Former White Sox player and Astros coach Deacon Jones (pictured above) and founding editor of ESPN Magazine Jon Pessah highlighted a robust day of baseball at the 14th annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 11.
In addition, more than 30 attendees got an update on the Rogers Hornsby Chapter’s BasebALZ, a baseball-themed therapy program for Central Texas residents with early stage Alzheimer’s, and heard from Round Rock Express General Manager Tim Jackson and broadcaster Mike Capps.
The group also heard presentations about competitive balance throughout professional baseball history, new baseball rules in the upcoming season, Chinese players in independent baseball striving to improve their country’s chances in international play, and an ongoing scavenger hunt related to a curious card signed by several baseball greats.
Thanks to Mike McCroskey of the Larry Dierker Chapter, our winter meeting included Deacon Jones, who played for the Chicago White Sox in the 1960s and later served as a coach for the Houston Astros (1976-82) and San Diego Padres (1984-87). He’s currently special assistant to the president of the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League.
Jones shared several stories about his baseball career, including reflections on meeting his idol Jackie Robinson. As an 18-year-old, he recalled how thrilled he was to work out with the Brooklyn Dodgers. On the third and final day of the workout, Jones said that Robinson told him, “You’re going to play in the big leagues someday.” He also credited Robinson with encouraging him to go to college.
Jones also recalled a highlight from one spring training when Ted Williams said, “Young man, you have a good swing.” They talked hitting and Williams gently offered suggestions for improvement.
In the afternoon, winter meeting coordinator Ryan Pollack arranged a video conference with Jon Pessah, journalist and founding editor of ESPN the Magazine. Author of “The Game: Inside the Secret World of Major League Baseball’s Power Brokers,” Pessah shared stories about his interviews with former baseball commissioner Bud Selig and union leader Donald Fehr. In a wide-ranging interview, he talked about the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the steroids era of baseball.
Pessah also talked about his upcoming book, “Yogi: A Life,” set to be published in April. When asked about Jackie Robinson’s steal of home in Game 1 of the 1955 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Yogi’s New York Yankees, Pessah said Yogi insisted that the safe call was wrong. In later years, whenever he saw Robinson, he would greet him simply with “out.”
Tim Jackson, general manager of the Express, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, discussed the ongoing negotiations between Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball. While he said he agrees with some of MLB’s stated concerns about compensation for minor leaguers and the inadequate state of some minor league stadiums, Jackson said the negotiations and discussions with MLB have gotten tense and contentious ever since MLB floated a plan to eliminate 40 minor league clubs. Even though the Express isn’t one of the teams being considered for contraction, Jackson said he felt a responsibility to support the threatened clubs while also being a good partner with the Astros. During his talk, he made reference to this Baseball America article about Minor League Baseball’s response to the tension with MLB: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-baseball-issues-its-response-to-mlb-in-pba-spat/
Longtime journalist and broadcaster Mike Capps gave his outlook for the Express and expects a highly competitive club with players that might soon make the big leagues.
Several Hornsby Chapter members contributed interesting presentations to fill out the program. Monte Cely updated the group about the new baseball rules and how they might impact the game. New rules to watch for in the upcoming season include expanding the active roster to 26 players; designating players as pitchers, position players or “two-way” players; and requiring relief pitchers to face at least three batters (or pitch to the end of the inning), unless an injury or incapacity occurs. In addition, Cely took a look at experimental rules in the independent league (such as the use of “robo-umps,” stealing first base and others) that may make it to the big leagues in the years to come.
Tom Thayer researched professional baseball history to examine the competitive balance of each season based on the total number of games teams were cumulatively over and under .500. He also considered whether attendance at games may have been related to competitive balance and found that, generally speaking, attendance tended to drop during noncompetitive seasons. He said competitive balance has ebbed and flowed through professional baseball and found that the most competitively balanced season occurred in 2006. In the three most recent seasons, the leagues have become less competitive, especially in 2019, with four teams winning more than 100 games (Astros, Dodgers, Twins and Yankees) and four teams losing more than 100 games (Marlins, Orioles, Royals and Tigers).
Peter Myers took a close look at Baseball Hall of Fame weekend in 1953, when Dizzy Dean and Al Simmons were inducted. His Uncle Bob worked at the Otesaga Hotel, the site of the Hall of Fame dinner, and took photos and secured signatures of most of the attendees on a hotel menu. Signatures on the menu include those of Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby and Connie Mack. There are other signatures Myers is investigating as he continues his research on the players who were at the dinner. Myers noted that his uncle, who gave him the photos and signature-filled menu, passed away last April.
Mike McNulty shared an update on the Hornsby Chapter’s BasebALZ program, which kicked off its fifth year on Jan. 6 at Sun City Texas. This collaboration with Alzheimer’s Texas supports those with early stage Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. The program uses baseball memories to connect with these participants and talk about baseball players and seasons from early in their lives. McNulty noted that the group reached a milestone in April: they had their 100th meeting. He was also encouraged to see that BasebALZ is inspiring other SABR chapters to start their own programs, including the SABR Allan Roth Chapter in Los Angeles. McNulty also said that Jim Kenton, founder of the Hornsby Chapter’s BasebALZ program, promoted the program at the Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball & American Culture last year.
Honorary Hornsby Chapter member Eric Robinson, who hails from the Ernie Banks-Bobby Bragen DFW Chapter, told the story of the Chinese baseball players who came to play for the Texas AirHogs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. With a three-year partnership that began in 2018, the team includes Chinese players to help them improve their baseball skills and contribute to Team China’s efforts in international competition. Though the team has had a rough go in the early going, Robinson noted it improved from year one to year two and expects that the players will continue to improve this coming season. He said that China making the 2020 Summer Olympics is possible but unlikely, and with baseball academies getting started in China, he thinks prospects and players from China reaching MLB are on the horizon.
At the beginning of the meeting, we remembered and paid tribute to Bill Gilbert, the founder of the Hornsby Chapter and the Dierker Chapter in Houston, as well as the creator of the Hornsby Chapter’s first winter meeting in 2005. Gilbert, who passed away in 2018, would’ve enjoyed the broad diversity of baseball topics at this winter meeting.
Another tradition in our winter meetings is to take a stab at the Hall of Fame ballot. We anoint ourselves as the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and vote our hearts’ desires. As a group, we have often been less generous than the actual body of sports writers, so it’s always interesting to see how we vote as a group and what it might portend for the HOF vote. The class of 2020 is scheduled to be announced by the real BBWAA on Jan. 21.
Jan Larson, who prepares the ballot and counts votes with Raeanne Martinez, announced our results. With 31 ballots, players needed 24 votes (or 75%) to trigger selection in our mock election. Only two achieved that threshold – Derek Jeter with 93.5% and Larry Walker with 80.6%. In fact, only three more players reached higher than 50%: Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling tied at 61%, and Barry Bonds had 55%.
Many thanks to all the attendees and presenters at the winter meeting.
Our next meeting will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at Romano’s Macaroni Grill (9828 Great Hills Trail at the Arboretum in Austin) to celebrate SABR Day. A call for RSVPs will be forthcoming.
You must be logged in to post a comment.