Society for American Baseball Research
Rogers Hornsby Chapter
Central and South Texas
Annual Report, June 2013 – May 2014
Chapter Commissioner
Rogers Hornsby Chapter
The Rogers Hornsby Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research in Central Texas continued its consecutive meeting streak, reaching 90 straight months with a meeting in May 2014.
The chapter’s Eight Annual Winter Meeting in January 2014 was the highlight of the year. Fifty-five members and guests met at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, and heard Eddie Robinson recount his time in baseball, including as a member of the 1948 World Series Champion Cleveland Indians and later as a scout and general manager. He was also in the Houston Colt .45s front office as head of player development when the team signed future Hall of Famer Joe Morgan. Robinson signed copies of his book, “Lucky Me: My Sixty-Five Years in Baseball,” and was joined by co-author C. Paul Rogers III, professor of law and former dean of Southern Methodist University School of Law. Rogers is also the chair of SABR’s Ernie Banks-Bobby Bragan DFW Chapter in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Also at the winter meeting, former major leagurer Matt Kata shared his experiences as a member of the 2003 “Baby Backs” of Arizona and the local AAA Round Rock Express. Members also heard from Mike Capps, director of broadcasting for the Express, and active chapter members Jan Larson, who talked about a recent trip to Cooperstown, and Chuck Kaufman, who shared his experiences watching baseball games in Cuba.
Through the rest of the year, chapter members met for BBQ in downtown Austin, watched Round Rock Express games at the Dell Diamond and gathered to watch the World Series in October at a chapter member’s home.
For the fourth consecutive year, Hornsby Chapter member Monte Cely covered the Caribbean World Series, which in 2014 was held in Venezuela. Cely posted updates, summaries and photos on the Hornsby Chapter website, chronicling Mexico’s second consecutive championship.