May 17, 2024 – Society for American Baseball Research (2024)

Welcome to “This Week in SABR” on Friday, May 17, 2024.
Click here to view this newsletter on the web.

SABR 52: Research Presentations
Free Rapsodo course offered with Analytics Certification purchase in May
Virtual registration now open for Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
Read articles online from Spring 2024 Baseball Research Journal
Call for papers: 2024 SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference
Submit candidate statements for vacant Board seat by May 17

SABR 52: Research Presentations

The full list of research presentations during SABR 52 in Minneapolis is now available online at SABR.org/convention. Abstracts and presenter bios, along with the complete schedule of events, will be available soon.

• Click here to learn more about SABR 52 research presentations

SABR 52 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, so sign up today to join us! All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Early-bird registration discounts end on June 7, 2024.

Visit SABR.org/convention to learn more.

Member Benefit Spotlight: What to expect at SABR 52

To highlight key benefits of your SABR membership, read this month’s SABR Member Benefit Spotlight, an email series that identifies and explains some of the most valuable features of your membership. With just three months until our annual SABR 52 convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, watch a short video to learn how to register online so you don’t miss out on our early bird deadline!

Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.

Free Rapsodo course offered with SABR Analytics Certification purchase

It’s time to take your skills to the next level with two of the most trusted names in baseball analytics! SABR is excited to partner with Rapsodo, a leading innovator in baseball technology and data analysis, on a limited time offer:

• Purchase any SABR Analytics Certification course until May 31, 2024, and get access to a complimentary Rapsodo Certified course

That’s $395 in added value with the purchase of any SABR Analytics Certification course.

Click here to read the full announcement at SABR.org.

Virtual registration now available for Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference

For the first time ever, SABR’s annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference on June 6-9, 2024, is being hosted as a hybrid event. While in-person attendees will enjoy this year’s conference at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, we are excited to introduce a new virtual registration option.

Virtual registration gives you the opportunity to experience the Malloy, the only symposium dedicated exclusively to the examination and promotion of Black baseball history, from the comfort of your own home for just $75. All panels and presentations held at the Hall of Fame’s Grandstand Theater on Thursday, June 6 through Saturday, June 8 will be available via Zoom livestream. It’s a fantastic way to see what the Malloy Conference is all about and we hope you’ll take advantage.

Full and single-day registration is available for a discounted rate before May 24. 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)
• Library Grants:Click here to download an application for the $500 Dick Clark Memorial Library Grants (PDF). Deadline: September 16, 2024.

Visit SABR.org/malloy to learn more or to register.

Read articles online from Spring 2024 Baseball Research Journal

With an original cover illustration of Birmingham’s Rickwood Field designed by SABR member Gary Cieradkowski, we hope you enjoy the e-book edition of the Spring 2024 Baseball Research Journal!

The e-book edition was sent to all SABR members on Monday, May 6. Anyone who has subscribed to the print edition should receive their copy in the mail in the next 2-4 weeks.

• Click here to download the PDF e-book edition of the Spring 2024 Baseball Research Journal.
• Click here to order a copy of the print edition of the Spring 2024 Baseball Research Journal from Amazon.com.
• Click here to read all articles online from the Spring 2024 Baseball Research Journal in the SABR Research Collection.

We hope you enjoy reading the Spring 2024 Baseball Research Journal!

Call for papers: 2024 SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference

SABR and the International Women’s Baseball Center have announced a call for papers for the sixth annual SABR/IWBC Women in Baseball Conference, scheduled as a virtual event for September 20-22, 2024.

Please submit abstracts of approximately 200 words, along with contact information and a short biography, by July 1, 2024, to Leslie Heaphy.

Registration information will be available soon at SABR.org/women-in-baseball-conference.

Contribute to SABR’s Four Pillars Fund

Research – Preservation – Scholarship – Future of the Game. These are the four pillars on which SABR stands as an organization.

Each pillar represents one of our organizational values and the support of donors like you makes a significant impact on our ability to fortify our foundation while also fulfilling SABR’s vision of becoming the essential community for the world of baseball.

This spring, we ask you to contribute to the FOUR PILLARS FUND. Our goal is to raise $65,000 during this campaign to strengthen each of our four pillars by supporting baseball research, committing to preservation, furthering the reach of our scholarship, and building a bridge to the future of the game.

To donate or learn more about SABR’s Four Pillars Fund and the existing efforts and exciting new initiatives that will be funded by a successful campaign, visit SABR.org/donate/four-pillars.

Submit candidate statements for vacant Board seat by May 17

Allison Levin’s election as Vice President has created a vacancy for a Director’s seat, and a candidate will be appointed by the Board of Directors.

Any SABR member who is interested in filling the rest of that seat’s term — which begins at the conclusion of the Annual Business Meeting at SABR 52 in August and runs until 2025 — should fill out the candidate statement form and send an email to Mark Armour. The deadline to submit a statement is May 17, 2024.

Find new updates to the SABR Research Collection below, including the Baseball Biography Project, Games Project, and Oral History Collection.

New Oral History interview: Dave Righetti

• Dave Righetti, former All-Star pitcher and longtime pitching coach
  Recorded May 9, 2024, by John McMurray
  

Visit SABR.org/oralhistory to find more interviews from the SABR Oral History Collection.

6 new stories published at SABR BioProject

• Bob Chance, by Len Pasculli
• Jack Fifield, by Bill Lamb
• Harry Gumbert, by Bill Lamb
• Rick Sutcliffe, by Greg King
• Walt Tragesser, by Kurt Blumenau
• Paul Wachtel, by Darren Gibson

Visit SABR.org/bioproject to learn more about the SABR BioProject or to get involved.

8 new stories published at SABR Games Project

• May 20, 1900: Buffalo Bisons, Chicago White Stockings play on Sunday on rough, swampy grounds, by Stephen V. Rice
• May 12, 1915: Ernie Shore denies emery charge, throws complete-game win for Red Sox, by Kurt Blumenau
• May 17, 1936: Elon Hogsett puts the brakes on Browns’ historically bad start, by Larry DeFillipo
• May 21, 1951: Ted Williams lashes 3 hits to Fenway Park’s left field—to spite Ty Cobb?, by Bill Nowlin
• August 5, 1973: Oscar Gamble homers twice in Cleveland’s comeback win over Milwaukee, by Joseph Wancho
• April 1, 1976: Gary Carter cut for 16 stitches after slamming into cement outfield wall, by Gary Belleville
• July 2, 2004: Andrew Miller records every out by strikeout, but Cape Cod League game fogged out, by Stew Thornley
• July 1, 2022: Nolan Arenado hits for second career cycle, but his error leads to Phillies’ comeback, by Mike Huber

Read all game stories from new Ebbets Field book online

All game stories from the SABR Digital Library book, Ebbets Field: Great, Historic, and Memorable Games in Brooklyn’s Lost Ballpark, are now available to read online at the SABR Games Project. Here are the new articles posted this week:

• June 30, 1955: George Shuba’s walk-off single wins it for Dodgers, by Alan Cohen
• September 30, 1955: Podres, Dodgers narrow Yankees’ lead in Game 3, by Steven C. Weiner
• October 1, 1955: Snider’s bat, glove propel Dodgers to tie World Series in Game 4, by Gregory H. Wolf
• October 2, 1955: Duke Snider’s blasts move Dodgers to precipice of first title, by Gregory H. Wolf
• May 12, 1956: Carl Erskine’s second no-hitter is first to be broadcast on national TV, by Gregory H. Wolf
• September 29, 1956: Dodgers take over NL lead after sweep of Pirates, by Frederick C. Bush
• October 3, 1956: Sal Maglie fans 10, bests Whitey Ford in World Series opener, by Paul Hofmann
• October 5, 1956: Dodgers win Game 2 with slugging on the diamond and in parking lot, by John Bauer
• October 10, 1956: Johnny Kucks’ 3-hitter and home runs give Yankees the title, by Gregory H. Wolf
• July 18, 1957: Dodgers survive wild ninth inning to win in 11, by Doug Feldmann
• September 24, 1957: Dodgers win final game at Ebbets Field, by Rory Costello

Visit SABR.org/gamesproject to learn more about the SABR Games Project or to get involved.

Sox Bid Curse Farewell: The 2004 Boston Red Sox
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:

• Check out highlights, photos, and stories from the 2024 SABR Analytics Conference
• 2024 Henry Chadwick Award recipients announced
• Steve Gietschier wins 2024 SABR Seymour Medal
• Learn more about recipients of SABR Local Grants in 2024
• Levin, Lebowitz, Krieger, Newman elected to SABR Board of Directors
• Check out highlights, photos from Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Conference
• The SABR Bookshelf: Spring 2024
• Nominations open for 2024 Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award
• SABR’s Ballpark Figures to feature Stories of the Negro Leagues in 2024
• SABR announces partnership with Alzheimer’s Association
• 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.

• Events Calendar: Find details of all upcoming SABR events.
• Video Replays: This week, we heard from former MLB pitcher and coach Dave Righetti; author Jack Bales (“Lewis Meacham, National League Co-Founder”); and Vincent Ciaramella (“Death by Drinking Seawater”). Click here to view video replays of virtual SABR events.

Upcoming Virtual Meetings

• May 20: Clyde Sukeforth (ME/NH) Chapter meeting with John Cerilli (7:00 p.m. EDT)
• May 20: Pee Wee Reese (KY) Chapter meeting with Jason Schwartz and Russ Speiller (7:00 p.m. EDT)
• May 22: New SABR Member Experience Meeting (8:00 p.m. EDT)
• May 23: Larry Dierker (TX) Chapter meeting with David Jerome (7:00 p.m. CDT)
• May 25: Mathewson-Plank (PA) Chapter book club meeting (10:00 a.m. EDT)
• May 26: Baltimore Babe Ruth (MD) Chapter meeting with Zak Ford (7:00 p.m. EDT)

Upcoming In-Person Meetings

• May 18: Babe ‘n’ Bob Chapter Breakfast (Edgewater, MD)
• May 18: Halsey Hall Chapter spring meeting (Minneapolis, MN)
• May 18: 19th Annual Southern Association Conference (Montgomery, AL)
• May 18: Ken Keltner Chapter meeting (Milwaukee, WI)
• May 18: Pacific Northwest Chapter meeting (Tacoma, WA)
• May 18: Oklahoma Chapter meeting (Tulsa, OK)
• May 21: Bob Davids Chapter Hot Stove Dinner (Silver Spring, MD)
• May 21: Jerry Grillo/Adam Lazarus author event (Alpharetta, GA)
• May 25: Dayton Chapter book club meeting (Dayton, OH)
• May 25: Hanlan’s Point Chapter ballgame/meet-up (Guelph, ON)

To add your SABR event to our calendar listings, please contact Jacob Pomrenke.

• Biographical Research: April 2024 newsletter

Sign up for SABR research committee announcements at SABR.org/research/committees.

• Rogers Hornsby Chapter: May 2024 newsletter (Austin, 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:

• Jayson Stark/Ken Rosenthal: Twelve MLB rule change ideas to save the starting pitcher (The Athletic)
• Derek Rhoads/Rob Mains: The Growing Disparity in Injuries (Baseball Prospectus)
• Eno Sarris: MLB’s new bat speed numbers: The good, the bad and the uncertain future (The Athletic)
• Ben Clemens: What Statcast’s New Bat Tracking Data Does and Doesn’t Tell Us (FanGraphs)
• Sarah Langs: Paul Skenes’ red-hot radar readings highlight wild week of stats (MLB.com)
• Evan Drellich: Could MLB nationalize its media rights? (The Athletic)
• Jared Diamond/Lindsey Adler: Baseball Catchers Keep Getting Whacked by Hitters. It’s No Accident. (Wall Street Journal)
• J.J. Cooper: Here’s What Life After Affiliated Ball Is Like For Minor League Teams (Baseball America)
• Russell A. Carleton: Baseball Needs Side Characters (Baseball Prospectus)
• Neil Greenberg: Shohei Ohtani has a shot at baseball’s Triple Crown (Washington Post)
• Ben Schittler: One of Philly’s most historic baseball fields is in disarray. Neighborhood activists are asking for help. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Ryan fa*gan: Baseball cards, historic memorabilia steal the show at MLB Network (Sports Collectors Digest)
• Jay Jaffe: Max Fried Has Been Unhittable Lately (FanGraphs)
• Mark Simon: What’s Led To James Paxton’s Success? The Dodgers’ League-Leading Defensive Positioning (Sports Info Solutions)
• Stephanie Apstein: Pinchpenny Phillie: Brandon Marsh Is a Major League Luddite (Sports Illustrated)
• Alex Speier: Red Sox teammates love to watch outfielder Tyler O’Neill flip his patented throws home (Boston Globe)
• Ryan Divish: Julio Rodriguez has been ‘fighting through it’. Now, his swing is starting to click. (Seattle Times)
• Davy Andrews: What It’s Like To Be a Beat Writer (FanGraphs)
• Roger Cormier: Someone Told Me It’s All Happening at the Zoo (Baseball Prospectus)
• David Laurila: Kyle Finnegan’s Splitter Is a Derivative of Elroy Face’s Forkball (FanGraphs)
• Michael Clair: Brothers played soccer in Cuba, baseball in Spain. Now both have MLB dreams. (MLB.com)
• Calvin Daniels: Women’s baseball star gets overdue recognition (SaskToday.ca)
• Al Yellon: A few thoughts about baseball TV broadcasts and the multiple ways they are distributed (Bleed Cubbie Blue)
• Jeff Cohen/Len Aberman: Baseball and BBQ interview with Brett Topel (Baseball and BBQ)
• JB Manheim: More on Theodore Edison’s T206 Collection (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 17, 2024. Last Updated: May 17, 2024.