Category: Hornsby News

The Rogers Hornsby Chapter will celebrate SABR Day at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, on Zoom with Keith O’Brien, a best-selling author and journalist who has written the forth-coming book, “Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball.”

To register for this Zoom meeting, please go to this link: https://txstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMof-qqrDouE9LsK2J3Hqxi0dBhqUL7Dxfb

The book can be pre-ordered on the author’s website: https://keithob.com/

Hope to see y’all on Zoom on Feb. 3!

January Newsletter

By Gilbert D. Martinez

Details of two baseball stadium tours, one author talking about the circumstances in which professional ball players got the call and another detailing 19th century baseball, a national baseball writer noting a turning point in the Texas-New York team rivalries, and an MLB trainer tasked with preparing the next generation of umpires filled a full day of presentations and discussions at the Rogers Hornsby Chapter’s 18th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting on Saturday.

More than 30 chapter members and guests attended the winter meeting at Texas State University on Saturday in person and on Zoom. The meeting also featured the Round Rock Express general manager and the team’s longtime broadcaster giving updates on the Triple-A affiliate of World Series Champions Texas Rangers and one chapter member seeking to determine which is worse: a leadoff walk or a leadoff single?

Developing the next generation of umpires

Jason Starkovich, a former minor league umpire who now works as an umpire development observer for Major League Baseball, joined us via Zoom to talk about how the pathway for umpires to reach the big leagues has changed. With four years of experience as a minor league umpire, including at Dell Diamond, Starkovich trains and develops umpires in MLB’s rookie league in Arizona.

He said recent changes in the game such as the pitch clock and replay review have reduced arguments between managers and players and umpires. He noted that aspiring major league umpires are similar to baseball prospects – doing everything they can to make the big leagues. He said training often involves helping young umpires develop good instincts and quick judgments with an eye on getting the call right. He said the umpires who demonstrate these skills best are the ones who get called up.

A product of the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School, Starkovich said the path of aspiring umpires is different nowadays. Those interested apply directly to MLB and can participate in a one-month training in Florida. Those who make the cut develop their skills at rookie and low-A ball.

He shared that when he was working a game as an umpire, he and his crew were laser-focused on getting the call right. He also said he spent every second on the field “absolutely waiting for something to explode.” He added that there’s little time for idle chitchat since everyone involved – players, coaches, managers and umpires – are all trying to make the big leagues, so it felt very much like a business.

Teams from Texas vs. Teams from New York

Joe Sheehan, national baseball writer and contributor to The Athletic, joined us via Zoom to focus on the rivalry between teams from Texas (the Rangers and the Astros) and New York. Noting the recent run of success since 2017 by the Astros with two World Series Championships, four pennants, six division titles and seven consecutive trips to the American League Championship Series, Sheehan said, “For me, the Astros are a dynasty.” And, with the Rangers winning the 2023 World Series, Sheehan noticed how the script has flipped when Texas teams face New York teams, particularly the Yankees.

Sheehan said he’s fascinated by turning points and focused on an at-bat in 2010 by Texas Ranger Bengie Molina (traded from the San Francisco Giants that year).

Up to that point, Texas teams (Astros and Rangers combined) had zero playoff series wins against the Yankees, but when Molina hit a three-run homer in Yankee Stadium to even the ALCS, Sheehan said that marked the turning point in the rivalry between the two states. The Rangers dispatched the Yankees to go on to their first World Series as a franchise. For the Yankees, they’ve since suffered playoff losses to the Astros in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2022 and missed the playoffs in 2023 for the first time since 2016.

In a conversation with chapter member Ryan Pollack and with questions from the audience, Sheehan shared his thoughts about other baseball issues. He believes that revenue sharing between the teams and broadcasting issues will dominate the next collective bargaining agreement with the players. He said he thinks MLB wants to get to a point where it sells everything, but it can’t get there because some teams have highly profitable deals with broadcasting companies. Like many baseball fans, he’s been saddened by what John Fisher has done with the Oakland Athletics.

For more information about the Joe Sheehan Newsletter, click here: http://www.joesheehan.com/

Getting the call

Zak Ford, chair of SABR’s Dusty Baker Chapter in Sacramento, joined us via Zoom to share highlights from his book “Called Up: Ballplayers Remember Becoming Major Leaguers” (Oct. 27, 2023).

His book includes more than 100 major leaguers such as Bobby Grich, Bobby Witt and Ryan Rowland-Smith. He includes how each player found out they were going to the show, including who told them and the circumstances in which they were told. He also includes details about their first game in uniform and first game appearance.

To learn more about his book and how to purchase, click here:

https://www.amazon.com/Called-Up-Ballplayers-Remember-Becoming/dp/1476692793

Which is worse: Leadoff walk or leadoff single?

Building on a presentation at last year’s winter meeting about baseball statistics, chapter member Bailey Hall sought to focus on a particular baseball question and to see if she could prove her father wrong. She wanted to know which was worse: a leadoff walk or a leadoff single? Her father, Brian Hall, and other family members had long told her that a leadoff walk was much more detrimental to the pitcher and the team on defense.

She didn’t know if she could arrive at an answer to the seemingly simple question, so she asked Keith Hernandez, former New York Mets great and current team broadcaster, and former Astros pitching phenom Larry Dierker to get perspectives from both sides of the diamond. Both told her that the leadoff walk was way worse.

But Hall didn’t stop there. With help from her parents, fellow chapter member Ryan Pollack and others, she learned how to read and combine datasets from Statcast and Retrosheet and found that in 2023, leadoff walks led to 0.9836 runs while leadoff singles led to 0.9549, which was not a significant statistical difference. However, she dug deeper and found that in the 9th inning, leadoff singles (which led to 0.8829 runs) were worse than leadoff walks (0.8378 runs).

For more about Hall’s findings and how she disproved her dad, download her presentation here:

Bailey Hall Baseball Statistical Analysis Project 2024-1

Round Rock Express update

Express General Manager Tim Jackson and voice of the Express and chapter member Mike Capps gave their updates on the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Jackson said he noticed that even casual fans started to make the connection between the minor league and major league clubs as the Rangers led the American League West for much of the season. As a minor league team with connections to both the Rangers and the Astros in recent years, he noted that more than 20 players on the rosters for the ALCS in 2023 spent some time at the Dell Diamond.

Jackson said he’s looking forward to Dell Diamond hosting the Round Rock College Classic from Feb. 23 to 25, featuring Texas State University, the University of Kansas, the University of Kentucky and Washington State University. The Express, which opens its season on March 29, will unveil a new scoreboard. Jackson said he’s looking forward to partnering with the big league club to tie in to its World Series promotions and plans to bring the World Series trophy to Dell Diamond during the season.

Mike Capps, the voice of the Express and author of “Grinders: Baseball’s Intrepid Infantry,” shared how he gets to know the minor league players, many of whom are doing everything they can to achieve their dream of making the big leagues. During a tough stretch for the Express during the season, the players sought Cappy out to talk to them and give them a boost. He said he didn’t understand at first why they wanted him to speak, but he encouraged them to play hard and lay it all on the line. His connection with the players, and this talk, was a “crowning moment of my life,” he said. “They had a huge impact on me.”

Among the Express players to watch for, Cappy said, is Justin Foscue, who’s on the Rangers’ 40-man roster. He expects that if there’s an injury on the Rangers, Foscue is likely to be the first one called up. He also recounted how Evan Carter spent a few weeks with the Express before being called up in 2023 and breaking out for the Rangers in their drive to win the World Series. He doesn’t expect him back in Round Rock anytime soon.

Baseball stadium tour

Chapter members Syd Polk and Jan Larson recounted details from their respective tours of baseball stadiums. Larson shared that he hadn’t planned to see every major league stadium, but after a baseball trip with friends to Atlanta in 1985, they decided to make it an annual thing. Over the course of 47 years (including a visit to Royals Stadium in 1976 and Arlington Stadium in 1984), Larson has visited 59 ballparks to watch an MLB game, including a few international sites and minor league parks filling in for a major league park. Because of time constraints, Larson plans to share more about his tour at next year’s winter meeting.

While Larson’s tour spans decades, Syd Polk’s was much briefer. He recounted how he planned to visit 24 stadiums in 11 weeks in 1994. He wrote a computer program to determine his itinerary and did it the old-fashioned way with paper maps and without modern conveniences such as smart phones with mapping apps. He had an impressive display of stadium cups, scorecards and other memorabilia from his trip. He noted that he didn’t make it to the Kingdome in Seattle in 1994 because the Mariners were forced to play the rest of the season on the road after ceiling tiles had fallen on the field before a game that July, closing the stadium. But he did see a game there the previous year so he counted it as part of his tally for the 12-month time period.

Baseball in the 19th century

Justin Mckinney transported all of us to the 19th century when the Union Association struggled to compete against other professional baseball leagues. Mckinney, joining us from Calgary via Zoom, shared details from his book, “Baseball’s Union Association: The Short, Strange Life of a 19th-Century Major League,” about the short-lived Union Association and ill-fated clubs that folded partway through the season, such as the Mountain Citys of Altoona, Pa., still the smallest city to host a major league baseball team. He told us about founder Henry V. Lucas, a 26-year-old millionaire from St. Louis, and how he monopolized the best players to lead the St. Louis Maroons to a .832 winning percentage.

To learn more about his book and how to purchase, click here:

https://www.amazon.com/Baseballs-Union-Association-Strange-19th-Century/dp/1476680604

Mock HOF vote

A winter meeting tradition for many years, the National Baseball Hall of Fame voting by Hornsby Chapter members and guests has often predicted what the Baseball Writers’ Association of America actually does with the vote.

This year, chapter members elected only Adrián Beltré to the Hall of Fame. Of 22 ballots submitted, Beltre appeared on 21, garnering 95.4% of the vote, easily surpassing the 75% threshold for induction.

The player with the next highest vote total was Todd Helton, who received 15 votes for a 68.1% share. Joe Mauer and Billy Wagner each received 13 votes, a 59% share. Chase Utley received nine votes for a 40.9% share. On his 10th and final ballot, Gary Sheffield received eight votes for a 36.3% share.

The following players received one or zero votes and thus would be eliminated from future ballot consideration for failing to accrue 5% of the vote: Jose Bautista, Bartolo Colon, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Holliday, Torii Hunter, Victor Martinez, Jose Reyes, Jimmy Rollins and James Shields.

At 5 p.m. Central Time on Jan. 23, the BBWAA will announce the results of its 2024 Hall of Fame vote live from Cooperstown on MLB Network.

Highs of ushering at Rockies games

Chapter member Peter Myers, who splits time between San Antonio and Denver in his retirement, joined the ushering staff at Coors Field in 2023. He shared some of his highlights in experiencing the game from an usher’s perspective and working with other retirees and college and high school interns. He also shared what some fans have tried bringing into the stadium and how his supervisors helped him manage potentially volatile situations. He also recalled visits to the mile-high stadium in downtown Denver by his late wife’s family from Canada as well as by fellow chapter members such as Ira Siegel and Gilbert and Raeanne Martinez.

Predictatron trophy presentation

Predictatron contest-runner Jim Baker presented trophies to four-time winner Raeanne Martinez for winning the season-long prediction contest and Frank Rechtorovic for nailing the post-season contest (with what Frank noted was the “largest margin of victory”). Both had their names added to their respective trophies and have the honor of displaying their trophies at home for 2024.

But the battle to see if they will defend their titles or if other members will flex their prognostication skills to nab the trophies is just around the corner. Keep an eye out for Baker’s invitation to join the next Predictatron contest in an email to the Google group list in March before the start of the regular season.

Bill Gilbert

At the beginning of the meeting, we took a moment to remember Bill Gilbert, who founded both the Rogers Hornsby Chapter and the Larry Dierker Chapter in Houston. It was his idea to host a winter meeting to feature prominent baseball figures and presentations about baseball. Since his passing in 2018, we miss him and remain grateful for the vibrant baseball communities he helped to create.

Appreciation

Much appreciation to all presenters and speakers, and to everyone able to join us in person at Old Main on the Texas State University campus in San Marcos! Special thanks to Jerry Miller, who organized the winter meeting, Monte and Linda Cely for providing the hot dogs, chips and Cracker Jack lunch and snacks for an affordable fee, and Ryan Pollack for bringing Joe Sheehan for our meeting and leading the conversation with him and for running our mock HOF voting.

Next meeting: SABR Day on Feb. 3

SABR has designated Saturday, Feb. 3, as National SABR Day, so we plan to have a meeting on Zoom to celebrate the day and anticipate the start of spring training. More details to come on the chapter website and email list later this month.

We hope y’all are having a great holiday season with the new year just around the corner. And you know what that means?

It is almost time for the 18th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting, which is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, at Texas State University in San Marcos (directions below). As some presentations will be virtual, Zoom details are provided below.

A full day of exciting hot stove action awaits you at the winter meeting, sponsored by the Rogers Hornsby (Central Texas) Chapter of the Society for
American Baseball Research. Named after Bill Gilbert, our late chapter founder and president, it is our chapter’s signature annual not-to-be-missed
event. The meeting will feature a series of presentations and speakers, from both chapter members and others, on a variety of baseball topics, as well as traditional events touching upon both the past year, recent baseball history and the upcoming 2024 season. Our tentative schedule includes the following:

Morning sessions:
• Presentations by chapter members Syd Polk and Jan Larson on their visits to all of the extant Major League ballparks. Although similar in some respects, those presentations will be offered from two radically different perspectives, as Jan’s journey encompasses a lifetime 47-year quest, while Syd’s took place during a single season, i.e. the abortive 1994 campaign.
• Chapter member Bailey Hall will attempt to answer the age-old question: Which is worse: A leadoff hit or a leadoff walk? What does the data suggest?
• Chapter member Peter Myers will share (via Zoom) his experiences as an usher at Coors Field in Colorado, including what it’s like to see a future MVP knocked over by two overzealous fans.
• Zak Ford (via Zoom), the chair of SABR’s Dusty Baker (Sacramento) Chapter and author of the new book “Called Up: Ballplayers Remember Becoming Major Leaguers,” will explore the memories and experiences of over 100 ballplayers when they got the call to The Show.

Afternoon sessions:
• We will have our annual presentations by Round Rock Express General Manager Tim Jackson (via Zoom) and broadcaster and chapter member Mike Capps, who will recall the 2023 season and the numerous Express members that played a role in the Texas Rangers’ historic World Series championship.
• Joe Sheehan (via Zoom) is a respected baseball analyst whose work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, ESPN.com, and Baseball Prospectus and who now authors the Joe Sheehan Baseball Newsletter, which offers weekly analysis and opinion on all things baseball.
• Justin McKinney (via Zoom) is a SABR member from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and the author of “Baseball’s Union Association: The Short, Strange Life of a 19th-Century Major League,” the first and only history of a league that, although it only lasted a single season, featured several Hall of Fame players and is considered by many as a “third major league.”
• Jason Starkovich (via Zoom) is an umpire for the Pac-12 (soon to be Pac-2) conference and umpired AAA baseball for four years, as well as MLB spring training. He will discuss his experiences, recent and future rules changes, and other matters from the arbiter’s perspective.

Our meeting will also include the traditional anointing of the winners of chapter member Jim Baker’s annual Predictatron contests and our mock preview of what promises to be a particularly interesting and contentious Hall of Fame voting. We also encourage members to bring their baseball memorabilia for show and tell and baseball-related books for exchange with other members. (All non-claimed books will be donated to local libraries).

Lunch

In keeping with the spirit of the day, chapter members Linda and Monte Cely will again be offering a baseball-themed lunch. For the inflation-busting price of only $5, you’ll get two ballpark hotdogs, Cracker Jack, a bag of chips and a bottle of water. You can also buy an additional hotdog, chips, Cracker Jack or water for $1 each – while supplies last. CASH ONLY AND EXACT CHANGE WILL BE APPRECIATED.

Directions to Old Main on the campus of Texas State University in San Marcos

1. From I-35, take exit 206 (Aquarena Springs Dr.)
2. Travel west on Aquarena Springs Drive.
3. After crossing the San Marcos River, you will come to a traffic light. Turn right onto Sessom Drive.
4. At the first light, turn left on State Street and go up a steep road toward Old Main.
5. Go through a gate (the gate should be up) and continue up the hill.
6. At the top of the hill, make a sharp left turn and drive up to Old Main (pictured above).
7. Look for parking on the road that winds around the side and back of Old Main.

You do not need a parking pass to park on campus – however, do not park in spaces not marked as parking spaces or in handicapped parking (unless you have the appropriate tag displayed).

The meeting room is on the third floor of Old Main in Room 320. There is an elevator on the first floor or you can take the stairs.

A note about the Zoom sessions

The above-marked presentations with Peter Myers, Zak Ford, Tim Jackson, Joe Sheehan, Justin McKinney and Jason Starkovich will be conducted on Zoom. To receive the Zoom details, please use this link to register for the event:

https://txstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcuurrDIoH9X6F-1EJsZ3gmTcXbGpC3BM

Regardless of your level or range of fandom or your rooting interests, we promise an enjoyable and informative morning and afternoon. We look forward to seeing you on Jan. 6, 2024!

 

December Newsletter

By Gilbert D. Martinez

A day after news that Shohei Ohtani had signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the richest professional sports contract in history, chapter members gathered in Cedar Park on Sunday to consider the implications for baseball and beyond.

Sixteen members and guests pondered the frantic news of the preceding days about a private jet flying from Southern California to Toronto and the wild speculation that another team in blue would be landing the most sought-after free agent of the offseason.

But by midafternoon on Saturday, the world learned that Ohtani picked another team in blue, make that Dodger blue.

One of our resident Dodger fans, Jerry Miller, was delighted. Your humble author, meanwhile, was glad to see Ohtani leave the American League West!

Another member, Jan Larson, he of the many MLB caps, sported a Yankees cap in anticipation that Juan Soto being traded to the Yankees would be the talk of the meeting. Indeed, the Yankees acquired Soto in a trade with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night, but that quickly became old news when we found out about Ohtani.

In addition to a Mexican food lunch at Serranos on Pecan Park Boulevard, Linda and Monte Cely brought delicious home-baked treats for everyone. We munched on them along with chips and salsa and had small gift bags with a sampling of the desserts to take home with us. We had plenty of leftovers, which were enjoyed by the hardworking staff at Serranos. Thanks so much to the Celys for the yummy confections!

As winner of last month’s monthly quiz, Cy Morong fashioned a quiz that had us span decades of baseball history. Quiz extraordinaires Jim Baker (40 points) and Jerry Miller (36) took top honors, surprising no one with their baseball knowledge. Chris Crombar, a friend of Tom Wancho and prospective SABR member, came in third with 35 points with his brother, Rob, notching 33 points. Longtime member Jan Larson, able to join us after a few absences, came in fifth with 32 points.

For their victories, Jim (pictured above, right) took home “The Baseball Maniac’s Almanac (Sixth Edition),” edited by Bert Randolph Sugar with Ken Samelson, and Jerry won “The National Baseball Hall of Fame Collection” with an introduction by Cal Ripken, Jr.

Test your knowledge and memory by taking a swing at Cy’s quiz below. The answers immediately follow the questions.

This was the 205th consecutive month in which the chapter has met, a streak dating to December 2006.

Next meeting: Our biggest of the year

Please make plans to join us on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, for the 18th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting at Texas State University in San Marcos! It’s our biggest event of the year. Winter Meeting Coordinator Jerry Miller is putting the finishing touches on the meeting agenda. We’ll share more information about the meeting a few days after Christmas.

Also, we’re planning on having a Zoom meeting on Saturday, Feb. 3, to celebrate National SABR Day. More details to come.

Baseball Memories update

By Monte Cely

In 2015, Hornsby Chapter volunteers led by Jim Kenton started SABR’s first baseball reminiscence program.  Reminiscence, recalling pleasant memories of the past, has proven to be an effective way to improve the quality of life of those dealing with dementia, chronic health problems, isolation, or loneliness.  Since then, the number of programs using baseball as a reminiscence topic has grown both locally and nationally. 

2023 marked a year of getting back to normal as local volunteers have been able to resume in-person sessions with participants, care partners, and supporting staff at partner organizations.  “The Baseball Guys” have been back at the Kerrville Veterans Administration Hospital for several months now.  Their 90-minute monthly program is serving 10-15 veterans and supporting staff.  Jim reports that the Kerrville staff have recommended the program to their colleagues at the Audie Murphy VA in San Antonio as well, opening the door for potentially another VA program.

Likewise, since February the “Baseball Memories” team has been presenting a 90-minute monthly program at Williamson County AGE of Central Texas in Round Rock.  The audience at this adult day care facility is a large, diverse group – usually numbering around 30 participants and staff.  We have an excellent relationship with the AGE management team, and they are very supportive and enthusiastic about the program.

Over the past eight-plus years, 15 Hornsby Chapter members, along with several spouses, have volunteered to facilitate or otherwise assist with these programs.  Everyone involved has found this to be a worthwhile and rewarding experience. 

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in this valuable community service program.  In addition to plenty of baseball (of course), we also add music, video, history, and other sports in order to invoke a broad range of pleasant memories from a diverse audience.  If you’d consider volunteering, have an idea for a new program in your community, or just would like to learn more, please contact Monte Cely at cely@swbell.net.       

Bill Veeck foresaw Statcast… in 1965

Cy Morong shared on the email list something he saw on social media. It’s a page out of “The Hustler’s Handbook” by Bill Veeck with Ed Linn, in which Veeck essentially describes a perspective on baseball analytics that has become commonplace today. The catch? He did it in 1965, when this book was published.

Here’s a link to the tweet: https://twitter.com/bhayes162/status/1732943065323655527

Decade batting titles and home run titles quiz

By Cy Morong

For each decade, name one player (and only one player) who won at least two batting titles. You will get 2 points if he did indeed win at least two batting titles. You will get one bonus point if the player you named also won the most batting titles in that decade.

1900-09

1910-19

1920-29

1930-39

1940-49

1950-59

1960-69

1970-79

1980-89

1990-99

2000-09

2010-19

For each decade, name one player (and only one player) who won at least two HR titles. You will get 2 points if he did indeed win at least two HR titles. You will get one bonus point if the player you named also won the most HR titles in that decade.

1900-09                                                                      

1910-19

1920-29                                                                      

1930-39

1940-49                                                                      

1950-59

1960-69                                                                      

1970-79

1980-89                                                                      

1990-99

2000-09                                                                      

2010-19

Tie Breaker 1. How many career HRs did Jeff Bagwell hit?

Tie Breaker 2. How many career hits did Craig Biggio have?

Answers

For each decade, name one player (and only one player) who won at least two HR titles. You will get 2 points if he did indeed win at least two HR titles. You will get one bonus point if the player you named also won the most HR titles in that decade.

1900-09) Honus Wagner 7, Lajoie 4, Cobb 3

1910-19) Cobb 8, Daubert 2, Roush 2

1920-29) Hornsby 7, Heilman 4, Sisler 2

1930-39) Foxx 2, Al Simmons 2, Paul Waner 2

1940-49) Ted Williams 4, Musial 3

1950-59) Musial 4, Ted Williams 2, Aaron 2, Ashburn 2, Fain 2

1960-69) Clemente 4, Yastrzemski 3, Runnels 2, Oliva 2, Rose 2, Tommy Davis 2

1970-79) Carew 6, Madlock 2, Dave Parker 2

1980-89) Boggs 5, Gwynn 4, Madlock 2

1990-99) Gwynn 4, Larry Walker 2, Edgar Martinez 2

2000-09)  Joe Mauer 3, Ichiro Suzuki 2, Bonds 2

2010-19) Miguel Cabrera 4, Altuve 3, Yelich 2

For each decade, name one player (and only one player) who won at least two HR titles. You will get 2 points if he did indeed win at least two HR titles. You will get one bonus point if the player you named also won the most HR titles in that decade.

1900-09) Harry Davis 4, Crawford  2, Tim Jordan 2

1910-19) Gavvy Cravath 6, Baker 4, Pipp 2, Ruth 2, Schulte 2, Dave Robertson 2

1920-29) Ruth 8, Hack Wilson 3, Cy Williams 2, Hornsby 2

1930-39) Ott 5, Foxx 4, Klein 3, Gehrig 3, Ruth 2, Greenberg 2

1940-49) Ted Williams 4, Kiner 4, Mize 3, Greenberg 2, Bill Nicholson 2

1950-59) Mantle 3, Kiner 3, Rosen 2, Doby 2, Mathews 2

1960-69) Killebrew 5, Aaron 3, Mays 3, McCovey 3                                 

1970-79) Schmidt 3, Dick Allen 2, Reggie Jackson 2, Rice 2, Bench 2, Stargell 2, Foster 2

1980-89) Schmidt 5, Reggie Jackson 2, Dale Murphy 2

1990-99) Griffey 4, McGwire 3, Cecil Fielder 2, Juan Gonzalez 2

2000-09) AROD 4, Sosa 2, Ryan Howard 2                                                                

2010-19) Arenado 3, Bautista 2, Chris Davis 2, Stanton 2

Tie Breaker 1. How many career HRs did Jeff Bagwell hit? 449

Tie Breaker 2. How many career hits did Craig Biggio have? 3,060

 

 

You’re invited to join us at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at Serranos at Lakeline (11100 Pecan Park Blvd., Cedar Park) for our December meeting!

This meeting is open to the public, so if you have a friend or family member that loves baseball, please bring them with you.

Please RSVP to Chapter Commissioner Gilbert D. Martinez by email (gmartinez46@mac.com) by Friday, Dec 8.

November Newsletter

By Gilbert D. Martinez

Hot stove topics, highlights of the 2023 season and a veterans-themed quiz dominated the November meeting less than two weeks after the Texas Rangers won the World Series.

Eleven members and guests gathered at Serranos on Sunday to speculate about free agent Shohei Ohtani’s future. According to recent news reports, Ohtani was going to meet with the Toronto Blue Jays, including fellow countryman Yusei Kikuchi. Some at the table thought that the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants may be among the favorites to land the coveted superstar.

Having won Ira Siegel’s hodgepodge quiz at the World Series Watch Party at the end of October, Jim Baker crafted a clever Veterans Day Quiz asking questions about players who served in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War (including some who participated in multiple conflicts).

Cy Morong eked out a narrow victory with 17 points over Jerry Miller’s 16 points. Ira, 13, and Monte, 12, were the only others in double figures. For their first and second place achievements, Jim generously awarded Cy and Jerry gift cards to Serranos.

Take your turn with Jim’s quiz at the bottom of this page. The quiz answers immediately follow the questions.

This was the 204th consecutive month in which the chapter has had a meeting, a streak that began in December 2006.

Research Spotlight

Jim Baker noticed a graphic during World Series Game 5 that showed that Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien set an MLB record with 835 plate appearances during the season and postseason. Baker compiled the all-time list of most plate appearances in a season and shared it with chapter members on the chapter email list.

“Of course, that includes the postseason as well, and, since they keep adding layer after layer to the playoffs, it’s no surprise the record was broken,” Baker wrote. “Not to take away from what Semien did, but the real record is what happens in the regular season (where, to his credit, Semien had the 18th-highest total in 2023). I thought I’d show the evolution of the record, which Jimmy Rollins has now held for 16 seasons. 

“The increase in the number of games helped drive up the number, although it took until 1974 for someone to really blow away the 154-game record set by Frankie Crosetti in 1938 (Maury Wills only broke it by two with his additional eight games).”

PAs      Year                 Player

778      2007                Jimmy Rollins

773      1993                Lenny Dykstra

771      1974                Pete Rose

759      1962                Maury Wills

757      1938                Frankie Crosetti

755      1930                Woody English

752      1928                Taylor Douthit

747      1922                Rabbit Maranville

731      1921                Jack Tobin/Whitey Witt

722      1898                George van Haltren

712      1892                Tom Brown

Upcoming Meetings

We’ve set the December meeting for 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at Serranos at Lakeline (11100 Pecan Park Blvd., Cedar Park). Hope you can join us!

Also, please save Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024 – it’s the date of our 18th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting at Texas State University in San Marcos. We’d love to see you there!

Veterans Day Quiz

By Jim Baker

We know by now that Abner Doubleday definitely did not invent baseball, but he did fight in the Civil War. On which side was he in that conflict?

WORLD WAR I

Three of these Negro League Hall of Famers served in the military during World War II and one during World War I. Which one was the latter?

Buck O’Neil     Leon Day     Jackie Robinson     Bullet Rogan

Name the two World War I veterans who both ended up with 373 career victories:

Which of these World War I vet Cooperstowners came up 13 hits shy of collecting 3,000 for his career?

Sam Rice     George Sisler     Harry Heilmann     Tris Speaker

Which of these World War I vet Hall of Famers registered the most career victories?

            Rube Marquard     Eppa Rixey     Herb Pennock     Waite Hoyt

WORLD WAR II

This 300-game winner was a combat engineer in World War II and took part in the famous Battle of Remagen Bridge in 1945. (He also famously said he played for Casey Stengel, “before and after he was a genius.”)

This legendary catcher definitely played for Stengel while he was a genius. He was also present on the Normandy coast on D-Day in 1944, bombarding the Germans from a rocket boat.

Famous team owner Bill Veeck, Jr., (Indians, Browns, White Sox) lost what while serving in the Marine Corps during the Bougainville Campaign in the Pacific Theatre in World War II?

Among these slugging World War II veteran Hall of Famers, which one had the most career home runs?

Joe DiMaggio     Hank Greenberg     Ralph Kiner     Johnny Mize

This Hall of Fame pitcher was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge in 1944 and carried a piece of shrapnel in his back even while still an active major leaguer over a quarter-century later. His military service earned him the nickname “Old Sarge.”

This HOFer would have most probably won 300 games (instead of 266) and struck out over 3,000 men (instead of 2,581) had he not spent the better part of four seasons in the military during WWII.

KOREA

Hall of Famer Ted Williams served in both World War II and the Korean conflict. In which branch of the service was he?

Which two of the following Hall of Famers did not serve in the military during the Korean War?

Ernie Banks     Hank Aaron     Willie Mays     Whitey Ford     Mickey Mantle

This Yankee infielder saw action in both World War II and Korea as a Marine pilot. He later became a long-time broadcaster and the broadcast booth at Petco Park is named in his honor.

VIETNAM

A first baseman-outfielder primarily with the White Sox and Yankees from 1968 to 1977, this player lost part of his thumb in a mortar misfire while training with the Marine Reserve. In 1969, he and his brother became the first siblings to face off in an All-Star Game. Oh, and he’s the only player in MLB history to have his birthday on the back of his jersey!

In Vietnam in 1967, Indians minor leaguer Phil Hennigan was awarded for gallantry while serving as an artilleryman. He made his big league debut two years later and was traded to the Mets in 1972 for this former Astros pitching coach.

This famous executive was never a player but served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam. He was at the helm for the Bash Brothers-era Oakland A’s, mentored Billy Beane, and helped lead the Mets to their last pennant.

This career Oriole outfielder (except for 68 games with the Padres in 1985) was the Rookie of the Year in 1973 and was on the championship team for 1983 in their triumph over the Phillies. He was also a platoon leader in Vietnam where he won the Bronze Star.

The previous player’s opposite number in centerfield for the Phils in the ’83 World Series was this player, who began his career as a Giant. When he found out they were paying other minor leaguers more money, he quit, joined the army and volunteered for duty in Vietnam. He later went on to win eight Gold Gloves and amass a career WAR of 36.8.

TIE BREAKER

This former Reds/Phillies/Giants infielder was a captain in the American Expeditionary Forces and was killed in action 37 days before the Armistice that ended the Great War. A monument honoring him was erected in center field of the Polo Grounds in 1921. This plaque famously disappeared when the crowd stormed the field after the Giants last game in 1957.

Answers

He was a general in the Union army. There is a statue of Doubleday at Gettysburg.

World War I

Bullet Rogan; he was nearly 50 when the WWII started.

Christy Mathewson and Grover Alexander

Sam Rice-2987, Harry Heilmann-2660, Tris Speaker-3514, George Sisler-2812

Eppa Rixey-266, Herb Pennock-241, Waite Hoyt-237, Rube Marquard-201

World War II

Warren Spahn

Yogi Berra

His leg. Foot is also acceptable.

While a co-owner of the Brewers, Veeck served for nearly three years in the United States Marine Corps during World War II in an artillery unit. During this time a recoiling artillery piece crushed his right leg, requiring amputation first of the foot, and shortly after of the leg above the knee. Over the course of his life he had 36 operations on the leg.^[3] He had a series of wooden legs and, as an inveterate smoker, cut holes in them to use as ashtrays. Veeck also used the wooden leg in props such as a recreation of iconic Revolutionary War soldiers during the Bicentennial year of 1976. At other times, engaged in intensive trade talks with competing owners, Veeck would complain they were demanding “an arm and a leg” in negotiations, then unbuckle the leg and throw it on the desktop for dramatic effect.

369 Kiner, 361 DiMaggio, 359 Mize, 331 Greenberg

Hoyt Wilhelm, who pitched until 1972

Bob Feller

Korea

He was a Marine aviator.

Hank Aaron and Mickey Mantle

Jerry Coleman

Vietnam

Carlos May; vs. Lee May of the Reds. His jersey read MAY 17

Brent Strom

Sandy Alderson

Al Bumbry

Garry Maddox

Tie Breaker

Eddie Grant. The plaque was finally located 40 years later in a New Jersey attic.

The November chapter meeting will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12, at Serranos Cocina and Cantina, at MoPac and Ben White/71. Click here for directions.

Please RSVP to Gilbert D. Martinez by email (gmartinez46@mac.com).

Hope to see you there! We’ll likely talk about the World Series, Gold Glove winners, candidates for MLB awards, hot stove transactions, dreams of next season, and more!

October Newsletter

By Gilbert D. Martinez

Sixteen chapter members and guests gathered to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks bounce back in World Series Game 2 on Saturday to even the Fall Classic with the Texas Rangers.

Thanks to generous host Jim Baker, watch party revelers got to enjoy delicious snacks, pizza and desserts while discussing the finer points of the lopsided Diamondbacks win, the enjoyment (or not) of broadcasters Joe Davis and John Smoltz and opinions about the line between players celebrating a great play and those who go too far.

With the longer commercial breaks and little drama in Game 2, Ira Siegel brought a wide-ranging trivia quiz that got us thinking more about mid-century baseball and less about Diamondback Merrill Kelly’s masterful seven innings with nine strikeouts and one earned run. Much like Kelly silenced the Rangers’ offense in Game 2, Ira shut most of us down with his confounding trivia questions.

Host Jim Baker took top honors with 23 points, easily outdistancing second-place runner-up Tom Thayer (16) and third-place and fourth-place finishers Jerry Miller (15) and Ryan Pollack (13). Take your swing at Ira’s hodgepodge quiz below. The answers immediately follow the questions.

This was the 203rd consecutive month in which the chapter has met. Ryan Pollack also shared that his first Hornsby Chapter meeting was 10 years ago when he attended the World Series Watch Party at Jim’s house in 2013. For the record, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 that night. Ryan said he was a little nervous attending that first meeting since he didn’t know anyone else in the chapter but said he was glad he did. He thanked everyone for welcoming him to the chapter. We’re glad to have you, Ryan!

Predictatron Champions

Predictatron impresario Jim Baker announced the winners of the regular season and postseason prediction contests. Since the outcome of the World Series would not change the outcome, Jim announced that Raeanne Martinez won the regular season contest, her fourth title. Her final score of 742 outpaced contest runner-up Ryan Pollack (734) and Brian Rogers (733). As the highest scorers in their respective divisions, both Raeanne and Brian will have divisions named in their honor next season, while hard-luck runner-up Ryan gets nothing but a shake of the hand and a pat on the back. Jim noted that last year’s division winners – Gilbert Martinez and Chuck Kaufman – both finished last in their divisions, demonstrating the unpredictability of forecasting. The disappointing and underperforming seasons by the Padres, Mets and Yankees, among others, caused considerable damage to our predictions.

Jim also announced Frank Rechtorovic as the winner in the postseason Predictatron contest. This is most fitting as he was the only one to pick the Rangers to make the World Series. It’s also notable that not one of us foresaw the rise of the Diamondbacks. Jerry Miller shared that his postseason ballot has been filled with nothing but duds, incorrectly naming the winner in each series so far. For the record, he has the Rangers to win the World Series in five, which may suggest the exact opposite outcome. “Bet the house on the Snakes,” he recommended in an email to the list.

For their prognostication skills, both Raeanne and Frank will receive Predictatron trophies to adorn their homes for the upcoming year.

Baseball Reminiscence Update

In 2015, Hornsby Chapter volunteers led by Jim Kenton started SABR’s first baseball reminiscence program.  Reminiscence, recalling pleasant memories of the past, has proven to be an effective way to improve the quality of life of those dealing with dementia, chronic health problems, isolation or loneliness.  Since then, the number of programs using baseball as a reminiscence topic has grown both locally and nationally. 

While the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted some of our programs and forced others to go online, we’re happy to report that all our local programs are now back in action and serving more participants than ever before.  We currently have more than 50 attendees and care partners spread across programs in Kerrville (partnering with the VA Hospital there), Round Rock (at AGE of Central Texas, a licensed adult day care facility), Georgetown (working with volunteers from Sun City), and in Austin with some of our original participants.

Along the way, 15 Hornsby Chapter members, and several spouses, have volunteered to facilitate or assist with these programs.  Everyone involved has found this to be a worthwhile and rewarding experience.

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in this valuable community service program.  In addition to plenty of baseball (of course), we also add music, video, history and other sports in order to invoke a broad range of pleasant memories from a diverse audience.  If you’d consider volunteering, have an idea for a new program in your community, or just would like to learn more, please contact Monte Cely at cely@swbell.net.       

Next month: Sunday, Nov. 12

We’ll gather in November to reflect on the 2023 season and the MLB awards at lunch on Sunday, Nov. 12. We haven’t yet decided on a location, but we’ll post an announcement on the email list and on the chapter website in early November.

Hornsby Trivia Contest – Hodgepodge

By Ira Siegel

There are 21 questions. Each answer is worth one point. A perfect score is 50 points. Good luck!

1—In 1956, when Mantle won the AL triple crown, who finished second in batting average? Home runs? RBI? Two are HOFers and one was involved in a famous at bat.

2—Also in 1956, who were the 3 pitchers who threw regular season no hitters? Two of them played for a NY team and the other, a two-time 20-game winning lefty in his final season, pitched all 10 years of his career with the same AL team.

3—In any order, name the 4 leading total home run players during the 1950s decade.

4—In any order, name the players with the top 5 home run totals during the 1970s.

5— Name the HOF first baseman who was the first player to hit 2 HRs in the same inning twice in his career.

6—In 1999, Fernando Tatis hit 2 grand slams in one inning, but who has the AL record for 7 RBI in one inning? It happened on the last day of the season and got him to exactly 30 HR and 100 RBI. He is not in the HOF and hit .358 (in his first full season) to win his only batting title.

7—Which was the only one of the 8 original AL teams that Eddie Robinson did not play for?

8—If Mazeroski did not homer to end the 1960 season, who was due to hit next?

9—During the 1960s, who was on the field for all 4 World Series games that his team won but did not have any official at bats?

10 – In 1966, when Frank Robinson won the AL triple crown, who finished second in batting average? Home runs? RBI? The man 2nd in batting hit only .307. (It wasn’t Kaline, who was 3rd at only .288.)

11—The 1973 Oakland A’s used 11 players at second base. Excluding Billy Conigliaro, Jay Johnstone, and Gene Tenace, name 4 of the other 8. Note that 4 of those 8 have a last name that starts with “m”.

12—Name 5 of the 9 players who were on all 3 of the SF Giants’ World Series-winning teams in 2010, 2012, and 2014.

13—Babe Ruth is the all-time leader with 8 runs scored titles. What current player is tied for 11th?

14—In any order, who are the top 5 active players in games played while also being on only one team in their career?

15—Jason Varitek set the record of catching 4 no hitters during his Red Sox-only 15-year career. Name the 4 pitchers.

16—Name the catcher who, in 2015, tied Varitek after he caught his 4th no hitter. This question is intended to help prevent any perfect scores.

17—Which team has won all 5 of its World Series titles in 7 games? Also, name the first 2 years.

18—Who hit the only walk-off inside-the-park grand slam? He is a deceased HOFer.

19—Name 3 of the 5 HOFers who played for only one manager, who was also a HOFer, in their career.

20—Name the only one of the 16 teams from the modern two-league era that never won more than 100 games in a season.

21—Who won the AL batting title without hitting any home runs? This happened between 1950 and 2000.

Tiebreakers:

The leaders in career world series at bats only includes two players who never played for the Yankees who are in the top 10.

#1—Who is 4th on the list?

#2—If needed—who is 9th?

ANSWERS

1—Ted Williams .345, Vic Wertz 32 HR, Al Kaline 128 RBI

2—Carl Erskine, Sal Maglie, Mel Parnell

3—Snider 326, Hodges 310, Mathews 299, Mantle 280

4—Stargell 296, Jackson 292, Bench 290, Bobby Bonds 280, Lee May 270

5—McCovey in 1977

6—Alex Rodriguez in 2009

7—Red Sox

8—Harvey Haddix, who pitched after Law, Face, & Friend

9—Ray Oyler in 1968, who walked in his only plate appearance

10—Oliva .307, Killebrew 39 HR, Killebrew 110 RBI (.281 was 5th)

11— Mike Andrews, Dick Green, Ted Kubiak, Angel Mangual, Gonzalo Marquez, Dal Maxvill, Rich McKinney, Manny Trillo

12—Jeremy Affeldt, Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain, Santiago Casilla, Tim Lincecum, Javier Lopez, Buster Posey, Sergio Romo, Pablo Sandoval

13—Trout (with Billy Hamilton, Lou Gehrig, & Pete Rose)

14—Votto (2,056), Altuve, B. Crawford, Blackmon, Trout

15—Nomo, Lowe, Buchholz, Lester

16—Carlos Ruiz

17—Pirates in 1909 (Tigers) & 1925 (Senators)…also, 1960, 1971, & 1979)

18—Clemente in 1956 vs Cubs’ Jim Brosnan

19—Drysdale & Koufax (Alston), Ross Youngs (McGraw), Harry Wright (player-mgr), Alston (Frisch)

20—White Sox only 100 in 1917

21—Rod Carew, .318 in 1972 (hit 92 HRs IN 19 years)

Tiebreakers:

#1—Frankie Frisch 4th

#2—Pee Wee Reese 9th

The Hornsby Chapter will hold a watch party for World Series Game 2 at the home of generous host Jim Baker on Saturday, Oct. 28!

Please RSVP to him directly at <jimbaker1066@yahoo.com> by Thursday, Oct. 26.

September Newsletter

By Gilbert D. Martinez

Eleven chapter members trekked to Nelson Wolff Municipal Stadium on Sunday to watch the San Antonio Missions drop their regular season finale to the Springfield Cardinals.

Though the Missions, the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, lost 7-5 to Springfield, the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, most of us enjoyed the shady seats and comfortable breeze for the afternoon matinee of baseball under partly cloudy skies.

This was the chapter’s first outing to a baseball game in San Antonio, which was part of an effort to cater to members in the area. Thirty percent of Sunday’s participants were from San Antonio, so the chapter may explore more outings to Wolff Stadium in the future.

Upon arriving, San Antonian Cy Morong sprung a question on the group, asking if we knew what happened on Sept. 17, fifty-five years ago. It roused the group with a series of guesses until we narrowed down the answer: Gaylord Perry of the San Francisco Giants no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals and out-dueled Bob Gibson in 1968.

Mike Lassman shared a little bit of the history of the Missions, including when it was a Dodgers farm team and saw players such as Pedro Martinez, Fernando Valenzuela, Dennis Eckersley and Adrian Beltre. Some of the illustrious alumni of the Missions are features on banners around the ballpark.

We also welcomed 14-year-old Torin, who said he joined SABR in February and was attending his first Hornsby meeting. An eighth grader from Austin, he pitches and plays shortstop for a travel baseball team and hopes to make the Westlake baseball team when he reaches high school. At the game with his parents, he shared that he’s a Texas Rangers fan and enjoys collecting baseball cards.

This was the 202nd consecutive month in which the chapter has met, a streak dating to December 2006.

Home stretch for Predictatron

Jim Baker’s Predictatron contest continues to its inevitable conclusion just as the baseball season winds down. Our predictions made in the pleasant temperatures as winter gave way to spring before the start of the season have endured the hard summer rays, beating many of us into oblivion. Or maybe just the author, who – despite lifting himself out of the cellar for one week (or was that a mirage?) – is nearing the end of a campaign in which he has anchored the entire contest, and not in a good way! But who cares about him. We all bow to Ryan Pollack, who led his division and the entire contest as of Sept. 10, and Jan Larson, leader of his division. With just weeks to go, we’ll soon find out if they’ll hold on to their leads, or if upstarts such as Brian Rogers or Raeanne Martinez will catch them before the end. Hold on to your caps, folks!

Research spotlight

Chapter leadership sometimes receives email inquiries about baseball or Rogers Hornsby or the like. We received one such email from Scott Henson, who lives in East Austin and is working on a book about the Austin Black Senators, a team that once played near where he lives now. He shared that he’s done some research and spoken with experts such as Bill Staples, Jr., an independent baseball historian who has researched and studied Black baseball organizations. We put Scott in touch with chapter member Eric Robinson, who has also done his share of research of the Negro Leagues. If you have information or contacts that may be useful to Scott’s research for his book, please contact him by email at <gritsforbreakfast@gmail.com>.

Next month: World Series Watch Party!

Save the evening of Saturday, Oct. 28, on your calendar! Predictatron impresario and host extraordinaire Jim Baker will throw his annual World Series Watch Party with a scrumptious spread of food while we watch Game 2 of the World Series (teams to be determined). All members are invited, and there’s really no excuse to miss the chapter’s biggest party of the year. One acceptable excuse would be if you’re actually attending World Series Game 2, like, in person. But other than that, you should join us for the watch party! We’ll share more details in mid-October.