Nineteenth Century Research Committee: Chairman’s Award

August 2, 2026/in Committee research /by Jacob Pomrenke

Each year, the leadership of the SABR Nineteenth Century Research Committee selects the recipients of its Chairman’s Award. These members have lent their time and energy to enhancing our understanding of 19th-century baseball and in service to the committee.

Here are the recipients of the Chairman’s Award:

2026

• Bob Mayer and Gary Passamonte, for their work as presentation moderators for the 19th Century Artifact Segment from 2023 to 2026.
• Craig Brown, for his work as the designer and editor of the 19th Century Research Committee Newsletter.  

2025

• Bob LeMoine, for his multi-year support of committee initiatives by hosting the annual business meeting at the SABR Convention.
• Cassidy Lent, for her longstanding and ongoing collaboration and assistance with the Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference held annually at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

2024

• Andy Terrick, for his skillful work with the re-design and launch of the new Nineteenth Century Committee Members Facebook Group page.
• Jonathan Popovich for his contributions to the committee’s social media activity, his establishment, organization, and moderation of the 19th Century Artifact Segment at the ‘Fred’, and his facilitation of conference programming as a co-chair.

2023

• Sam Gazdziak, for his work overseeing our 19th Century Grave Marker Project Committee.

2022

• Richard “Dixie” Tourangeau, for his years of taking and providing photographs of our annual Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference in Cooperstown, New York.
• Tom Gilbert for his highly successful coordination of our Brooklyn 19th Century Baseball Interdisciplinary Symposium, conducted virtually due to the pandemic.

2021

• Jim Gates, Librarian Emeritus of the Giamatti Library of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, who served as the Hall of Fame’s “host” of the annual Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Conference in Cooperstown since 2009.

2019

• Bill Nowlin, who oversaw the completion of Part II of our committee’s most recent book project, Base Ball’s 19th Century “Winter” Meetings, 1857-1900.
• Richard Smiley, who assisted Ralph Carhart in organizing and then singlehandedly leading a small contingent of local Chicago baseball fans to the dedication of the grave marker for Bob Caruthers.

2018

• Matt Albertson, who was the key person behind the committee’s Facebook page launch and who also led the effort to have Philadelphia’s Jefferson Street Grounds declared a Pennsylvania Historic Site.
  

2017

• Jeremy Hodges, for his dedicated, professional and successful service as Editor-in-Chief of Part One (1858-1875) of the Nineteenth Century Committee’s book project, Baseball’s 19th Century Winter Meetings.

2016

• Bob Gregory, Charter Member, Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legends Committee and Charter Chair, 19th Century Grave Marker Project

2015

• Ralph Carhart, for critical support of Negro Leagues Committee Grave Marker Project dedication for Hall of Famer Sol White
• Don Jensen, organizer/leader, Madison Square District Walking Tour, NYC 19cBB Interdisciplinary Symposium
• John Zinn, co-organizer and co-host (Origins Committee), NYC 19cBB Interdisciplinary Symposium

2014

• Adam Darowski, Chairman, Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legends Committee
• Jim Overmyer, for providing critical logistic support to Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference

2013

• Bill Ryczek, Editor, Pioneer Project, Base Ball Pioneers: 1850-1870
• Marty Tangel, Organizer, 150th Anniversary Remembrance of Jim Creighton‘s death
• Joanne Hulbert, recovery of Nineteenth Century Committee’s American Association History Project research papers
• Trent McCotter, digitization of American Association History Project research papers

2012

• Bill Felber, Editor, Inventing Baseball: The 100 Greatest Games of the 19th Century
• Peter Morris, Initiator, Editor, Pioneer Project, Base Ball Founders

2011

• Jerry Kuntz, Leader, How to Do 19th Century Baseball Research Project

2010

• Joe Williams, Charter Chair, Overlooked 19th Century Baseball Legends Committee

2009

• Bob Bailey, Vice-Chair, Newsletter Editor and Committee Leadership