We’re due for another quarterly meeting in San Antonio, open to all chapter members and guests. This time we’ll head for the west side, in the La Cantera area. If you are able to join us on Saturday, May 2, at 1pm, we’ll be at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse at The Rim (La Cantera Parkway exit, just north of the 1604/10 interchange). Please RSVP using this form so I can get a headcount. I plan to reserve group seating on Thursday, April 30.
Those outside San Antonio, be advised, there’s fairly continuous construction on the north loop of 1604; you may want to plan for some extra travel time, even on Saturday. I’m considering coming down Ralph Fair Rd (the light on TX 46 in Bergheim), then south on the 10. Those coming from San Antonio or Boerne should be able to stick to the 10 and miss most of the mayhem.
For May and June, regular chapter meetings will be in Round Rock for the Express and the Texas Volts, as Gilbert just announced, then we will have a Missions game outing in July, with more details to follow. If you live in or near San Antonio, this is a great chance to catch up with folks in the chapter – we hope to see you there a couple of weekends from now.
Fourteen chapter members and guests gathered at the home of Nicole Bryan and Brian Hall on an unseasonably cool spring day Saturday, marveling at the early storylines in the just-started baseball season.
One storyline was the debut of 19-year-old Konnor Griffin with the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 3. In fact, this was the inspiration of my trivia quiz about a selection of first hits by teenagers.
The seemingly random nature of the quiz’s 20 multiple-choice questions proved to be an equalizer, giving everyone a fighting chance!
Andy York (pictured above on the right) was one of three participants to earn double figures, but he eked out first place with 11 points, followed by a tie between Cy Morong (pictured above on the left) and Brian Hall (pictured above in the middle) with 10 each. Just off the platform were Raeanne Martinez, Wyatt Walker and Jerry Miller with nine points each.
For his prize, Andy picked “The Unwritten Rules of Baseball” by Paul Dickson. Cy conceded the tie to Brian, so Brian received “The New Yorker Book of Baseball Cartoons” by Robert Mankoff and Michael Crawford, editors.
Brian and Nicole were so thrilled that Brian tied Cy in the quiz that Nicole immediately reached out to their daughter, Bailey Hall, to share the good news.
Welcome sign on the front door greeting meeting attendees at the home of Nicole Bryan and Brian Hall.
Many thanks to Nicole and Brian for hosting the meeting and providing delicious Rudy’s barbecue and fixings! Nicole and Brian’s friend Dave joined us and shared that he saw Dallas Braden’s perfect game on May 9, 2010, in Oakland. In fact, mid-game, he said his son was given a foul ball by a fan seated a few rows in front of them. By the fifth inning or so, he said, the crowd was aware that something special was brewing on Mother’s Day.
We also welcomed new member Leah Islam, an Arizona State University graduate who recently joined a baseball fantasy league at work and followed up on joining SABR, something she’s been wanting to do for a while. Welcome, Leah!
“Lou’s story is about working hard and being in the right place at the right time,” Don shared on the group email list. “It was fun to work with him on this. Thrilled it’s published and off my desk!”
Ryan Pollack’s graph on xwOBA: The Dodgers are absurd
Ryan shared on the email list a graph plotting teams’ offense and defense xwOBA (Expected Weighted On-Base Average), an advanced statistic that measures how teams are doing thus far in the season on offense and on defense. It confirmed some conversations we had during the meeting about which teams are doing well and which are struggling, some in both categories.
But the team leading both leagues in both xwOBA for offense and defense by a wide margin is no surprise: the Los Angeles Dodgers. Here’s the graph Ryan put together and shared with the group.
Predictatron Second Week Update: Wancho, Pollack Tied!
[Editor’s note: Jim Baker shared this update including game play through April 12.] By Jim Baker
Two weeks into our contest and we already have a battle developing. Mr. Wancho and Mr. Pollack find themselves tied for not only the lead of the Tom Wancho Division, but for the contest entire, setting the pace with 624 points. Both made significant gains over the opening update to get where they are today.
Our Mike Harrell Division leader also made a great leap forward. Mr. Robinson was in seventh place in the opening report but tacked on 222 points and climbed all the way to the top of the division. Nobody had a better showing than our Player of the Week Mr. Walsh, though. He padded his score with 269 points and catapulted himself out of the Wancho Division basement all the way up to fourth place.
Most teams are not complying with our desires in the early going and are costing us double-figure deficits. A few clubs immediately began playing the way we said they would, however. They are as follows:
Brewers: We said they’d be just over .500 and here they are, doing just that. Of course, it took a 1-6 week to get them there.
Orioles: For a team that bombed last year, the O’s got a decent amount of love on our ballots for 2026. We said they’d win 84 games, a nine-game improvement over 2025, and they are just about on pace to do that very thing.
Yankees: Another team that had a disastrous week (1-6) to get them right around our group prediction of 90 wins. They’re currently four games below that pace, but it still qualifies for third-best prediction in the early going.
Rockies: Colorado won just 43 games last season and we said they would be adding 14 to that total this year. Wellity, wellity, wellity, they’re playing at a 61-win pace, meaning our group pick is a near genius.
White Sox: To this point, our Pale Hose prediction is a bit too generous. We said they’d improve by seven games from 60 to 67, but they’re playing at the same pace as last year, costing us six games apiece on average. That’s still what qualifies as a top five pick at this point of the season.
Through games of Sunday, April 12 or 9.6 percent of the 2026 season:
Awardatron 2026 Kickoff [Editor’s note: Ryan Pollack shared this first update on the email list on March 26.]
By Ryan Pollack
Greetings! Another season of baseball is upon us and with it comes the excitement of, uh, seeing the overwhelming Cy Young favorite get rocked for a jillion runs in his first start. Oops. Well I mean who among us hasn’t had a 67.50 ERA at some point in our lives? At least most of us managed to spell “Wetherholt’ correctly. Most of us.
I’m your host Ryan and welcome to Awardatron 2026. Shoutout to all the folks who’ve returned for another year of fun and games. And welcome welcome (welcome!) to those of you joining us for the first time.
Here’s how it works: towards the end of every month I’ll be sharing whom I think are the top 3 favorites for each award and providing commentary on one of the three in each category. I mix it up because honestly who wants to write about boring old Aaron Judge six times a year? Not me. I not only have a life, I hate the Yankees. Also, there will be a heavy Orioles bias because that’s what you pay me for. (Note: you do not pay me for anything.)
During the All-Star Break you’ll have a chance to change one (1) pick in each league in exchange for reduced points but hopefully more points than you would’ve otherwise gotten. There’s an opportunity to be strategic and go right when you think everyone else is going left. Or you can just bail out your worst picks. Tip #1: try not to get caught up in the hype. Jacob Misiorowski debuted right before the ASB last year and stuck out a billion batters. Many folks changed their NL Cy Young pick to him. Oops.
I’ll send out a warning ahead of time and then it’s game on. Tip #2: whoever picked Roman Anthony and Caleb Durbin to win ROY awards, and I’m being coy because I know who you are, you may want to pull the lever on those ones. Just sayin’.
After the awards are announced, typically in mid-November, I’ll share the scores. I group you into divisions based on award winners of years past. This year it’ll be the 2003 ROY award winners. So you can look forward to winning either the Angel Berroa or Dontrelle Willis division. There is of course an overall winner.
For now, have a look at how we picked ‘em:
I personally appreciate the Orioles love. I would love it so much if Basallo, Alonso, Henderson, and/or Albernaz picked up an award. It’d mean we had a hell of a year. We are 1-0 to start the year and Trevor Rogers has, unlike Mr. Livvy Dunne, a sparkling 0.00 ERA. So anything’s possible, I suppose.
Strap in, folks! I’m already impatient to see who’s going to win the World Series but since time travel hasn’t been invented yet (that we know of) I suppose I’ll settle in and enjoy the season with the rest of you.
Cheers!
P.S. Hats off to everyone who spelled ‘McGonigle’ correctly. I didn’t have to correct a single one!
Next meeting
Join us on Saturday, May 16, for our outing to see the Round Rock Express at Dell Diamond! It’s also Star Wars Night, so we can probably expect out-of-this world costumes and post-game entertainment. We’ll share a link to where we’ll be sitting so that you can purchase tickets in early May. May the force, er, the baseball, be with you, or something like that!
Plans for summer meetings
We have more ballgames in store for the summer! Please plan to join us on Sunday, June 28, again at Dell Diamond, for the Texas Volts, a member of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. They’ll host the Portland Cascade at noon that Sunday. More details to come in early June.
In July, we’re planning to travel to watch the San Antonio Missions. Exact date to be determined but will be announced soon.
We’re planning to have a virtual meeting in August with details to come.
The 2026 regular season is off to a rousing start. As I write on this Good Friday morning, every team has at least one win and no team is undefeated after a week of play. The Yankees, Astros, Marlins, Braves, and Brewers are off to hot starts, while the A’s and both Sox colors languish, with the Whites already piling up a severe 31-run deficit. Today, Konnor Griffin debuts for the Pirates, a good sign for Pirates fans and those of us (but not me, although it would have been easier for me to spell) who picked the 19-year-old phenom for NL RoY in Awardatron. The RoY races in both leagues look extremely competitive early on.
The Hornsby Chapter’s 233rd consecutive monthly meeting approaches, and as has become customary for April meetings, we’ll meet in the Austin backyard of Nicole Bryan, a recent addition to our chapter leadership, and Brian Hall. We will gather on Saturday, April 18, at noon (an hour earlier than most of our meetings). For everyone looking to join us, we respect the privacy of member homes and don’t post their address publicly – here’s a hint where we’re going, it’s in this rectangle, roughly a mile west of the UT campus.
Food will be provided by our hosts, but guests are encouraged to bring a beverage for personal or shared consumption – we ask that if you bring any and there are leftovers, you tote those home with you to minimize cleanup, no leave-behinds.
To help Nicole and Brian plan for feeding us, and to find out exactly where you’re going, just hit our mobile-friendly RSVP form and indicate any guests you’re bringing. I will round up a headcount and email those who request the address after we close RSVPs on Wednesday, April 15th. (Like you have nothing else important to remember for that day.) Here’s the form:
In one of the best attended in-person meetings (not counting winter meetings), 21 chapter members and guests gathered to talk about the World Baseball Classic and the new season. In addition to a summary of the March meeting in the March Newsletter, you can find a report about the SABR Analytics Conference by scholarship recipient Bailey Hall, a new SABR Games Project article written by Larry Rice, a Black History Month presentation by Dick Butler and announcements for the annual Predictatron and Awardatron contests.
Cy Morong brought a quiz inspired by interruptions to baseball seasons past called “Pandemics, Strikes and Wars.” The 24-question multiple-choice quiz featured two questions that had two correct answers and an optional final question worth a bonus 6 points if correct and a deduction of 6 points if incorrect. Jim Baker took top honors with 25 points, and, surprise surprise, Gilbert Martinez, chapter commissioner, took second place with 23 points.
For his prowess, Jim selected a limited-edition Fergie Jenkins photocard commemorating his National Baseball Hall of Fame induction in 1991, leaving the Jeff Bagwell photocard for Gilbert (thanks, Jim!). Jim gifted the Mike Mussina photocard (not pictured) to well-known Yankees fan Ira Siegel.
Quiz winners Jim Baker (left) and Gilbert Martinez
We also welcomed Hornsby Chapter member Mark Escamilla, who grew up in Austin and attended his first chapter meeting. He recently contributed to the chapter email list discussion about Eduardo Rodriguez’s dominant pitching performance for Venezuela against Team USA in the World Baseball Classic championship last week. Mark also did statistical analysis for the Australian National Team in the World Baseball Classic. Welcome, Mark!
This was the 232nd consecutive month in which the chapter has met, a streak dating to December 2006.
From left: Ira Siegel, Jerry Miller, Raeanne Martinez and Gilbert Martinez
Park renaming and historical marker in honor of MLB star and Austinite Don Baylor
A few chapter members attended the unveiling of a new historical marker at an Austin city park recently renamed in Don Baylor’s honor.
[Congratulations to chapter member Bailey Hall for being awarded SABR’s Sarah Langs Women in Baseball Analytics Scholarship, which covered registration and accommodations for the SABR Analytics Conference last month and provided a travel stipend. I asked Bailey to share her impressions of her experience. – GDM]
By Bailey Hall
Hi, everyone! I hope everyone is doing well since I last saw y’all, and I can’t wait to come back for another meeting this summer. Gilbert has asked if I would do a quick writeup of my experience at the SABR Analytics Conference that just happened (Feb. 27-March 1) in Phoenix, Arizona, so here is what I thought of it!
SABR offers so many incredible opportunities for students in both high school and college, but one of the most meaningful is the scholarships they provide to attend the national conferences. This year, I was honored to receive the Sarah Langs Women in Baseball Analytics Scholarship, which allowed me to attend the conference in Phoenix. Because of this opportunity, I was able to meet so many amazing college women who share a passion for baseball and who were also able to attend thanks to this scholarship.
So, with the scholarship, I arrived in Phoenix on a Wednesday morning. A man named Tyrone Brooks, who works for MLB but works closely with SABR, had a few events for the other scholarship winners before the conference began on Friday. Tyrone, who has worked in baseball for about 30 years and seems to know every person who works in MLB, was able to take us to about 12 front offices of the teams in Phoenix. At each facility, we were able to get a bit of a tour of the spring training complex, and then we were able to speak with a panel of employees about what their jobs look like. We spoke to scouts, coaches, player development employees, data analysts, performance scientists, biomechanics specialists, therapists, nutritionists, and more! It was really interesting to see how each team presented themselves. What I found interesting is that the general vibe you get from watching a team (cocky, big/small market, data driven, etc.) seemed to align with the vibe of the front office staff.
As for the actual conference, which began that Friday, I found it quite different from the national convention held each summer. It was much more about networking and connecting for jobs, and the presentations were very data focused rather than historical. My favorite presentation was about developing a stat for third base coaches and determining their added value to a team. The idea was to perfect a third base coach’s accuracy in determining when to send a player home or not, and it took into account things like distance, runner speed, outfielder momentum, game time scenario, etc. The broader concept of expanding stats past just the players was recurring at the conference. Another presentation discussed the development of statistics to measure a manager’s added value to a team, almost like wins above replacement but for the coaching staff. I found this to be an interesting new area of interest, and I am curious to hear what you guys think about this as well.
Another interesting part of the conference was that they embraced sports betting quite significantly. They had a panel of experts who were telling people which players they would bet on and which they would not, how much they believed each player was valued at, etc. Many of the speakers also talked about how listening to Vegas can really help perfect your statistical models because Vegas is almost never wrong about player predictions of injury, longevity, and overall value. Again, I am curious what you guys think about that!
There were many other interesting talks at the conference, and I believe some of them can be watched virtually if anyone is interested in checking them out. I also want to mention that Gilbert wrote me an incredible recommendation letter for my scholarship application, and I’m sure that played a big role in me receiving it. I’m very grateful for his support and wanted to thank him for that.
If anyone has questions about the conference, I’d be happy to talk more about it, and I’d also love to hear everyone’s thoughts. Happy spring training, everyone—I hope to see you all soon!
A chance for glory: Predictatron begins anew!
By Jim Baker
It won’t be long now until the regular season gets underway, which means that another installment of the Predictatron contest comes along with it.
Attached you will find everything you need to know about getting your ballot submitted so that you can participate in this chapter institution. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 27.
Everyone is gunning for defending champion Mike Harrell, who will be looking to repeat. Last season, we had 25 participants, an all-time high. New players are welcome and encouraged.
Another chance for glory: Awardatron seeks prognosticators!
By Ryan Pollack
Hear ye, hear ye — we are less than a week from the MLB season opener, which means the 2026 Awardatron contest is now open for submissions!
You know the drill: predict the BBWAA award winners in each league and win big points, I mean, bragging rights to your friends!! Unskilled at prognostication? Don’t fret, you’ll have the chance to change one pick in each league at the All-Star Break in exchange for reduced points.
Either way you could join the ranks of these esteemed contest winners from years past:
2025: Ryan Pollack 2024: Mike McNulty 2023: Mike Cohen 2022: Scott Gay
Yes, if your name is Mike, you have a 50% chance of winning!
Ballots are due 9 a.m. (Central Time) onWednesday, March 25. The season kicks off that evening with the Giants & Yankees before a full slate of games the following day.
Black History Month presentation about baseball by Dick Butler
Dick Butler, along with Clifton Fifer Jr., gave a Black History Month presentation on baseball titled “Kerrville All-Stars: Black Town Baseball in the Jim Crow Era” at the Patrick Heath Public Library in Boerne last month. Dick talked about the Kerrville All-Stars, a Black town baseball team that played from the 1920s until about 1970. Mr. Fifer provided anecdotes and personal stories about the All-Stars. His father was a player and manager for the All-Stars.
In September, Dick is scheduled to publish “Hill Country Ball: Depression-Era Baseball in the Texas German Belt” (Texas Tech University Press). Click here for more about the new book.
Congrats, Dick!
Nicole Bryan joins Hornsby Chapter leadership
I’m pleased to announce that Nicole Bryan has joined the chapter leadership team to serve as a director, along with Dick Butler, who joined the team in January. They join Commissioner Martinez, Monte Cely, Ryan Pollack, Jerry Miller and Don Dingee on the leadership team.
Hornsby Chapter commissioner election process
It’s been nearly three years since the Hornsby Chapter adopted chapter bylaws and conducted its first chapter commissioner election. In accordance with the bylaws, we are preparing for the chapter’s second election. Many thanks to Dick Butler, election coordinator, Ryan Pollack, election observer, and Don Dingee, election registrar. A call for nominations will go out on April 2 with an online election to occur in mid-May. The newly elected commissioner will then assemble a team of directors to assist in running the chapter. Questions about this process can be directed to Don.
Next meeting
As has become a recent tradition and for the third consecutive April, Nicole Bryan and Brian Hall are generously opening their home to host the chapter monthly meeting at noon Saturday, April 18, in Central Austin. A call for RSVPs will go out in early April. Hope to see you there!
It’s that time again, when Spring Training starts early to get players wound up for the triennial World Baseball Classic. One player we won’t see in the tournament is Mike Trout, who couldn’t secure insurance, so the marquee matchup may come down to Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge in Miami if we get a reprise of the Japan-USA final. Or will some Caribbean powerhouse step forward and get to the championship game? Questions abound. Hopefully, we’ll see an exciting tournament free of season-altering injuries to big-name MLB players.
We’ll know the answers before our March monthly meeting on Saturday, March 21, when we return to our classic location at Serranos MoPac (address link in the RSVP form) for lunch starting at 1 p. m. We’d enjoy seeing everyone in person if you can make it out with us, and guests are welcome, too. To help us secure a table big enough for all, just hit the mobile-friendly RSVP form and let us know if you’re coming and who you’re bringing.
We’ll take reservations until Wednesday, March 18. Oh, and by then, we may know more about whether phenom Konnor Griffin or sleeper Kevin McGonigle make the Pirates or Tigers opening day rosters, respectively, or would be called up a few weeks into the season. Implications for the upcoming Predicatron and Awardatron contests rest on those and other decisions. Fun times ahead!
An interstate trip down memory lane and a fun quiz to prepare us for spring training filled the Rogers Hornsby Chapter’s celebration of SABR Day on Saturday.
Fourteen members – including some from faraway lands such as Milwaukee, Michigan, Colorado Springs and Boston – joined us on Zoom to hear author Marshall Garvey read a chapter from his book, “Interstate ’85: The Royals, the Cardinals, and the Show-Me World Series.”
Garvey, who lives in the Sacramento area, read from his book, published last year. He said he sought to tell the story of the 1985 World Series by conducting new interviews with key participants on both teams, including George Brett, Ozzie Smith and Andy Van Slyke, and umpire Don Denkinger, who reflected on an infamous call that brought joy to one side and fury to the other.
But Garvey shared that his book goes beyond the play-by-play of the World Series and Denkinger’s call. He said he wanted to take a deep dive in this World Series to tell the human stories of those involved.
He described his book as a “compassionate book,” and invited all baseball fans, even Cardinals fans, to give it a read. The book, published by the University of Missouri Press, can be purchased through many booksellers, such as amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Here’s more information from the book publisher:
Many thanks to Marshall Garvey for joining us to celebrate SABR Day! He said he’s hopeful to publish the first paperback edition of the book soon.
To see his full presentation, please check out this recording on YouTube:
At the start of the meeting, we took a moment to remember three-time World Series champion Terrance Gore, who died after a routine surgery a few days before. We remember how Gore, with his blazing speed, demonstrated his value as a late-game pinch runner to help his team win ballgames.
This was the 231st consecutive month in which the chapter has met, either in person or virtually.
SABR Town Ball Research Committee
Dick Butler, member of the Hornsby Chapter leadership team, has been part of the creation of SABR’s Town Ball Research Committee and shared details about the committee’s first meeting held last month. He said the committee has set a goal to create a database of all town ball teams across the country. “We hope it will be a resource for future researchers,” he said, adding that they hope it helps identify town ball players who may have gone on to play professional baseball.
(After the conclusion of the World Series last year, Ryan Pollack challenged us to predict the contracts for 10 of the biggest free agents this offseason. Now, only one from this group remains unsigned — Zac Gallen! Here’s Ryan’s update after Framber Valdez signed with the Detroit Tigers last week.)
By Ryan Pollack
Framber Valdez signed a 3-year, $115M contract with the Tigers [last] week and hoo boy did we all not see that coming!
Just like we have with the past few free agent signings, we all mostly missed big time. The median guess from this group was a $152.5M deal. Here’s how we fared, individually:
Yes, Mike Cohen came in first place with a whopping 26.1% miss. Overall it’s the third-worst we’ve done as a group:
With Framber’s signing, here are the current standings:
One more to go! Zac Gallen, we await your signing!!
Next Meeting
Next month’s meeting will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at Serranos (5030 US 290, Austin, TX 78735) in Southwest Austin at the intersection of MoPac and U.S. 290. A request for RSVPs will go out on the website and Google Group at the beginning of the month. Hope to see you there as we prepare for opening day!
Officially, as I write this, SABR Day is today, but what could be better than extending our celebration of baseball by another week?
On Saturday, February 7, at 1 p.m. CST, we’ll meet on Zoom, where our featured presenter will be author Marshall Garvey discussing his recent book Interstate ’85: The Royals, The Cardinals, and The Show-Me World Series. Marshall lives near Sacramento, CA, and has also authored The Hidden History of Sacramento Baseball (pre-Athletics, I presume – we can ask him), and co-authored the novel Ellwood’s Odyssey, set in the Korean War. Interstate ’85 has received praise from Sports Collectors Digest and a former Kansas City Star editor. He also writes about baseball, gaming, and other topics on Substack.
The mental image burned into my brain from that 1985 World Series is Jim Sundberg, rounding third and raising his arms, heading for the plate in the bottom of the 9th with the Game 6 winner, which knotted the series at 3-3. That loss, and facing Bret Saberhagen, seemed to drain all the emotion from the Cardinals, who suffered an 11-0 drubbing in Game 7, giving the Royals the trophy. I’m sure Marshall will have much more to share from his in-depth research and interviews with players who lived that series. Here’s the Zoom registration page, you’ll get a link to join the session when you register.
The Hornsby Chapter’s Baseball Memories programs are off to a great start in January, 2026. We continued presenting our long-standing programs at the Kerrville VA (now in its 10th year) and AGE of Central Texas in Round Rock (just completing its 3rd year).
The big news in January was the addition of a program at Grace Place, a licensed adult day care center in San Antonio. SABR member and Baseball Memories coordinator Larry Rice is pictured below on “opening day” at Grace Place.
Going forward, our SABR Baseball Memories volunteers will be offering monthly programs at all three sites. In January, attendance was 28 at AGE, 26 at Grace Place and 12 at Kerrville. We were happy to have touched the lives of these 66 attendees, plus staff members that also enjoy participating. We are excited about moving forward with these valuable and rewarding programs.
For more information, don’t hesitate to contact:
in the greater San Antonio area – Larry Rice at ukisno1@gmail.com
in the greater Austin area – Monte Cely at cely@swbell.net
A former Chicago Cubs favorite, an author on the hunt for baseball imposters, the director emeritus of the Babe Ruth museum and an author who examined baseball in the 1960s were among the headliners of the 20th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting on Saturday.
In addition, we heard from representatives of the Round Rock Express and the San Antonio Missions and a Texas State master’s graduate who interned with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. Chapter members offered presentations about their personal experiences with baseball, sabermetrics, tabletop baseball simulations and a clever presentation evaluating AI and our very own Cy Morong.
One member previewed his book about Depression-era baseball in the Hill Country, to be published later this year.
It was a fun-filled day for 44 members and guests packed with everything baseball, thrilling and entertaining attendees throughout the day.
Keith Moreland and Mike Capps
Longtime broadcaster and journalist and chapter member Mike Capps led a conversation with Keith Moreland, who played mostly for the Cubs and Phillies in a 12-year MLB career. Capps, himself the author of “Grinders: Baseball’s Intrepid Infantry,” noted how much he admired how Moreland played the game. Moreland was also a key member of the Texas Longhorns team that won the 1975 College World Series.
“I grinded every day,” Moreland said, pointing out that he knew his role – to do whatever he could to help the team win. He also described himself as a sponge to learn as much as he could from veteran stars such as Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose, Greg Luzinski, Steve Carlton and Tug McGraw, among many others.
Asked about how the game has changed from when he played, Moreland remembered when he joined the Cubs broadcast booth in 2011. He said he was surprised that players didn’t stick around after games.
“I was stunned,” he said. “We used to sit around… and talk about the game.”
He said one of his concerns about baseball today is the prevalence of gambling despite how ingrained the gambling prohibition has been in baseball for years. He described Pete Rose as a good friend, having talked to him regularly, including a week before he died in 2024.
“He’s a Hall of Famer, but he bet on the game,” Moreland said.
Capps asked him what he would change about the game for the better. Moreland said he’d let pitchers bat again, which drew some applause from the audience. He also described himself as a traditionalist but believes games need more action and need to be concluded more quickly. He said he’s not opposed to putting a runner at second in extra innings.
He said he would reduce commercial breaks and emphasize a faster pace of play to be more entertaining to fans.
Moreland shared several stories from his playing days, including catching pitcher Mark Davis early in his career. It was a rough start for Davis, in which opposing batters teed off on him. In an early mound visit, manager Dallas Green asked Moreland what Davis had. “I don’t know,” Moreland said. “It hasn’t gotten to me yet.” Moreland also noted that Davis went on to win a Cy Young in 1988 as a closer for the San Diego Padres.
Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum (Baltimore)
In a virtual presentation, Michael Gibbons, director emeritus of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum in Baltimore, shared the history of the museum, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. This independent, nonprofit educational institution is devoted to preserving and perpetuating the legacy of Babe Ruth.
He noted that the museum has fielded many inquiries from media and fans from all around the world, especially with the success of Shohei Ohtani, who has drawn comparisons with the Bambino because both had tremendous success as pitchers and batters. He said that Ohtani’s performance has brought renewed interest in Ruth.
Gibbons shared that one of his favorite artifacts in the museum is Babe Ruth’s rookie card, valued in the millions. He shared that in safeguarding the card, the museum employed the same company that created the secure enclosure for Dr. Martin Luther King’s handwritten “I Have a Dream” speech.
It should also be noted that Ryan Pollack shared that he had several birthday parties at the museum growing up in the Baltimore area, and that he met Gibbons through his father, who shared a yoga class with Gibbons.
Doug Kurkul
Author of “It’s a Beautiful Day for Baseball: The National Pastime in the 1960s,” Doug Kurkul joined us via Zoom to talk about his book and the significance of the decade in baseball history. He notes that there were 56 Hall of Famers who played in the ’60s, a decade he describes as the last one in which baseball was the undisputed national pastime. He interviewed a number of former ballplayers and executives, including Tommy John, Jim Kaat, Bob Aspromonte, Pat Gillick and Branch Rickey III. He also compared baseball in the ’60s and the modern day in terms of salaries, player movements, postseason play and use of statistics.
To learn more about his presentation, use the link to see his presentation slides:
Author of “Baseball Imposters: The Dark Side of Fandom,” and “Hey, Mom, Wanna Have a Catch? A Collection of Baseball Stories Honoring Moms and Dads Who Taught Us How to Love America’s National Pastime,” Rob Sheinkopf shared entertaining stories about both books.
In “Baseball Imposters,” he had come across more than a few accounts of relatives who had a dad or uncle who they believed had played professional baseball, only to learn that it wasn’t true. Sheinkopf took to investigating some of these claims to resolve questions from relatives who wanted to know the truth. He recounted how he made an appointment with a chiropractor to confront him about his false claims. He just had to know the truth, and he wanted to understand why people persist in making these false claims.
In “Hey, Mom, Wanna Have a Catch?” Sheinkopf shares heartfelt stories about how parents have played a pivotal role in fostering a love and joy for the game of baseball. The book includes a contribution from Hornsby Chapter member Monte Cely about his father taking him to his first ballgame.
Tim Jackson, general manager of the Round Rock Express, shared highlights from the 2025 season, including a franchise record of walkoff wins (12). He talked about infielder Cody Freeman earning the Triple-A batting crown, batting .336, and making his Major League debut with the Texas Rangers.
He said the Express got off to a slow start in 2025 but rebounded with a strong second half, prompting hopes for an improved outlook for 2026. This month, the Express announced their coaching staff for 2026, including naming Kyle Moore as the club’s manager.
Jackson also talked about the Dell Diamond hosting Athletes Unlimited Softball Association games in 2026. In fact, the Dell Diamond set attendance records for AUSA exhibition games in 2025. He said they expect details on the upcoming season to be announced soon.
Jackson shared that the Express begin their season on the road on March 26 and have their home opener on March 31.
For the first time in chapter history, representatives from the San Antonio Missions joined our winter meeting to share updates about the team and possible directions for the future. In recent years, the Hornsby Chapter has scheduled outings to a Missions game during the summer to expand the chapter’s reach into other areas of Central Texas.
J.J. Jimenez, director of ticket sales, and Brian Yancelson, public relations and broadcasting manager, talked about their roles with the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
“We drive up to a ballpark every day and go to work,” Jimenez said, reflecting both her and Brian’s love of the game and joy working with the Missions.
Brian also talked about the challenges of getting to know young ballplayers in the system who can and often are traded, especially when the big league club has been active in trades in recent years.
J.J. also talked about ongoing plans to build a new stadium for the Missions in downtown San Antonio and the hope that it will add to an already active and thriving business and entertainment destination. Current plans are to build the new stadium in the northern part of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park near the intersection of I-35 and I-10 in time for the 2028 season.
Texas State master’s graduate Carly Earnest, who interned with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, shared her experiences taking photos and managing social media content during the 2025 season. She got to know many of the prospects and saw some get called up to the Houston Astros.
Some of her social media content involving fun questions with some of the Space Cowboys went viral and drew lots of online attention. She shared a few of her favorites:
Carly graduated with a master’s degree in digital media from the Texas State School of Journalism and Mass Communication in December, and her final project about the use of AI in professional sports photography was supervised by Gilbert D. Martinez, professor of instruction at Texas State.
Dick Butler gave a presentation about his book, “Town Ball: Depression-Era Baseball in the Texas Hill Country,” set to be published by Texas Tech University Press in September. He shared some baseball history in the area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He also noted that town ball offered one of the few, if not only, public outlets for Black baseball players to express pride and unity during the Jim Crow era. You can learn more about his presentation at this link: Butler Power Point-SABR January 2026 FINAL
Chapter members Larry Rice and Dick Butler gave a brief presentation about tabletop baseball simulation games and how they can allow enthusiasts to play out “what if” scenarios involving some of the most famous games and series in baseball history. By using player cards that provide statistical information about the player’s abilities, these games use dice to dictate game play based on statistical probabilities.
They demonstrated how it worked by replaying an inning from the American League East tiebreaker between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox on Oct. 2, 1978. To see how that turned out (or could’ve turned out, depending on the roll of the dice), check out their presentation at this link: TABLETOP BASEBALL SABR JAN 26
Bailey Hall and Brian Hall said they’ve enjoyed Cy Morong’s analysis and trivia questions that he poses on the chapter’s Google Group email list. Brian said he likes to test popular AI applications to see how they fare with Cy’s complex baseball questions.
Bailey and Brian found that AI often had trouble with complicated questions and in some instances, the software provided incorrect answers.
This led them to pose a simple question: “Can AI top Cy? Find out more about their study and the answer via this link to their presentation: The Halls SABR 2026 Winter Meeting
Ryan Pollack explained the balance between traditional baseball statistics and modern formulas and how they help us understand the game better. To learn more, click on this link for his presentation slides: Ryan Pollack – Why Sabermetrics_
Following up on his presentation from last winter meeting, Frank Rechtorovic shared more details about his military career and his life in Seattle and Japan and intersections with baseball, particularly with witnessing parts of the Hall of Fame careers of Ichiro Suzuki (both in Seattle and Japan), Edgar Martinez, Tom Seaver and Reggie Jackson. To learn more about Frank’s presentation, click on this link to his presentation: Rechtorovic SABR Presentation 2026
Ballpark Memories – Ryan Pollack and Gilbert D. Martinez
Ryan Pollack also gave a presentation recounting a summer trip to see baseball in four ballparks in the Midwest: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit and Cincinnati. In addition to watching stars Paul Skenes, José Ramirez, Riley Greene and Elly De La Cruz play in their home parks, Ryan also shared the local cuisine and sights he enjoyed.
Chapter Commissioner Gilbert D. Martinez shared that a photo he took of Ichiro Suzuki in 2008 – which happened to capture Ichiro’s 3,000th professional hit (NPB plus MLB) – was donated to and accepted by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Gilbert presented the photo to the hall during Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, when Ichiro, Billy Wagner, C.C. Sabathia, Dave Parker and Dick Allen were honored.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were not the only winners this past season, having successfully defended their World Series title with their second consecutive championship. Their success translated to boosting the prognostication prowess of two avid Dodgers fans, who took home trophies for the two Predictatron contests.
Predictatron impresario Jim Baker presented the trophies, with newly added nameplates for winners Mike Harrell (pictured above, right, with Jim), for the full-season Predictatron contest, and Jerry Miller (pictured below), for the postseason Predictatron contest.
Congratulations to Mike and Jerry for their impressive accomplishments, and to Jim for running Predictatron. Mike and Jerry can proudly host and display their trophies this year until the next winners are crowned.
In addition, Mike will have a division named in his honor along with Tom Wancho, who won his division.
You can join in the fun when Jim puts out a call for your predictions for the 2026 season in the full-season Predictatron contest just prior to the start of the season in March.
Mock HOF voting
Continuing a favorite winter meeting tradition, Ryan Pollack conducted a mock Hall of Fame vote of the chapter, collecting votes from online balloting and in-person ballots at the winter meeting.
None of the players on the 2026 ballot reached the minimum 75 percent threshold to be chosen in our mock election. The only two players to gain a majority were Andy Pettitte with 53.3 percent and Andruw Jones with 51.1 percent. Only two players achieved 40 percent or more: Carlos Beltrán (48.9) and Manny Ramirez (42.2).
The BBWAA will announce the official vote on Jan. 20, when we’ll find out if anyone from this year’s ballot gets elected.
See below for how all candidates fared on the ballot.
SABR Baseball Games Project
John Fredland, head of SABR Baseball Games Project, was in attendance and invited members to consider pitching a story about game, explaining its historical context along with personal experiences. Fredland also authored the SABR 50 at 50: Greatest Games feature to help celebrate SABR’s golden anniversary in 2021.
Trivia Quiz
Syd Polk crafted a trivia quiz in two parts about MLB franchise starts and moves that resulted in a tie! Tom Thayer and Jim Baker each scored 66 out of 75 points. The second part of the quiz involved a table of all 30 MLB teams and asked for a variety of information such as league, division, original city name, the year it entered MLB and so forth.
Syd collected those tables at the end of the meeting and graded those afterward.
Jim Baker emerged the victor with 192 points, squeaking by Tom Thayer (190) and Cy Morong (188).
Want to see how you might fare on Syd’s quiz? Here are the quiz and the answers:
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all of our members, guests, presenters and attendees for making the 20th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting so special and the best yet! Special thanks to Jerry Miller, winter meeting coordinator for assembling the schedule and arranging for pizza lunch!
Hornsby and Dierker chapters founder Bill Gilbert
We also took some time to remember chapter founder Bill Gilbert, who passed away in 2018. He founded the Hornsby Chapter after he moved to Central Texas from Houston, where he also founded the Larry Dierker Chapter. He was instrumental in creating this vibrant baseball community.
This was the 230th consecutive month in which the chapter has met, extending a streak begun in December 2006.
Next Meeting
The chapter plans to celebrate SABR Day on Saturday, Feb. 7, with a virtual meeting on Zoom. We’ll share more details about this meeting via our email lists once we finalize plans.
[Please see below for updated parking information]
Happy New Year, everyone! If you’re already struggling with keeping up with your new year’s resolutions, here’s an easy one you can fulfill: attending the 20th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting!
Join us for a great day of baseball at our biggest meeting of the year from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, at Texas State University in San Marcos!
The winter meeting features Keith Moreland, a 12-year major league veteran, and longtime minor league broadcaster Mike Capps. We’ll also have representatives from the Round Rock Express and San Antonio Missions, along with various baseball presentations and activities during the day. See the agenda below for the full schedule.
Please consider bringing new or gently used baseballs, gloves, bats and other gear to donate to our baseball memories program.
IMPORTANT: The deadline to opt in for pizza is Thursday, Jan. 8. Payment is due on arrival Saturday: $5 cash (exact amount appreciated) for a few slices of pizza and a bottle of water. There will also be vending machines for snacks and beverages available onsite.
Also, a longtime tradition of the winter meeting is for chapter members to participate in our Mock Hall of Fame vote. You can vote the day of the meeting or submit your ballot online. Note that you can only vote once!
Schedule for the SABR Hornsby Chapter 20th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting
[Please note that while some presentations will be done via Zoom, we will not have a Zoom option for those unable to attend the meeting in person.]
All Day Accepting donations of donations of old baseballs, gloves, bats, and other gear for use in our “Baseball Memories” program, which supports baseball reminiscence activities as a means of improving the lives of persons dealing with dementia, chronic health problems, isolation, or loneliness.
9:30-9:45 a.m. Welcome from Gilbert Martinez (Chapter President) and Jerry Miller (Winter Meeting Coordinator); Predictatron (Jim Baker) and Awardatron (Ryan Pollack) Presentations
9:45-10:15 a.m. Michael Gibbons, Director Emeritus, Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, Baltimore (via Zoom)
10:15-10:35 a.m. Ballpark Memories, featuring chapter members Ryan Pollack and Gilbert D. Martinez
10:35-10:55 a.m. Author and former chapter member Doug Kurkul, “It’s a Beautiful Day for Baseball: The National Pastime in the 1960s” (via Zoom)
10:55-11:05 a.m. Morning break
11:05-11:25 a.m. Author, Rob Sheinkopf , “Baseball Impostors: The Dark Side of Fandom” and “Hey Mom, Wanna Have a Catch? A Collection of Baseball Stories Honoring Moms and Dads Who Taught Us How to Love America’s National Pastime” (via Zoom)
11:25 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. “Speed dating” presentations – a series of individual workshops featuring chapter members, including SABRmetrics (Ryan Pollack) and “Tabletop Baseball Simulation Games: Introduction and Overview” (Dick Butler and Larry Rice)
12:10- 1 p.m. Lunch (pizza lunch available for pre-order)
1-1:20 p.m. Frank Rechtorovic, “The Emerald City”
1:20-1:40 p.m. Dick Butler, “Town Ball: Depression-era Baseball in the Texas Hill Country”
1:40-2:20 p.m. Honored guest former University of Texas national champion and 12-year major league veteran Keith Moreland, interviewed by author, broadcaster, and chapter member Mike Capps
2:20-2:30 p.m. Afternoon break
Minor League reports, featuring:
2:30-2:50 p.m. Tim Jackson, General Manager, Round Rock Express (via Zoom)
2:50-3:10 p.m. Texas State graduate Carly Earnest (master’s in digital media), photo presentation about the Sugar Land Space Cowboys
3:10-3:25 p.m. Afternoon break (may be cancelled in order to accommodate presentations)
3:25-3:45 p.m. J.J. Jimenez, Director of Ticket Sales, and Brian Yancelson, Public Relations and Broadcasting, San Antonio Missions
Directions to Old Main at Texas State, site of the Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting
Directions to the winter meeting are as follows:
From I-35, take exit 206 (Aquarena Springs Dr.).
Travel west on Aquarena Springs Drive, which turns into University Drive.
After crossing the San Marcos River, you will come to a traffic light. Turn right onto Sessom Drive. At the first light, turn left on State Street and go up a steep road toward Old Main (pictured above). Go through a gate (the gate should be up) and continue up the hill.
At the top of the hill, make a sharp left turn and drive up to Old Main (pictured above).
Look for parking on this road that winds around the side and back of Old Main. You can find additional parking at the Pleasant Street Garage, located at the corner of N. LBJ and Pleasant Street. To reach this garage, after you pass through the gate, continue up the hill, then down the hill to the stop sign on Pleasant Street. Turn left; the entrance to the parking garage will be on your left.
UPDATED Jan. 9: Texas State no longer has free parking, even on the weekends. Instead, please purchase a $5 parking permit. This is done online. You enter your name, car information and license plate number. You will not receive a permit or anything to display. Your license plate number is your permit, so be sure to enter it correctly.
Steps to register for parking:
Click here to Order Event Permit (Do Not use the login button at the top of the Page)
Select Event Type Department Sponsored Events / Meetings
Select 20th Annual Winter Meeting of the Rogers Hornsby Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research 01/10/26
Select permit type Single Day Event Standard Vehicle
Click add vehicle button, enter vehicle information, click the add button at the bottom.
Enter your Name and click Confirm followed by the red continue button.
Scroll to the bottom of the checkout page. Enter your email address for receipt and email attachment with permit and parking information/instructions click continue.
You will be taken to the payment gateway to complete your payment by credit/debit card or E-Check.
Meeting is on the third floor – both stairs and elevator are available.
Dick Butler gave a presentation about his book, “Town Ball: Depression-Era Baseball in the Texas Hill Country,” set to be published by 
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