IN THIS ISSUE:
o
Summer Regional Meeting Highlights
o
Baldassaro Provides Added Treat
o
Baseball Reliquary Visits SABR
o
New Resources at Downtown Library/BRC
o
“Integration of the PCL”…Research Assistance
Requested
o
More Research Help Requested: “Late Ending
and Long Games”
o
New Book by Local Member, John Nunes: DreamCatcher
Games
o
Retrosheet Keeps Expanding
o
Photographs and Websites: News from SABR’s
Pictorial History Committee
o
Trivia: Weirdest “Walkoffs”
o
SABR33 in Denver: Convention Highlights
SUMMER REGIONAL MEETING
HIGHLIGHTS
In what was
likely our last meeting at Qualcomm/Jack Murphy/San Diego Stadium, our July 5th
Regional Meeting was attended by 30
members and guests.
Our
first item on the meeting agenda was the presentation of the 2003 Boynton
Research Award to Nathan Hicks from
Ramona High School. His winning paper
was entitled “If They Build It Will They Come?” We have his paper available on our Chapter’s web site for your
reading pleasure. We were pleased to
welcome Nathan and his proud father, Bob, to the meeting, and to SABR. They made a special effort to come from a
camping trip to attend our meeting.
We also
had two outstanding presentations.
First up was Kerry Yo Nakagawa who is author of a book entitled Through a Diamond, 100 Years of Japanese
American Baseball. He writes on the
importance that baseball had to the Japanese-American internees in the camps
during WWII. If you are interested in
his book, or just want a fascinating look into this unique but important aspect
of baseball history…plus links to Japanese baseball subjects…then check out his
website at http://www.niseibaseball.com.
Our second author on
the program was Josh Suchon, who covers the San Francisco Giants for the Oakland Tribune . He authored a book titled, This Gracious Season: Barry Bonds & The
Greatest Year In Baseball. Josh
provided a entertaining review of how he came to write the book finally deciding in September 2001 that
history was in the making. The book is
an interesting read of the month-by-month HR chase by Bonds. You
can find out more information about the book at www.winterpublications.com.
A postscript to the
meeting…from Bob Hicks:
Hi Tom,
This is Bob, Nathan's father. I'm sure Nathan will contact you
soon but I wanted to let you and the other SABR folks know how much I
appreciate your annual Boynton Research Award. Nathan loved doing the
paper, and was excited to win and especially to be invited to attend the July
5th meeting. We both had a great time on Saturday and we will definitely
return to future meetings. (I just ordered a membership from the SABR
homesite).
Also, I applaud you on the local website. It looks great, is
informational as well as being a great place for Nathan and I to
"catch-up". Finally, the pictures you sent will save
me from my wife's "doghouse" - as I left the camera in the car
during the meeting!
Again, thank you!
Sincerely,
Bob Hicks
BALDASSARO PROVIDES ADDED TREAT FOR MEMBERS
In
addition to our regional program in July, we were fortunate to have Larry Baldassaro join us on August 9th.
A SABR
member, he joined us in our mini-regional to talk about his new book, Ted Williams: Reflections on a Splendid Life
(edited by Larry with a Foreword by Dom DiMaggio). Larry kept the interest of members and guests with stories of his
meetings with Ted Williams. This recently
released volume collects some of the best writing about Williams, together with
some classic photos, providing a panorama of Ted’s career and complex
personality, from his rookie year in 1939 to memorial tributes following his
death in 2002. It features 35 articles
by such writers as Ed Linn, Red Smith, Stephen Jay Gould, John Updike, David
Halberstam, and Peter Gammons. Taken
together, they offer a vivid mosaic of a San Diegan, and a true American hero
who is admired and respected as much by today's ballplayers and fans as those
of his own generation.
BASEBALL
RELIQUARY VISITS SABR and DOWNTOWN LIBRARY
Capping an
active summer for regional members, Terry Cannon, head of the Baseball
Reliquary (www.baseballreliquary.org), treated
us to an exhibit of baseball artifacts and memorabilia from the Reliquary's
permanent collection during August.
All of the
Library's display cases were used to display the many items from the Reliquary,
along with a few items from our local SABR members. The Reliquary is the home of the “Shrine of the Eternals,”
honoring great names from the past who have made a significant cultural
contribution to baseball.
On Sunday,
August 17th members and guests were treated to a special program at
the Library on “The People’s Hall of Fame: Inside the Baseball Reliquary.” Terry gave a slide show and video tape of
unique baseball items and past Reliquary events. His presentation was followed by Anne Oncken entertaining the
group by performing old-time baseball songs on the piano. The musical history lesson given by Anne
proved to be a unique baseball research program.
NEW
RESOURCES at DOWNTOWN LIBRARY/SABR BASEBALL RESEARCH CENTER (BRC)
Here is a list of new acquisitions in the Central Library and
Branches, April-June 2003, compiled by Vic
Cardell, Art, Music & Recreation Section.
All holdings are at Central Library and Branches
unless noted otherwise.
BOOKS
All-Star Game Media Guide. [United States.: n.p.], 1978.
Call Number: 796.357/COOK (Central only) Baseball Guide. St. Louis, Mo.: Sporting News, 2003. Call Number: R 796.357/BASEBALL
Baseball Register. St. Louis, Mo.: Sporting News, 2003. Call Number: R 796.357/BASEBALL
The Best of By the Numbers. Cleveland, OH: The Society for American Baseball Research, 2003. Call Number: 795.357/BEST
Cluck,
Bob. Think Better Baseball: Secrets from
Major League Coaches and Players for Mastering the Mental Game. Chicago:
Contemporary Books, 2002. Call Number: 796.35701/CLUCK
Halberstam,
David. The Teammates: A Portrait of a
Friendship. New York: Hyperion, 2003.
Call
Number: 796.357/HALBERSTAM
House, Tom. The Jock's Itch: The Fast-Track Private World of the Professional Ballplayer. Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1989. Call Number: 796.35701/HOUSE
Marcano
Guevara, Arturo J. and David P. Fidle. Stealing
Lives: The Globalization of Baseball and the Tragic Story of Alexis Quiroz.
Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002. Call Number: 796.357/MARCANO
VIDEO
Bull Durham. Los Angeles: Orion Home Video, 1989. Call Number: VC 791.4372/BULL
CALIFORNIA ROOM
The Reach
Official American League Baseball Guide. Philadelphia: A.J. Reach, 1883-1939. 57 vols. on 5 microfilm reels. Call
Number: RCC 796.357/MICROFORM
Vic also
writes:
“I thought you'd like to know that the Art, Music &
Recreation Section at San Diego Public Library has increased the number of
baseball reference books at the BRC display from 67 to 245 volumes. The
additional 178 volumes are shelved on top of the picture file cabinets in back
of the original BRC wooden shelving unit. (Until the recent opening of the
Media Center, the same cabinet tops were used to shelve media materials.) They
consist primarily of the baseball reference books that were previously in the
Art & Music office, including the most recent Baseball Guide and Baseball
Register. Also included are most of the more recent baseball reference books
that were in Basement Storage, except for older runs of serials, like back
issues of Baseball Register, Baseball Guide, Red Book, Green Book, Baseball
America Directory, etc.
I hope that SABR members and the public at large will enjoy
having these books more readily available.”
“INTEGRATION
OF THE PCL”…
RESEARCH
ASSISTANCE REQUESTED
Member Amy Essington writes:
“It has been
awhile since we have communicated, but I am beginning to research my
dissertation which will be on the integration of the PCL. I am interested in
making contact with members of your group who may be able to help me with this
research. I am interested in possibly coming down and presenting at one of you
meetings this Fall to get feedback and suggestions from your group. I know I am
too late to meet John Ritchey, but I am interested in any other contacts you may
have for me.
Thank you. Amy”
We hope to have Amy at our winter regional meeting; in the meantime, we
hope some of you can contribute research help on this worthy subject. If you have any ideas or information that
you think she could use then please contact Amy directly at AEssington@aol.com
MORE
RESEARCH HELP REQUESTED:
“LATE
ENDING AND LONG GAMES”
We recently heard from former chapter member now
living in Minnesota, Phil Lowry, (PLowry1176@aol.com ).
”I am updating my article published in Baseball Research Journal in 1985, listing all 91 games which ended
after 1 AM. Would it be possible for you to let me know via e-mail at plowry1176@aol.com if you know of any Padres or California League games since 1985 which
have ended after 1 AM, whether because of extra innings or rain delays or other
types of delays?
The latest documented Padres
game is 4:40 AM --- 7/2/93 doubleheader with three rain delays at Phils. The
latest documented Padres home game is 2:29 AM --- 9/24/71 doubleheader vs.
Astros at the Murph, first game went 21 innings, second game began at one
minute past Midnight, with a 14-minute delay due to fog
in the bottom of the 9th.
Thank you very much for your
help. And best wishes as the Padres move into your new ballpark next Spring. Phil”
NEW
BOOK BY LOCAL MEMBER, John Nunes:
DREAMCATCHER GAMES
Local member John Nunes
recently published a book, DreamCatcher Games, that
toys with certain trends in baseball:
* The MLB's collision course with disaster, due to their
business practices.
* The rise in sports wagering on baseball
* The inevitably of teaming a professional baseball stadium
with an American Indian casino.
* The increasing popularity of fantasy baseball, the
original fantasy sport.
He also completed a
piece on Ted Williams that was published in the Fall 2002 edition of Elysian Fields Quarterly.
John indicates the book is
available on your favorite book web sites, or e-mail/call him at johnlnunes2001@yahoo.com......619-388-2759 (w)…858-571-7442.
RETROSHEET
KEEPS EXPANDING
David Smith has
informed us that a new game has just been added to the Retrosheet web
site. It is the very first Major League
game ever played, a National Association game in 1871 between Cleveland and Ft.
Wayne. The full details are available
via a link on the front page of the Retrosheet web site (www.retrosheet.org).
PHOTOGRAPHS
and WEBSITES:
NEWS
FROM SABR’s
PICTORIAL
HISTORY COMMITTEE
We are
fortunate to have an active Pictorial History Committee with members associated
with impressive collections of photos which are available for display and/or
purchase on the Internet. A few of
these websites follow:
Tom
Shieber, founder of this Committee, has a website which focusses on
19th
century players. Its
address is http://www.19cbb.com/
Mark
Rucker, the previous chair of this Committee, heads Transcental
Graphics, a firm which specializes in providing baseball photos. The address of his website is http://www.ruckerarchive.com/
Pat Kelly heads the
photo department of the National Baseball Library at the Hall of Fame in
Cooperstown. The address for the photo
department website is http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/library/photos.htm
Steve
Gietschier is Director of Research at The Sporting News. His organization has an archive of photos
which are for sale to the public. The
following webpage will get you started on your way into the baseball section of
"The Vault," which is The Sporting News archive of photos and other
goodies: http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/baseball.html
Shawn
Murray heads the photo enterprise known as the Bruce Murray
collection, named after the noted photographer in his family. The website address is
Although Mary Brace is not a Committee member, she has been very
helpful to many of us in our searches for baseball photos. Therefore, I'm going to include the website
of Brace Photo in this section. It can
be found at
TRIVIA:
WEIRDEST “WALKOFFS”
This
trivia is courtesy of Retrosheet’s David
Smith, dwsmith@UDEL.EDU, who provided
a summary of data on “walkoffs” from 1972 through June 30, 2003. Here are the "non-batter events"
that ended games in that span:
Wild pitch: 102
Passed Ball: 13
Balk: 7
Pickoff Error: 15
Steal and error: 5
Steal of Home: 3
Other: 1
Total: 146
In
addition, there were 22 cases of game-ending hit batters.
The
“other” was a play that occurred on August 12, 1995 in Los Angeles when
Pittsburgh catcher, Angelo Encarnacion committed the following error:
The pitch rolled a foot away from the plate. Encarnacion picked up the ball in the dirt
with his mask. It was ruled an error,
and the runner scored to end the game.
Encarnacion
caught 73 games in the majors from 1995 to 1997 with the Pirates and
Angels. In 1995 he caught 55 games and
this was his 26th of the year.
SABR
33 in DENVER:
CONVENTION
HIGHLIGHTS
Portland
member Rob Neyer has a review of
sorts of the Denver convention on ESPN.com.