This Week in SABR: October 6, 2023
Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, October 6, 2023.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.
Early registration now open for 2024 SABR Analytics Conference
Watch highlights from SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference
Maybelle Blair wins 2023 Dorothy Seymour Mills Award
Ballpark Figures with Meg Rowley rescheduled
SABR Analytics Certification: Sign up now for new Level 3 course
Submit new project proposals to SABR Editorial Board by November 1
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Early registration now open for 2024 SABR Analytics Conference
Early registration is now open for the SABR Analytics Conference, which will be held in person from March 8-10, 2024, at the Beus Center for Law and Society on Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix Campus in Phoenix, Arizona.
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 Diamond Dollars Case Competition will be held at the Beus Center for Law and Society on the morning of Friday, March 8. Four- to five-person student teams are asked to evaluate a baseball operations case problem. The student team presents their analysis and recommendations to a panel of judges that includes MLB front office executives.
- Registration: Click here to register for the 2024 SABR Analytics Conference. Early-bird registration is $395 for SABR members, $495 for non-members, and $150 for currently enrolled high school or college students. Student-only virtual registration is $50. Students should email Scott Carter with a photo of their student ID to receive the discounted registration link.
- Student Registration: 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). SABR membership will be fulfilled after event sign-up and access to Rapsodo course will be delivered after the conference.
- Research Presentations: Present your baseball research at the 2024 SABR Analytics Conference. Deadline to submit an abstract: November 22, 2023.
- Diamond Dollars Case Competition: Click here to register your team for the 2024 Diamond Dollars Case Competition. Registration is $1,750 per team, which includes admission to all SABR Analytics Conference sessions and a one-year SABR membership for each participant.
- Yoseloff Scholarship: Students, apply now for a Yoseloff Scholarship to attend the 2024 SABR Analytics Conference. Deadline: December 31, 2023.
Stay tuned for more information on speakers, panelists, and presenters soon! Learn more at SABR.org/analytics.
Watch highlights from the 2023 SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference
The fifth annual SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference was held virtually on September 29-October 1, 2023. This year’s conference — co-sponsored by SABR and the International Women’s Baseball Center and hosted by Rockford University — was a virtual event with the theme “Through the Lens of Baseball.”
The conference was highlighted by a keynote address from pioneering sports writer and author Melissa Ludtke; a Through the Lens of Baseball panel with Tracy Greer, Jessica Kleinschmidt, Margaret Lawrence, Donna Muscarella, and Leslie Heaphy; an Umpires Panel with Perry Barber, Sophiyah Liu, Greta Langhenry, and Lisa Turbitt; a Telling Their Story Panel with Shae Sloan, Missy Coombes, Marlene Vogelsang, and Kat Williams; research presentations; pylon unveiling; and the announcement of the Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Videos: Click here to watch highlights from the 2023 SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference
- Program: Download the 2023 conference program (PDF)
Visit SABR.org/women-in-baseball-conference for more coverage.
Maybelle Blair honored with Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League veteran and women’s baseball ambassador Maybelle Blair was honored on Saturday, September 30 with the 2023 Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award during the SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference.
SABR’s Women in Baseball Committee established the Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award — “The Dorothy” — named in honor of Dorothy Seymour Mills and her lifetime of contributions to promoting women’s baseball.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Ballpark Figures with Meg Rowley rescheduled for November 2
Join us each month for SABR’s Ballpark Figures, a new interview series hosted by Shakeia Taylor. The virtual Zoom event is free and open to all active SABR members.
On Thursday, November 2, our guest will be Meg Rowley, managing editor of FanGraphs and co-host of the Effectively Wild podcast.
Visit SABR.org/ballpark-figures to learn more about upcoming shows or view past episodes.
Help us Bring it Home in 2023 and build a stronger future for SABR!
Much like circling the baseball diamond, SABR rounds the bases every year through guiding principles of research, participation, and community. At first base is the fundamental component of our mission: research. At second base is participation, through which we produce wonderful baseball research and programming that reaches people everywhere. We round third at community, as we strive towards our vision of becoming the essential community for the world of baseball. Gifts from members like you will now help SABR BRING IT HOME, making 2023 a historic success while building for a bright future.
You can support SABR’s end of year Bring it Home Campaign by making a gift of $150 or more by December 31, 2022. We will use your best gift of $150, $300, $500, or $1,000 to boost SABR’s general operations. Contributions from generous donors like you are vital as SABR expands research, creates more pathways to participation, and builds a stronger baseball community.
Visit SABR.org/donate/2023 to learn more.
SABR Analytics Certification: Sign up now for new Level 3 course
We’re excited to announce that the newest course in the SABR Analytics Certification program, Level Three – Introduction to Baseball Programming, is now available.
Taught by award-winning baseball writer and analyst Rob Arthur, the Level Three course provides an introduction to programming using a practical approach in its application for baseball and focusing on R (with a dash of SQL) as a programming language, the goal of this online, on-demand course is to give learners a foundational understanding of the technical skills necessary for a career in data science and baseball analytics.
To sign up now, or to learn more about previous courses, visit SABR.org/analytics/certification.
Watch highlights from Three Rivers Stadium dedication ceremony
SABR’s Forbes Field Chapter held a dedication ceremony on Friday, September 15 for the unveiling of a historical marker at the location of home plate for Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Click here to watch a video presentation, courtesy of AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, with highlights from the ceremony.
The marker was dedicated inside Gold Lot 1A, next to PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Three Rivers Stadium served as the team’s home from 1970 to 2000, and was the site of many significant baseball milestones, including Roberto Clemente’s 3,000th career hit, Pirates World Series championships in 1971 and 1979, and the 1994 MLB All-Star Game. The ongoing project was funded in part through the SABR Local Grants program.
Call for papers: 2024 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 2024 Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The 15th annual Ivor-Campbell Conference is scheduled for April 19-20, 2024. The deadline for proposal Abstracts is October 31, 2023.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Submit new project proposals to SABR Editorial Board by November 1
SABR’s Editorial Board welcomes new project proposals from members to be considered for publication through the Digital Library, SABR.org, or any other multimedia formats. We strongly encourage new proposals that involve collaboration between SABR research committees and/or chapters, and web-based projects with an eye toward enhanced multimedia presentation.
- Click here to submit a SABR project proposal
Next deadline: November 1, 2023 (for publication in early 2025 or 2026)
SABR seeks to publish 2-4 web-based multimedia projects and 6-8 books per year. Book projects should be of a scope that can fit in a single volume, typically between 100,000 and 200,000 total words.
Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.
Subscribe to Baseball Digest for discounted SABR rates, full archive access
A subscription to Baseball Digest now includes free access to the magazine’s archive website containing 82 years of searchable baseball history. SABR members can now subscribe at a discount! Click here to subscribe at the discounted rate.
One-year subscriptions cost $32.95 for SABR members (a 39% discount off the newsstand rate) or $48.95 for two years (a 54% discount.) SABR members will receive the traditional print edition delivered to their preferred mailing address; access to the digital edition of Baseball Digest so you can read on the go; and access to the digital archive library containing every issue of Baseball Digest published since August 1942!
Writing opportunity: Dodger Stadium book project
SABR’s upcoming book on Dodger Stadium, planned to be published around Opening Day in 2024, is seeking a few more contributors. There are a handful of Games Project recaps remaining for any interested authors. We also have three or four essay ideas for those who might like to consider writing an article for the book.
If you are interested in contributing to the Dodger Stadium book, or any other upcoming projects, please contact Bill Nowlin.
Baseball fans, tune in this season to SABRcast with Rob Neyer, a weekly podcast hosted by award-winning author and longtime SABR member Rob Neyer. Episode #234 on Monday, October 2 featured Van Schley, who has been involved as an owner and executive in independent professional baseball for more than 40 years. Visit SABR.org/sabrcast to listen to the full episode or subscribe to SABRcast on your favorite podcast networks.
Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.
4 new biographies published at the SABR BioProject
- Cy Ferry, by Bill Lamb
- Bob Grim, by Tim Otto
- Elmer Ponder, by Gregory H. Wolf
- Dan Woodman, by Kurt Blumenau
Visit SABR.org/bioproject to learn more about the SABR BioProject or to get involved.
10 new stories published at the SABR Games Project
- June 13, 1894: Senators rookie Bill Hassamaer hits for the cycle; Browns’ Kid Gleason is suspended without pay, by Mike Huber
- October 10, 1923: Casey Stengel is hero as Giants nip Yankees in Game 1, by Stephen V. Rice
- September 29, 1967: Bob Moose earns first major-league win as Pirates beat Astros, by John Fredland
- October 7, 1981: Royals rookie Mike Jones falls just short of postseason Cinderella story in loss to A’s, by Kurt Blumenau
- April 21, 1988: Boston’s Steve Ellsworth tames Tigers for sole big-league win, by Bill Nowlin
- September 26, 1989: Cubs clinch NL East on Dwight Smith’s clutch hits, by Gary Belleville
- May 15, 2001: Cardinals defeat Pirates in St. Louis’s first-ever game at PNC Park, by Andrew Heckroth
- October 4, 2003: Marlins advance to NLCS as Iván Rodríguez holds on in game-ending collision at home plate, by Tim Odzer
- August 23, 2004: Arizona’s Shane Nance earns only big-league win, by Alan Cohen
- August 26, 2016: Diamondbacks beat Reds in 11th inning as Edwin Escobar earns sole major-league win, by Tony Oliver
In addition, new stories from the SABR Digital Library book, Yankee Stadium 1923-2008: America’s First Modern Ballpark, are now available to read online at the SABR Games Project:
- April 20, 1977: Hat trick? Yankees’ unconventional lineup spurs win over Blue Jays, by John Fredland
- September 30, 1984: Mattingly overtakes teammate Winfield for batting title on final day, by Richard Cuicchi
- September 4, 1993: Jim Abbott throws a no-hitter at Yankee Stadium, by Dana Berry
- October 17, 2000: David Justice powers Yankees to 37th AL pennant in comeback win, by Mark S. Sternman
- May 17, 2002: Giambi’s game-ending grand slam gives Yankees 14-inning win over Twins, by Stew Thornley
- June 13, 2003: Clemens reaches 300 wins and 4,000 strikeouts at Yankee Stadium, by Harry Schoger
- October 16, 2003: Aaron Boone’s home run wins the pennant for Yankees, by Tom Naylor (first-time author)
- July 1, 2004: Derek Jeter’s dangerous diving catch saves Yankees’ sweep of Red Sox, by Tim Odzer
- July 15, 2008: American League bids farewell to Yankee Stadium with a 15-inning win in longest All-Star Game, by Cecilia Tan
- September 21, 2008: The final game at Yankee Stadium, by Alan Raylesberg
Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.
The Stars Shone on Philadelphia: The 1934 Negro National League Champions
Edited by Frederick C. Bush and 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:
- Save the date! SABR 52 will be in Minneapolis in 2024
- 40,000 rare images now available in SABR-Rucker Archive
- In Memoriam: Former SABR Board President Dick Beverage
- Historical Black Newspapers Collection added to SABR Research Resources
- SABR forms new Special Negro Leagues and Teams Committee
- Save the date! 2024 SABR Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference to be held in Cooperstown
- Announcing finalists for 2023 Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award
- SABR Defensive Index rankings released through August 13
- Highlights from the 2023 Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
- SABR Landmarks Committee unveils new Baseball Grave Map
- Read articles from new 2023 The National Pastime online
- Watch video highlights from 2023 SABR Analytics Conference
- Learn more about the recipients of 2023 SABR Local Grants
- 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luke Berry | Seaside, CA | Chris Moeller | Des Moines, IA | ||
| Joe Biancone | Waccabuc, NY | David Morgan | Downers Grove, IL | ||
| Anne Chen | Taipei City, TWN | Terry Mosher | Lachine, QC | ||
| Dominic Damian | San Diego, CA | John Mullarkey | Hillsborough, NJ | ||
| Todd DeBruin | Toledo, OH | Spencer Murphy | Barrington, NH | ||
| Cosmo Digneo | Fort Myers, FL | Kade Nelson | Vestavia Hills, AL | ||
| John Farrell | Durham, NC | John Putnam | Gonzales, LA | ||
| Joe Grossane | Carle Place, NY | Makonnen Tendaji | Long Beach, CA | ||
| Daniel Johnson | Centerville, IN | Chris Trautwein | Clearwater, FL | ||
| Jessee Joo | Harleysville, PA | Peter Vliet | San Francisco, CA | ||
| Edward Maxam | Los Angeles, CA | Christopher Wilkins | Boston, MA | ||
| William Messer | Calgary, AB |
Here is a list of SABR supporters for the month of September 2023:
| NAME | NAME | |
|---|---|---|
| Jake Bell | Peter Marcus | |
| D. Bruce Brown | Bruce McClure | |
| Ralph Caola | John Mullarkey | |
| Ken Carrano | Bill Nowlin | |
| Karl Cicitto | Mike O’Hare | |
| Vincent Comparato | Tim Otto | |
| Jim Cox | Laurel Prieb | |
| Todd DeBruin | John Rall | |
| John Dewan | Al Riess | |
| Ed Edmonds | Michael Rosenwasser | |
| Helen Edwards | Charles Roussel | |
| Steven Elsberry | Bob Russon | |
| Daniel Evans | Jason Scheller | |
| David Firstman | Douglas Schoppert | |
| Adam Foldes | Jeff Self | |
| Edward Fong | Rob Sheinkopf | |
| John-William Greenbaum | Mike Sparks | |
| Robert Hagerman | Thomas Stone | |
| Leslie Heaphy | Wesley Story | |
| Tim Herlich | Bob Tehan | |
| Rockwell Hoffman | Joseph Thompson | |
| David Hughes | Neal Traven | |
| Donald Jensen | Joseph Wancho | |
| Tara Krieger | Steve West | |
| Harry Lesser | Beach Wires | |
| Henry Levy | Jeffrey Wood | |
| Peter Mancuso | 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 complete details of all SABR events
- Video Replays: This week, we heard from the AL Central Division joint chapter season wrap-up. Click here to view more video replays of virtual SABR events.
Upcoming Virtual Meetings
- October 7: Talkin’ Baseball: Joe Posnanski (9:00 a.m. EDT)
- October 10: Northern New England Chapter meeting with Paul Allen (7:00 p.m. EDT)
- October 10: 19th Century Speaker Series: Jack Bales (8:00 p.m. EDT)
- October 12-13: 9 Online Virtual Baseball Conference
- October 15: Hanlan’s Point (ON) Chapter meeting with Dom Dinelle (1:00 p.m. EDT)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
- October 7: Forbes Field Chapter meeting (Pittsburgh, PA)
- October 7: Maddux Bros.-Vegas Chapter meeting (Las Vegas, NV)
- October 14: Halsey Hall Chapter book club meeting (Roseville, MN)
To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.
- Nineteenth Century: Fall 2023 newsletter
Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.
- Larry Dierker Chapter: September 25 meeting recap (Houston, TX)
- Ted Williams Chapter: October 2023 newsletter (San Diego, CA)
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:
- Nick Pantages: SABR brings some big names to their Alden Street meeting (Springfield Student)
- Ben Lindbergh: Baseball’s Biggest Spenders Couldn’t Buy Tickets to October (The Ringer)
- Rob Mains: The Bill James World Series Prediction System, 2023 Edition (Baseball Prospectus)
- Davy Andrews: An Illustrated Guide to the Playoff Celebrations (FanGraphs)
- Lindsey Adler: Kim Ng, The Baseball Trailblazer Who Is an Old-School Throwback (Wall Street Journal)
- Tyler Kepner: Brandon Hyde, the manager who led the Orioles out of the abyss and into a promising new era (The Athletic)
- Manny Randhawa: 19 facts about the Twins snapping a 19-year postseason losing streak (MLB.com)
- Zach Buchanan: How the playoff-bound Diamondbacks helped their GM through tragedy (Washington Post)
- Jayson Stark: Phillies-Braves 2.0: Ready for an NLDS rematch featuring baseball’s best rivalry? (The Athletic)
- Russell A. Carleton: Aren’t They Going to Burn Out Their Bullpen? (Baseball Prospectus)
- Sarah Langs: 7 longest series losing skids in playoff history (MLB.com)
- Jay Jaffe: A Look at the Defenses of the Postseason Teams (FanGraphs)
- Mark Simon: Premier Playoff Defenders (ACTA Sports)
- Steven Goldman: Rewriting the Record Books, Unfortunately (Baseball Prospectus)
- Justin Klugh: Welcome Back to Hell (Baseball Prospectus)
- Grant Brisbee: The perfection of Brandon Crawford’s San Francisco Giants career (The Athletic)
- Alex Speier: A closer look at the questions hovering over the Red Sox’ search for a new baseball boss (Boston Globe)
- Ryan Divish: Jerry Dipoto plans to stay with process, says big-name players not only way to build winner (Seattle Times)
- Derrick Goold: A pitching pothole KO’d the Cardinals. Can they get up and back into ‘fight for titles’? (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- Gary Cieradkowski: Mose Solomon: The Rabbi of Swat (Infinite Baseball Card Set)
- John Thorn: Baseball Pioneers: Branch Rickey (Our Game)
- Amanda Lane: The Making of Little Big League and the Big Big League Mariners (NW Baseball History)
- Mark Armour: RIP Mr. Oriole (SABR Baseball Cards)
- Don Zminda: Back Story: 1963 Topps and Fleer (SABR Baseball Cards)
- Chris Kamka: Connie Mack’s favorite intersection in Illinois (SABR Landmarks)
- Jeremy Gibbs: My 2023 Fantasy Baseball Portfolio (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.
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Originally published: October 6, 2023. Last Updated: October 6, 2023.