Category: Baseball Memories

Our chapter’s Alzheimer’s reminiscence program — BasebALZ — wrapped up a fun and successful fifth season with an outing to Dell Diamond on Monday, April 11.

The completion of Season Five (which ran from January through April) marks two years that the Hornsby SABR chapter has been delivering the baseball-themed Alzheimer’s program in Austin.  Eleven participants and caregivers enjoyed talkin’ baseball, music, TV … and yes, in Texas, even some football.

Besides presentations and discussion, we had some activities such as oiling up some ball gloves …

… autographing some baseballs …

… playing “stump the experts”, where our participants try to stump the SABR volunteers on baseball history …

… and deciding who was going to “pick first” or “bat first” in a simulated game.

Plans are already underway for Season Six, to begin in May, 2017 at the Alzheimer’s Texas offices in Austin.

In addition to the program in Austin, SABR volunteers are delivering the program at the Kerrville Veteran’s Administration hospital on a monthly basis.  Program leader Jim Kenton is also working with the Alzheimer’s Association, the U.S. Army at Ft. Sam Houston, and the VA in San Antonio to start programs in the Alamo City.

For more information on BasebALZ, visit our informational page here.

 

Season Four of the Alzheimer’s Talking Baseball program, held at Westminster Senior Living in Central Austin, ran from September 12 to November 14, 2016.  Eleven participants and caregivers were in attendance.  The program continues to be a success for all involved.

Dr. Michael Ego, a fellow SABR member and Professor of Human Development & Family Studies at the University of Connecticut, visited during Season Four to observe the program, conduct interviews, and worked with us to create an informational video about the BasebALZ program.  The video (about 10 minutes) is here.

Season Five got underway on January 23 at the Alzheimer’s Texas offices in northwest Austin.  We had 100% return of our previous season’s participants and caregivers.  Everyone involved had a great time at the “season opener”.

SABR volunteers getting ready for the Season Five home opener at Alzheimer’s Texas

The Season Five announcement and schedule are here:

Basebalz Spring 2017 flyer

We celebrated Eddie Gaedel’s one pinch-hit appearance a few days early (it was August 19, 1951).  Thanks to the Eddie Gaedel Society (yes, there is one) for the t-shirts (St. Louis Browns colors) and membership cards.

Here we are having some fun in Eddie’s memory: