Seventeen chapter members and guests enjoyed holiday cookies from the Celys, with ample Italian cuisine from Macaroni Grill’s kitchen and sides of baseball talk galore.
As has become a December meeting tradition, Linda Cely brought baked goods – cookies, Buckeyes, and Mexican caramel candies – to help celebrate the season. She and Monte even brought festive holiday bags for everyone to take a sampling home.
Another highlight of the meeting yesterday was a Christmas-themed trivia quiz by the incomparable Jim Baker. Rather than focus on former Major Leaguer Stephen Christmas (who had cups of coffee with the Reds, White Sox and Cubs in the 1980s), Jim researched players born on Christmas Day, including a few Hall of Fame players. The contest was won by Tom Thayer with Mike Dillon in second. For their exploits, Jim generously awarded them Macaroni Grill gift cards.
As is usual the case with our meetings, a wide range of baseball teams and leagues were represented. MLB teams that made appearances at our meeting included the Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros. Gilbert Martinez wore the Astros-orange polo shirt with the SABR 44 logo and Monte donned the ballcap of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.
Even the newest merchandise was well represented: Jan Larson sported the ball cap with the new Miami Marlins logo, and Jerry Miller wore a t-shirt with one of the newest Double-A team, the Amarillo Sod Poodles, affiliate of the San Diego Padres that features a nickname of prairie dogs in the Panhandle. Jerry also sported a red ball cap/stocking cap, and Linda wore a festive Santa suit.
Topics included the news about the election of Lee Smith and Harold Baines to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the trades that have occurred so far in the offseason, and those that haven’t, and whether the winter meetings are still necessary.
Monte also shared details of his visit to Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, in early December, catching two Naranjeros games at Estadio Sonora and being a featured guest on a radio show. More details can be found at this link (scroll part way to the author’s note): http://www.sabrhornsby.org/2018/08/serie-del-caribe-2019-winter-leagues-2018-19/
It was the group’s 145th consecutive month in which the chapter has met. The group is entering the 13th year of regular monthly meetings.
Next month, the Hornsby Chapter puts on its biggest meeting of the year, the winter meeting on Saturday, Jan. 12, at Texas State University. It will be our first winter meeting without chapter founder Bill Gilbert, so we plan to have a special remembrance to honor him, along with a wide range of baseball topics and discussion. Winter meeting coordinator Ryan Pollack will be in touch soon on the chapter email list with more details. Hope to see you Jan. 12!