Call for nominations: 2024 SABR Board of Directors election
The SABR Nominating Committee is now seeking nominations for candidates for the 2024 Board of Directors elections. To be eligible for the Board of Directors, candidates must have been members of the Society for at least the preceding four years. Any candidate for an officer position must have at least one year of prior service on the Board during the preceding five-year period. The deadline for nominations is March 15, 2024. The offices to be filled are:
- Vice President (2-year term)
- Secretary (3-year term)
- Director (3-year term)
- Director (3-year term)
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 Stew Thornley.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Member Benefit Spotlight: Events Calendar
Baseball season is officially upon us, and to get in the spirit, you might be looking to attend some baseball-centric events. Look no further than the SABR Events page, which features information and registration links to both national and local meetings.
Click here for a short video about how to find SABR events on our website in this month’s Member Benefit Spotlight series.
Register now for the 2024 Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Conference
Registration is now open for the 15th annual SABR Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference, which will be held on April 19-20, 2024, at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. All baseball fans are welcome to register for this special event.
The 2024 conference will be highlighted by a keynote address from author Michael Haupert, along with a panel discussion on the Knickerbocker club with Bruce Allardice, Thomas Gilbert, Bob Tholkes, and moderator Bill Ryczek; a 19th-century artifact session with Robert Mayer, Gary Passamonte, and Jonathan Popovich; a Member Spotlight interview of Thomas Gilbert by Bob Bailey; plus research presentations.
Visit SABR.org/ivor-campbell19c to learn more or to register.
Writing opportunities for SABR members
We are still seeking contributing authors for several of SABR’s upcoming book and web projects:
- 2001 Seattle Mariners: biographies of José Paniagua and Anthony Sanders
- 2005 Chicago White Sox: biographies of Jamie Burke and Dámaso Marté
- First At Bat Home Runs: biographies and/or game recaps of Mike Napoli, José Offerman, and Garey Ingram
If you are interested in helping out, please contact Bill Nowlin. All SABR members are eligible to contribute to any upcoming SABR projects.
Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.
5 new stories published at the SABR Biography Project
- John Beckwith, by Mark S. Sternman
- Ray Daviault, by Larry DeFillipo
- Chris Hartje, by Eric Vickrey
- Bob Sheppard, by Scott Pitoniak
- William E. White, by Bruce Allardice
Visit SABR.org/bioproject to learn more about the SABR BioProject or to get involved.
5 new stories published at the SABR Games Project
- September 27, 1924: Rochester no-hits Syracuse for the second time in a month, by Kurt Blumenau
- April 12, 1986: Pirates’ 8th-inning rally gives Jim Leyland first win as manager, by John Fredland
- October 14, 2006: Magglio Ordoñez blasts Detroit Tigers into World Series, by Gordon J. Gattie
- October 16, 2013: Jim Leyland records final win as manager with Tigers’ big inning in Game 4, by Bill Nowlin
- October 19, 2013: Red Sox beat Tigers in Game 6 , wrap up worst-to-first American League pennant, by Bill Nowlin
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.
Read all essays from Willie Mays: Five Tools
In 2023, SABR’s Willie Mays: Five Tools, edited by Bill Nowlin and Glen Sparks, told the story of arguably the greatest baseball player in the game’s history through more than 20 insightful essays and recaps of over 30 of the most significant games in his career. Some essays explore Mays’ time in the Negro Leagues and minor leagues, while others examine the the relationship of Mays to his managers, the press, and his mentoring of Bobby and Barry Bonds.
Click here to download the free e-book edition or save 50% off the paperback edition in the SABR Digital Library.
One-Win Wonders
Edited by Bill Nowlin
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:
- Steve Gietschier wins 2024 SABR Seymour Medal
- Check out SABR Day highlights, photos, and videos
- SABR’s Ballpark Figures to feature Stories of the Negro Leagues in 2024
- Find complete collection of SABR-Rucker Archive baseball images online
- SABR member Joe Castiglione honored with 2024 Ford C. Frick Award
- Read articles online from Fall 2023 Baseball Research Journal
- Interviews with Italian American major leaguers added to SABR Oral History Collection
- Historical Black Newspapers Collection added to SABR Research Resources
- SABR forms new Special Negro Leagues and Teams Committee
- SABR Landmarks Committee unveils new Baseball Grave Map
- 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Alexandre | New York, NY | Andrew Kirschner | Tigard, OR | ||
| Scott Allison | Miami, FL | Frank Klose | Philadelphia, PA | ||
| Angel Arroyo | Houston, TX | Brennan Larsen | Prior Lake, MN | ||
| David Bailit | New Orleans, LA | Joseph Lent | Phoenix, AZ | ||
| Cole Barcza | Columbus, OH | Nolan Lo | San Diego, CA | ||
| Luis Berrelleza | Hermosillo, MEX | Owen Lynch | DeKalb, IL | ||
| Samuel Black | Los Angeles, CA | Evan Mastronardi | New York, NY | ||
| Jordan Bowman | Charlotte, NC | Jaime McAdams-Sandin | New York, NY | ||
| Joel Calhoun | Tempe, AZ | Daniel McAuliff | Miami, FL | ||
| Taelyn Chambers | St. Petersburg, FL | Walter Naney | Arvada, CO | ||
| Aniketh Chedalla | Champaign, IL | Andreas Nikolaros | Athens, GRE | ||
| Priya Cheema | Madera, CA | Nicholas Pfister | Gainesville, FL | ||
| Yu-Hsuan Cheng | Hoboken, NJ | Jeremy Raecke | Leesburg, VA | ||
| MingHan Chiang | Keelung City, TWN | Marek Ramilo | Chicago, IL | ||
| John Curran | Cranford, NJ | Michael Ritz | New York, NY | ||
| Tony De Marzio | Philadelphia, PA | Bill Rudolph | Collingswood, NJ | ||
| Justin Frederick | La Grande, OR | Jackson Rusconi | San Luis Obispo, CA | ||
| Evan Glaser | De Pere, WI | Jason Scheer | Champaign, IL | ||
| Anthony Griffin | Yonkers, NY | Kyle Shulz | Reno, NV | ||
| Jacob Hallowell | Quakertown, PA | Addison Steward | Monmouth, IL | ||
| Larry Harris | Northville, MI | Mason Steward | Knoxville, TN | ||
| Taylor Hunt | Los Angeles, CA | Christos Tampouratzis | Athens, GRE | ||
| Brennan Hurd | Durham, NC | Dylan Underhill | Hays, KS | ||
| Josh Iddings | Loudonville, NY | Joseph Waggoner | Durham, NC | ||
| Brian Jordan | Redondo Beach, CA | Shaun Whitcomb | Gainesville, FL | ||
| William Kinison | Chatham, IL |
Here is a list of SABR supporters for the month of February 2024.
| NAME | NAME | |
|---|---|---|
| Jake Bell | Bruce McClure | |
| Richard Boe | Andy McCue | |
| D. Bruce Brown | Linda Nichols | |
| Ralph Caola | Bill Nowlin | |
| Ken Carrano | Philadelphia Broadcasters Foundation | |
| Karl Cicitto | John Rall | |
| Vincent Comparato | Michael Rosenwasser | |
| Jim Cox | Charles Roussel | |
| William Curtin | Bob Russon | |
| Helen Edwards | Jason Scheller | |
| Steven Elsberry | Douglas Schoppert | |
| Elizabeth England | Jeff Self | |
| Barbara Erion | Rob Sheinkopf | |
| David Firstman | Mike Sparks | |
| Adam Foldes | Thomas Stone | |
| Vince Gennaro | Wesley Story | |
| Robert Hagerman | Joseph Thompson | |
| Leslie Heaphy | Stew Thornley | |
| Tim Herlich | Neal Traven | |
| Rockwell Hoffman | Thomas Van Wazer | |
| David Hughes | Marlene Vogelsang | |
| Noel Hynd | Tom Voll | |
| Donald Jensen | Steve West | |
| Robert Kenney | Beach Wires | |
| Henry Levy | Jeffrey Wood | |
| Peter Mancuso | Don Zminda | |
| Peter Marcus |
Want to become a Friend of SABR? Click here to make a recurring monthly contribution or click here to learn more about our Giving Circles to make a one-time contribution.
- Events Calendar: Find details of all upcoming SABR events.
- Video Replays: This week, we heard from Houston Astros broadcast statistician Phil Boudreaux and Dave Koch of Action! PC Sports Games. Click here to view video replays of virtual SABR events.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
- March 2: Maddux Bros.-Las Vegas (NV) Chapter meeting with Thomas Gilbert (10:00 a.m. PST)
- March 4: Elysian Fields (NJ) Chapter meeting with Max Martinez and Ron Shandler (7:00 p.m. EST)
- March 4: Central Florida Chapter/Roush-Lopez Gulf Coast Chapter meeting with Jacob Pomrenke (7:00 p.m. EST)
- March 4: Central Illinois Chapter meeting with Eric Vickrey (7:00 p.m. CST)
- March 5: Games and Simulations Committee meeting with J. Thomas Hetrick (8:00 p.m. EST)
- March 6: Baltimore Babe Ruth (MD) Chapter meeting with Jason Schwartz (7:00 p.m. EST)
- March 7: Goose Goslin (NJ) Chapter meeting with Keith O’Brien (7:00 p.m. EST)
- March 7: Magnolia (GA) Chapter meeting with Brian Powers (7:30 p.m. EST)
- March 8-10: SABR Analytics Conference
- March 9: Bob Davids (DC) Chapter: Talkin’ Baseball with Keith O’Brien (9:00 a.m. EST)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
- March 6-9: NINE Spring Training Conference (Tempe, AZ)
- March 6: Buck O’Neil/North Florida Chapter meeting (Tallahassee, FL)
- March 6: Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter meeting (St. Louis, MO)
- March 9: Halsey Hall Chapter Hot Stove Saturday Morning (Minneapolis, MN)
To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.
- Baseball Landmarks: With the 2024 baseball season quickly approaching, it is time to make sure the active ballpark sites on the SABR Baseball Map have been updated. We are seeking volunteers to help make changes, additions, or corrections; click here to sign up and help.
- Nineteenth Century: All committee members are eligible to vote in the primary election for the 2024 Overlooked 19th Century Legend of the Year. Votes are due by March 18, 2024. To join the committee, click here.
Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.
- SABR Day: Check out more highlights from 2024 SABR Day meetings
- Halsey Hall Chapter: March 2024 newsletter (Minneapolis, MN)
- Larry Dierker Chapter: February 19 meeting recap (Houston, TX)
- Pee Wee Reese Chapter: Spring 2024 newsletter (Louisville, KY)
- Rocky Mountain Chapter: March 2024 newsletter (Denver, CO)
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:
- César Brioso: Version 1.0: Negro Leagues statistics could soon be entered into MLB record book (USA Today)
- J.J. Cooper: One-Knee-Down Catching Has Taken Over The Majors (Baseball America)
- Jayson Stark: Fewer commercials? Quicker replays? MLB players see better ways to shorten games than pitch clock (The Athletic)
- Jonathan Judge: Modeling the Bases (Baseball Prospectus)
- Matthew Ritchie: Khyle, Jacoby Radcliffe carry on great uncles’ baseball legacy (MLB.com)
- Ben Clemens: A New Way of Looking at Depth (FanGraphs)
- Russell A. Carleton: The Gig Pitcher (Baseball Prospectus)
- Tyler Kepner: The Diamondbacks learned from their near-miss. So why haven’t others gone all-in? (The Athletic)
- Alex Speier: Andrew Bailey, a man with a background in finance, is now fully invested in the Red Sox pitching staff (Boston Globe)
- Davy Andrews: Let’s Get Excited About Spencer Strider’s Curveball (FanGraphs)
- Ryan Fagan: Bird Watching: Why the Baltimore Orioles Could Be Even Better in 2024 (Opta Analyst)
- Derrick Goold: Cardinals lefty Zack Thompson’s new pitch perplexes the tech. Can it defy hitters? (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- Jay Jaffe: The Weakest Positions on National League Contenders in 2024 (FanGraphs)
- Frederic J. Frommer: Decades before Shohei Ohtani, ‘Mashi’ was a Japanese trailblazer (Washington Post)
- Lauren Theisen: The Celebrant: How To Throw A Baseball And Live Forever (Defector)
- Michael Clair: Larry Doby’s best sport may have been basketball (MLB.com)
- David Laurila: Zack Wheeler on Continuing To Evolve (FanGraphs)
- Grant Brisbee: Where are the Giants going to get their bullpen innings from? (The Athletic)
- Derek Rhoads/Rob Mains: Do Older Players Get Hurt Worse? (Baseball Prospectus)
- Michael Baumann: Okay, But Seriously, What if the Rockies Made the Playoffs? (FanGraphs)
- Mike Reuther: Cutters VP shares history of, passion for baseball cards (Williamsport Sun-Gazette)
- John Thorn: Baseball in New York, in 1805 (Our Game)
- Gary Cieradkowski: Shoeless Joe Jackson: After the Black Sox (Infinite Baseball Card Set)
- Ryan Whirty: Creole Pete, the sequel (Negro Leagues Up Close)
- Amanda Lane Cumming: Ernie Tanner, Jimmy Claxton, and the World They Forged (NW Baseball History)
- Jeff Cohen/Len Aberman: Baseball and BBQ interview with Trevor May (Baseball and BBQ)
- Kurt Blumenau: You can’t see November from here (Neck Pickup)
- John Racanelli: A Moment in Time: Ben Zobrist (SABR Baseball Cards)
- Stray Corrado: The Mid-West Baseball League (SABR Baseball Gaming)
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.
Are you receiving our e-mails? “This Week in SABR” goes out by e-mail to all members on Friday afternoons. If they’re not showing up, try adding “sabr.notes@sabr.org” to your contact list to ensure they show up in your inbox.
Originally published: March 1, 2024. Last Updated: March 1, 2024.