This Week in SABR: May 2, 2025
Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, May 2, 2025.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.
SABR 53: Research presentations and poster presentations
500+ new SABR members welcomed in March and April
Watch video highlights from 2025 SABR Analytics Conference
Early registration now open for Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
Read articles from Spring 2025 Baseball Research Journal
Last call to vote in SABR Board of Directors election
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SABR 53: Check out research presentations and poster presentations
SABR’s 53rd annual convention is scheduled for June 25-29, 2025, in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. SABR 53 will feature a Texas-sized speaker lineup we know you’ll love, alongside an invigorated social experience emphasizing SABR’s ability to unite all of us in baseball fellowship.
The full schedule will be released next week. All baseball fans are welcome to attend; sign up today to join us!
- Research Presentations: Click here to view the full list of SABR 53 Research Presentations
- Poster Presentations: Click here to view the full list of SABR 53 Poster Presentations
Our lineup of Featured Speakers also includes Hall of Famers Iván Rodríguez and Ferguson Jenkins; former Texas Rangers stars Elvis Andrus, Buddy Bell, and Colby Lewis; Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy; Texas Rangers President of Baseball Operations Chris Young; former MLB Players Association Executive Director Don Fehr; former major-league pitcher Steve Rogers; former Rangers president Tom Schieffer; longtime Rangers executives Rob Matwick and Jack Hill; Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist Bradford William Davis; baseball card pioneer James Beckett; former Houston Astros GM and Texas League president Tim Purpura; and former Texas League players Bob Baillargeon and Rick Herrscher.
Please note: All speakers are subject to change depending on availability.
Visit SABR.org/convention to register now or learn more.
Member Benefit Spotlight: What to expect at SABR 53
Whether you’re a rookie SABR member, or a longtime vet, we invite you to join us on June 25-29 at the Westin DFW Airport hotel for our biggest event of the year, SABR 53!
Click here for a short video featuring some of our hosts in Texas sharing their favorite reasons to attend this summer’s SABR 53 convention in their home state, including C. Paul Rogers III, Punch Shaw and Julie Hedden, J.R. Wildridge, and Joe Thompson.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
500+ new SABR members welcomed in March and April
Thanks to everyone who participated in the first SABR 500 Club membership drive. We accomplished our goal of welcoming more than 500 new members in March and April!
New members who joined during the referral period with a paid annual or multi-year membership will receive a custom baseball card set featuring SABR-Rucker Archive images of legendary members of the 500 home run club. The member who referred the most new members during the drive was Tyrone Brooks of the Forbes Field/Pittsburgh Chapter. He will receive a complimentary SABR 53 registration for his recruitment efforts.
Local chapters were divided into six leagues based on primary membership counts, and the chapter with the most referrals will receive a cash prize. Here are the final results:
- International Association: Gardner-Waterman/Vermont Chapter
- American Association: Roush-Lopez Tampa Bay Chapter
- Western League: Central Florida Chapter
- National Association: Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter
- Players’ League: Forbes Field/Pittsburgh Chapter
- East-West League: Emil Rothe/Chicago Chapter
Congratulations to all of our chapter winners! We appreciate all of your support with this endeavor.
Watch video highlights from 2025 SABR Analytics Conference
The 14th annual SABR Analytics Conference was held from March 14-16, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona, bringing 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.
- Click here to watch video replays from our featured panels and research presentations, which are now available online at SABR.org.
Our featured speakers included Brian Kenny, MLB Network; Glenn Fleisig, American Sports Medicine Institute; Mike Petriello, Do-Hyoung Park, Graham Goldbeck, Kevin Hanson, and Jason Bernard, Major League Baseball; Kyle Boddy, Driveline Baseball; Alex Caravan, Penn Interactive; former major-league pitcher Burke Badenhop and Max Glick, Arizona Diamondbacks; Michael Girsch, St. Louis Cardinals; Will Vandenberg, Los Angeles Dodgers; Michael Sonne, Chicago Cubs; Eric Babitz, Andrew Fox, Phil Hauser, Everett Johnson, Maggie Noffke, Daniel Oh, Megan Stewart, and Dan Turkenkopf, Milwaukee Brewers; Arnel Aguinaldo, Point Loma Nazarene University; Vivienne Pelletier, Arizona State University; and more.
Visit SABR.org/analytics for more highlights, photos, and stories.
Early registration now open for Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference in Louisville
Early registration is now open for SABR’s annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference, which will be held on August 7-9, 2025, at the Galt House Hotel, 140 N. 4th St. in Louisville, Kentucky. All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Full and single-day registration is available for a discounted rate before July 7, 2025.
- Register: Click here to register online for the 2025 Malloy Conference. Full registration is $175 before July 7, $195 afterward. Students: $65 before July 7, $75 afterward. Single-day registration is also available for $70 for Friday or Saturday before July 7; $90 afterward. 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)
- Yoseloff Scholarship: Students, learn more or apply for a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend the 2025 Malloy Conference. Deadline: June 6, 2025.
- Contact: For questions, email Leslie Heaphy at Lheaphy@kent.edu.
Visit SABR.org/malloy for more information or to register.
Join SABR’s Campaign for Baseball Research!
Research isn’t just part of our name—it’s the heart of everything we do.
From our expansive Research Collection to the powerful tools and resources we offer baseball scholars and fans alike, SABR is where baseball’s past meets its future. We’re working towards our vision of becoming the essential community for baseball worldwide—and we can’t do it without you.
This spring, we invite you to join the Campaign for Baseball Research. Our goal is to raise $75,000 to expand, maintain, and preserve SABR’s Research Collection and Research Resources for current and future generations of baseball enthusiasts. We will use your best gift of $150, $300, $500, or $1,000 to better serve our growing membership base, attract more attention for our research, and offer new research tools to all corners of the worldwide baseball community.
To donate or learn more about recent Research Collection projects and upgrades to our Research Resources, assets, and tools made possible by your donations visit sabr.org/donate/research-campaign.
Read articles from Spring 2025 Baseball Research Journal
With an original cover illustration of Harrisburg Giants outfielders Fats Jenkins, Oscar Charleston, and Rap Dixon designed by SABR member Gary Cieradkowski, we hope you enjoy the e-book edition of the Spring 2025 Baseball Research Journal! The e-book edition was sent to all SABR members on Thursday, April 17. Anyone who has subscribed to the print edition should receive their copy in the mail in the next 1-3 weeks.
- Click here to download the PDF e-book edition of the Spring 2025 Baseball Research Journal.
- Click here to order a copy of the print edition of the Spring 2025 Baseball Research Journal from Amazon.com.
- All articles from the Spring 2025 Baseball Research Journal are now available to read online at SABR.org.
We hope you enjoy the Spring 2025 Baseball Research Journal!
Diamondbacks’ Eugenio Suárez hits four home runs in a game
Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez became the 19th player in AL/NL history to hit four home runs in a single game on Saturday, April 26 against the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.
Suárez hit a solo home run in the second inning, a two-run homer in the fourth inning, a solo shot in the sixth inning, and a game-tying solo home run in the ninth inning. Suárez, who finished 4-for-4 with four home runs and five RBIs, became just the third player in major-league history to hit four home runs in a team loss, matching Bob Horner (1986) and Ed Delahanty (1896).
Click here for a comprehensive list of all 4-HR games in professional baseball history at SABR.org.
SABR announces partnership, new book project with Irish American Baseball Society
he Irish American Baseball Society and the Society for American Baseball Research have announced a new partnership designed to advance the missions of each organization. The collaboration will include virtual events and a forthcoming book project that documents the Irish impact on the game of baseball.
The book, titled The Irish Diaspora and America’s Game, will feature biographies of Irish immigrant and Irish American players, managers, media figures, and executives — organized by Irish provinces and counties. The book is tentatively scheduled for publication in the spring of 2027.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Last call: Vote now in 2025 Board of Directors Election
SABR members, please pay attention to the e-mail address that you have on file with SABR; you should have received a message from tellers@sabr.org on Wednesday, April 23 and April 30 with a link to vote online in the 2025 SABR Board of Directors election.
- Not seeing your ballot? If you did not receive your ballot, please check your Spam folder or contact jpomrenke@sabr.org to request that your ballot be re-sent.
The poll will close at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on May 7. The only way to vote online is through the link you will receive by e-mail. All e-mails will come from the address tellers@sabr.org.
- Election Guide: Click here to download the 2025 SABR Election Guide (PDF)
- Virtual Candidate Forum: Click here to watch a replay of the 2025 Virtual Candidate Forum (YouTube)
You will find two items on the 2025 election ballot: the election of the SABR Board President and two (2) Directors positions. Click here to learn more.
Students, apply for a Fall 2025 internship with SABR
The Society for American Baseball Research is seeking student interns to work during the Fall 2025 semester from September 1-December 1. The remote internship is an educational opportunity that may count toward college credit, covering 15-20 hours per week with a flexible schedule. The internship will be for a fixed period of time and is designed to provide the intern with skills and training that may be applicable to working in a nonprofit research environment or in other research-based organizations.
Please send a resume and cover letter in PDF form to jpomrenke@sabr.org. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Writing opportunities for SABR members
SABR’s Editorial Board recently approved four new book projects, which are open to all SABR members for contributions. We’re seeking authors and editors to help write articles, essays, recaps of memorable games, or profiles of interesting players and figures, for the following projects:
- Diamonds and Gold: Embracing Baseball and Music (editor: Eric Gray)
- The Irish Diaspora and America’s Game (editor: Bill Nowlin)
- Jimmie Foxx (editor: Glen Sparks)
- Oz Ball: The Past, Present, and Future of Australian Baseball (editor: William MacLean)
Please contact one of the editors if you would like to get involved or to learn more about these projects. Click here to learn more about other current and ongoing SABR research projects.
Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.
6 new stories published at SABR Biography Project
- Dave Altizer, by Terry Bohn
- Lanny Frattare, by Gary Packan
- Chick Gagnon, by Brad Benedict
- Ham Iburg, by Bill Lamb
- Cliff Lee, by Madison McEntire
- Monte Pfeffer, by Darren Gibson
Visit SABR.org/bioproject to learn more about the SABR BioProject or to get involved.
7 new stories published at SABR Games Project
- April 28, 1901: Overflow crowd aids White Sox’ record 23 singles in Clark Griffith’s AL debut, by Andrew Harner
- September 7, 1911: Reds catcher Larry McLean’s caught-stealing streak snapped at 14 baserunners, by Gary Belleville
- April 22, 1915: Nap Lajoie makes 5 errors as Red Sox win home opener against Philadelphia, by Bill Nowlin
- May 22, 1949: Don Newcombe pitches and hits Dodgers to win over Reds in first NL start, by Steven C. Weiner
- May 6, 1950: Ted Williams continues homer spree, sparks Red Sox to another blowout win, by Bill Nowlin
- April 29, 1951: Determined to prevail: Red Sox players hit extra-inning homers in the 11th, 12th, and 13th innings, by Bill Nowlin
- July 22, 1961: Spahn, Adcock, Clemente homer as Braves nip Pirates, by Stephen Bratkovich
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.
Here Comes the Pizzer: The Found Poetry of Baseball Broadcasts
Edited by Eric Poulin
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:
- View a collection of nearly 100,000 player surveys in the new Weiss Baseball Questionnaires collection
- Watch a video replay of the SABR Webinar on Torpedo Bats
- Learn more about recipients of SABR Local Grants in 2025
- SABR scholarships awarded to St. Joseph’s University students for Negro Leagues exhibit
- Call for papers: 2025 SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference
- SABR members approve By-Laws revision in 2025 special election
- Hundreds of ProQuest US newspapers added to SABR Research Resources
- SABR Digital Library: The 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox: Grinders and Gamers
- Call for papers: 2025 SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference on September 19-21
- The SABR Bookshelf: Spring 2025
- Read SABR biographies of 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
- 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rebecca Bailey | Cold Spring, KY | Nathan Lilley | Clarksville, MO | ||
| Jack Basmaci | Baltimore, MD | Matthew Martin | Hattiesburg, MS | ||
| Chris Campin | Bedford, NH | James McDonnell | Sherman Oaks, CA | ||
| Rob Condo | Somerville, NJ | Joe Murphy | Brooklyn, NY | ||
| Steve Correz | Fullerton, CA | Indy Neidell | Stockholm, SWE | ||
| Mike Dover | Toronto, ON | Todd Prugar | Albuquerque, NM | ||
| Philip Eigen | Washington, DC | Tom Ragsdale | Timonium, MD | ||
| Leo Garkisch | New York, NY | Nate Rasmussen | Seattle, WA | ||
| Elliott Gomes | New Orleans, LA | Edward Rossborough | West Linn, OR | ||
| Ryan Gonzales | Fort Worth, TX | Jay Thompson | Waukanee, WI | ||
| Brian Graff | Erie, PA | Don Turnbull | Vancouver, BC | ||
| Isaac Handy | New York, NY | Paul Wurm | East Rutherford, NJ | ||
| Brendan Latimer | Baltimore, MD |
Here is a list of SABR supporters for the month of April 2025.
| NAME | NAME | |
|---|---|---|
| Ron Adams | Steve Klugman | |
| Rich Arpi | Theodore Knorr | |
| Randy Babb | Thomas Lee | |
| Ed Baranoski | Joe Leisek | |
| Jake Bell | Henry Levy | |
| Lynn Bevill | Joseph Luchok | |
| Phillip Bolda | Michael Magee | |
| Thomas Bradley | Peter Mancuso | |
| Stephen Bratkovich | Peter Marcus | |
| D. Bruce Brown | Bruce McClure | |
| Bruce Bumbalough | Andy McCue | |
| Ralph Caola | Kai Nelson | |
| Ken Carrano | David Newman | |
| Karl Cicitto | Linda Nichols | |
| Vincent Comparato | Skip Nipper | |
| Daniel Cooley | Andrew North | |
| Warren Corbett | Gary Paetzold | |
| Jim Cox | Bill Pearch | |
| Dennis Degenhardt | Frank Prusik | |
| Chris Dial | John Rall | |
| Mark Drucker | Patrick Ray | |
| Mark Dugo | Michael Rosenwasser | |
| Helen Edwards | Harry Rothgerber | |
| Jonathan Epstein | Charles Roussel | |
| Joe Evancich | Bob Russon | |
| Daniel Evans | Jason Scheller | |
| David Firstman | Douglas Schoppert | |
| Adam Foldes | Punch Shaw | |
| Sean Forman | Mary Shea | |
| Paul Froehling | Rob Sheinkopf | |
| Roy Gedat | Thomas Stone | |
| David Harris | Wesley Story | |
| Leslie Heaphy | Andrew Strnad | |
| Howard Henry | Joseph Thompson | |
| Tim Herlich | Neal Traven | |
| Rockwell Hoffman | Vincent Vaillancourt | |
| David Hughes | Joseph Wancho | |
| Rob Janes | Steve West | |
| Donald Jensen | Deb Williams | |
| Kim Juhase | Beach Wires | |
| Thomas Kern | Jeffrey Wood | |
| David Klotz | Don Zminda |
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 Marq Evans and Dick Perez (The Diamond King); Marshall Garvey (Interstate ’85); and Jason Cannon (A Time For Reflection). Click here to view video replays of virtual SABR events.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
- May 3: Bob Davids Chapter Talkin’ Baseball: J.B. Manheim (9:00 a.m. EDT)
- May 3: Women in Baseball Talk: Melissa Ludtke (10:00 a.m. EDT)
- May 5: American Baseball Biomechanics Society Journal Club meeting (4:00 p.m. EDT)
- May 5: Clyde Sukeforth (NH/ME) Chapter meeting with Bruce Allardice (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- May 7: Baltimore Babe Ruth (MD) Chapter meeting with Brian Kappel (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- May 8: Games and Simulations meeting with Steve Etzel (8:00 p.m. EDT)
- May 10: Pacific Northwest Chapter meeting with Robert Kiyoshi Shadlow, Helen Edwards, and Paul DeFonzo (11:00 a.m. PDT)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
- May 3: Rabbit Maranville Chapter meeting (Springfield, MA)
- May 3: Halsey Hall Chapter Hot Stove Saturday Morning (Minneapolis, MN)
- May 4: Hank Gowdy Columbus Chapter Ohio State ballgame/meet-up (Columbus, OH)
- May 4: Central Illinois Chapter vintage ballgame (Dwight, IL)
- May 6: Bob Davids Chapter Virginia Hot Stove Dinner (Arlington, VA)
- May 7: Buck O’Neil/North Florida Chapter meeting (Tallahassee, FL)
- May 7: Bob Broeg St. Louis Chapter fellowship meeting (St. Louis, MO)
- May 10: Baltimore Babe Ruth Chapter meeting (Baltimore, MD)
- May 10: Connecticut Smoky Joe Wood Chapter meeting (Middletown, CT)
- May 10: Boston Chapter meeting (Boston, MA)
- May 10: Magnolia Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Columbus, GA)
To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.
- Baseball Records: Spring 2025 newsletter
Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.
- Bob Davids Chapter: May 2025 newsletter (Washington, DC)
- Halsey Hall Chapter: May 2025 newsletter (Minneapolis, MN)
- Larry Dierker Chapter: Spring 2025 newsletter (Houston, 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:
- Save 40% off the purchase of baseball books at University of Nebraska Press through June 13
- Jay Jaffe: Eugenio Suárez Joins the Four-Homer Club, Albeit in Defeat (FanGraphs)
- Tyler Kepner: Eugenio Suárez is streaky, superstitious — and now he’s made his mark on baseball history (The Athletic)
- Sarah Langs: Celebrating Aaron Judge’s magnificent career (so far) on his birthday (MLB.com)
- Scott Simon: Open Book interview with Eric Poulin on Here Comes the Pizzer (Substack)
- Alan Nathan: The Physics of the Torpedo Bat: An Update (Illinois.edu)
- Jayson Stark/Ken Rosenthal/Eno Sarris: MLB made a change that players say shrank the strike zone — and caught them by surprise (The Athletic)
- Derrick Goold: Walt Jocketty, shrewd architect of Cardinals’ modern revival and two NL pennants, dies at 74 (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- Alex Speier: Kristian Campbell’s distinctive approach has made him one of the Red Sox’ most consistent hitters (Boston Globe)
- Rob Mains: Will The NL West Be the Best Division Ever? (Baseball Prospectus)
- Evan Drellich: Thirty years ago, Hideo Nomo’s bold gambit paved the way for Ichiro, Ohtani to thrive (The Athletic)
- Davy Andrews: Julio Rodríguez and the Transit Method (FanGraphs)
- Dan Cichalski: Hit it here: Players who homered in the most ballparks in a season (MLB.com)
- Dan D’Addona: Grant Wolfram made his major-league debut for the Baltimore Orioles (Holland Sentinel)
- Hannah Keyser: The Rays Groundskeepers Are Adjusting to Life Outside the Dome (Front Office Sports)
- Alex Coffey: Meet the 12-year-old Phillies fan who went viral for imitating José Alvarado (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- David Laurila: A Poor Man’s Ben Zobrist, Brooks Baldwin Plays Everywhere (FanGraphs)
- Mike Petriello: Why Pete Crow-Armstrong’s elite defense is even better than it looks (MLB.com)
- Russell A. Carleton: I Love A Parade (Baseball Prospectus)
- Grant Brisbee: The Giants didn’t just survive the most difficult part of the schedule. They thrived. (The Athletic)
- Patrick Dubuque: The Dodgers and the Problem on the Horizon (Baseball Prospectus)
- Robyn Bresnahan: Has Ottawa ever been a baseball town? (CBC Radio)
- Daniel Neman: Professor’s new book explores history of Black people in baseball (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- John Eisenberg: The Orioles’ First Black Player (Baltimore Baseball)
- Michael Clair: Big dreamers and big leaguers see bright future for Croatian baseball (MLB.com)
- Ethan Wiles: Illinois State Funding to Help Bring Baseball Back to Beyer Stadium in Rockford (WREX.com)
- Eric Conklin: Abandoned Jersey Shore stadium named after Negro League star reopens after $5.6M upgrade (NJ.com)
- G.H. Fleming: The Merkle Blunder: A Kaleidoscopic View (Our Game)
- Bill Orzell: The John McGraw Game: ‘Greatest Sporting Event in the History of Cortland County’ (New York Almanack)
- Steven Goldman: McGraw and McCurdy and the Mystery Train (Baseball Prospectus)
- Mike Acosta/Joe Thompson: Houston SABR Report: The Return of Astros’ Lance McCullers Jr. (Houston City Beat)
- Jeff Cohen/Len Aberman: Baseball and BBQ interview with Danny Torres (Baseball and BBQ)
- F. Scott Wilkinson: Topps in 1975: Awfully Awesome, or Just Awful? (Part 2) (SABR Baseball Cards)
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: May 2, 2025. Last Updated: May 2, 2025.