Voting now open for SABR’s All-Time Eras Teams ballots
APRIL 17, 2026 — Throughout the 2026 season, SABR members will have a chance to vote on SABR’s All-Time Eras Teams as we celebrate the 150 years of baseball and American history since the founding of the National League in 1876. The All-Time Eras Teams project is an interactive opportunity for all SABR members to participate in, debate with one another, and learn more about the iconic players and figures from different eras.
- Voting is now open for the first two teams: the 19th Century Era (1876-1900) and the Deadball Era (1901-1919); click here to cast your vote
All current SABR members are eligible to vote. SABR members will be able to vote for players at every position on the diamond, as well as the top manager and executive from that era.
Each ballot period will culminate with a virtual Zoom webinar which includes a presentation covering that era of American history prior to the unveiling of the team chosen by our members. The 19th Century Era and Deadball Era teams will be unveiled on Wednesday, May 13, along with a special presentation by Brian M. Ingrassia of West Texas A&M University.
19th Century Era (1876-1900)
As MLB Official Historian John Thorn wrote in his introduction to SABR’s Inventing Baseball: The 100 Greatest Games of the 19th Century, “Early baseball, however you define or pinpoint it in the years before 1901, was indeed different from the game we see on the field today, yet there can be no doubt that it was baseball. Players in the big-league parks of the 1880s, packed with thousands of paying spectators, knew they were playing the same game that had been staged for free at the Elysian Fields of Hoboken decades earlier. These players deserve to be recalled by all baseball fans of today in their greatest moments, in the glory of our times as well as theirs. To know that Albert Pujols and Derek Jeter are part of a seamless web with Roger Connor and John Ward makes the experience of today’s games richer than merely to compare our stars with those since 1901.”
Deadball Era (1901-1919)
The Deadball Era from 1901 to 1919 is one of the most popular, colorful, important, and distinct eras in baseball history. The pitcher-dominated era earned its name because game balls were rarely removed from play, resulting in grimy, softening baseballs that played as if they were “dead.” The era began with the formation of the American League and the establishment of the original 16-franchise structure that lasted the first half of the twentieth century. The World Series became an annual tradition and the sport became entrenched as America’s national pastime. The challenge of the upstart Federal League led to a legal battle that went to the Supreme Court and eventually resulted in the sport’s exemption from United States antitrust laws. Finally, the era culminated with the emergence of Babe Ruth as a home run hitter and the scandalous 1919 World Series. Baseball would never go back to the tactical style of play required by the “dead” ball.
Get an All-Time Eras Teams baseball card set!
Current SABR members who refer two new members by May 13 will receive an exclusive baseball card set featuring players selected to our All-Time Eras Teams! New members must use the discount code AllEras15 to qualify for this promotion.
Any new annual member who signs up during SABR’s All-Time Eras Teams membership drive using the code AllEras15 and you’ll receive an exclusive baseball card set of players across our All-Time Eras Teams, as well as a one-year membership discount! Join between April 7 and May 13 to qualify and save $15 off the cost of a one-year membership. Click here to learn more.
Originally published: April 17, 2026. Last Updated: April 16, 2026.