Author: Don Dingee

May is Star Wars Night in RR, and an SATX lunch with a new face

May brings us to our traditional game outing in Round Rock, this time to see the Round Rock Express take on the Sacramento River Cats on Star Wars Night at Dell Diamond on Saturday, May 16, game time 7:05 p.m. For those who haven’t seen it, the post-game festivities include a themed drone show, which is spectacular.

  • Many of us gather for an optional dinner at the Salt Lick BBQ adjacent to Dell Diamond. Salt Lick policy is to seat only complete parties (although we can usually squeeze one or two folks in), so we ask members and their guests to RSVP using our mobile-friendly form for an accurate headcount and arrive by 5:30 p.m. *sharp* (we’ll be gathered in the tables outside the front door). Dinner guests can take free parking in or near the Salt Lick parking lot, and after dinner, it’s a short walk over to the stadium.
  • Game attendees should purchase their tickets via the Round Rock Express site. We are eying a block of seats down the left field line (behind home dugout and in evening shade) in section 115, rows 19, 20, and 21, seats 1-10, seats priced at $31 each. Please purchase seats as soon as possible to be among friends!

Dell Diamond is cashless, and card or mobile device payments are accepted for parking and at all concession booths. Join us on Saturday the 16th – significant others and kids are welcome. 

RSVP for the Salt Lick BBQ PreGame

Purchase tickets for the Express-River Cats game

We also held our quarterly lunch in San Antonio on Saturday, May 2, at BJ’s at the Rim. A small but enthusiastic group got to meet a new face – Bob Bailey, who moved from Florida to San Antonio last fall. Bob is a 40+ year SABR member, and is co-chair and newsletter editor of the Nineteenth Century Research Committee – instructions for subscribing to that group are on that page. Bob’s a Yankees fan, and bonded with Ira. Also lunching with us were Linda, Jeff, Cy, Larry, and yours truly. We had a rousing discussion about bases.chat and Stathead, with impromptu trivia challenge questions flying across the table in every direction.

This Round Rock outing is a great chance to catch up with friends, and who knows, general manager Tim Jackson may join us for a few minutes if he’s available. Looking forward to seeing folks there!

 

 

 

Heading to The Rim for a May Hornsby SATX meeting

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.

RSVP May 2026 SATX Meeting – BJs at the Rim

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.

Back in the Backyard for our April Meeting

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:

RSVP – Hornsby Chapter April 2026 Meeting

Until we see everyone there, have a joyous and safe Passover and Easter, and may your favorite team(s) prosper.

 

March meeting to mull Miami matchup over Mexican munchies on MoPac

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.

RSVP March 2026 Meeting

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!

Hornsby SABR Day ’26 turns to memories in Interstate ’85

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.

Zoom Registration – Hornsby SABR Day ’26 – Sat., Feb. 7, 1 p.m. CST

Bring your questions for Marshall and we’ll see you there!

 

December meeting returns to the County Line on the Lake

Welcome to December, Hornsbyites. While it’s a bit cooler to start the month, we thankfully don’t get much of this white stuff pictured above (Huntington Stadium, home of the Columbus Clippers, taken about three weeks ago). Baseball stadiums may be in their winter hibernation, but in Texas, the hot smoker is fully lit.

Almost 22 years ago, a small group planted the seeds for what would become the SABR Rogers Hornsby Chapter over barbeque platters at County Line on the Lake in Austin (RM2222 and Loop 360). Our December meeting returns to the site on Sunday, December 14, at 1pm. As usual, RSVPs are appreciated so we get a right-sized table for the group, with the form open until Wednesday, December 10:

RSVP December 2025 Meeting – County Line on the Lake Austin

Who knows, there may be much more to talk about on the free agent or trade front, and corresponding sadness or euphoria, depending on your perspective. We hope to see everyone, including our student members, if you are in town, to discuss any developments with your favorite club or player. 

Seeing SABR friends in a new place for our November meeting

Well, that was an entertaining World Series, coming to a memorable crescendo last night. Either you’re celebrating a Dodger win – the first NL repeat champion in nearly 50 years – or, you’re in the Matchbox Twenty camp: “We kept this hat of broken dreams / And we pulled them out, when we needed them around.” 

Hope’s embers for many of us still burn in places like the Arizona Fall League, which is midway through its season. (Featured photo credit: Megan Mendoza, Arizona Republic.) AFL players will more than likely be on major league rosters soon. It’s a unique experience if you get a chance to see a game, or even better, go in person with a couple of hundred people in the stands. 

Closer to home, congrats to Jerry Miller for his Dodger-fueled domination in the Postseason contest. Ryan is soliciting participants for the 2025-2026 installment of Contractatron; those entries are due via online ballot on November 5th.  Jim is also feverishly tallying the final results for this year’s Predictatron. 

We’ll be gathering in a new-to-most-of-us place for our November meeting – the aptly named Cover 3 restaurant on Anderson Lane (just south of the MoPac – 183 interchange). Per usual, we’ve put up a digital RSVP form to help secure a reservation for our group – please join us there on Sunday, November 16, at 1pm.

RSVP November 2025 Meeting – Cover 3 Anderson Lane

We’d like to hear from you via that form by Wednesday, November 12th. Thanks to Ryan for help in selecting this location and finalizing the reservation when we get an accurate headcount. In the meantime, have a joyous November!

 

 

A sudden influx of pitching could make for a wild 2025 Watch Party

Just when it looked like the Yankees might ride the Schlittler-bahn all the way to the World Series, the Blue Jays counter with a Ye-savage outing of their own. It’s remarkable that guys with basically a month’s worth of MLB starting experience can come in and make such an immediate impact in the postseason. (But maybe not surprising – live arms, not much of a book or video on them.)

Who’s going to survive this gauntlet and make it to the World Series? Who will we be watching on Saturday, October 25th, in Game 2? It’s October and anything can happen, but we do know one thing – many of us will be gathered at Jim Baker’s house for the annual Hornsby Watch Party. The festivities begin at 6 p.m., and as is customary, Jim is generously supplying the food and soft drinks, BYOB optional.

To help Jim gauge how much sustenance to procure, and to help you find your way to his house, we’re opening a digital RSVP form. It has a map to tell you roughly where you’ll be headed, and if you haven’t been there or need your memory refreshed, check the box and I’ll send a follow-up email with Jim’s address (not automatically when you submit the form, but well before the party, your patience is appreciated).

RSVP – 2025 Hornsby Watch Party

We’ll keep the form open until Wednesday, October 22. Until then, kick back and enjoy the division and league championship rounds. We’ll look forward to seeing Hornsby members and guests on the 25th!

September lunch meeting on the 20th and a second option farther south

First, a belated Happy Labor Day to all, I hope you fared better than Jordan Hudson’s boyfriend (way to go, TCU, and yes, please, ESPN, let Peter do more of blowout broadcasts). In other chapter news, we’re thinking of Bailey Hall (and mom and dad) as she has officially begun her adventure as a Badger in Madison.

Five months of the MLB season are in the books, and right now the Brewers and Tigers look to have things in hand for the postseason. The rest of the field remains competitive, with the Mets holding the final spot in the NL over the Reds and Giants, and the Mariners with a slimmer margin in the AL over the Rangers and Royals. As many point out, it’s not a pennant race anymore, but a scrum to get into the field and see what happens.

Jim Baker reminds us that the Hornsby Postseason Tourney is coming up, open to all in the chapter, not just Predictatron participants. Jim’s contest deftly sidesteps the Wild Card chaos and opens with the known Division Series opponents.

We’re embarking on an experiment in the coming weeks, offering two options for lunch – members and guests are welcome to attend either or both dates.

  • We’ll be back at the Hurricane Grill & Wings (2701 Parker Drive, D-200, Round Rock) on Saturday, September 20th at 1 pm. For a group our size, we make reservations with the restaurant, so we’ve opened a mobile-friendly RSVP form for you to let us know you’ll be there and how many folks are with you.
  • We’ll also be in San Antonio soon – I’m looking at Saturday, October 4th at Willie’s Grill & Ice House in Schertz, and will announce that via the Google Group when we get closer to that date.

Here’s the link to RSVP for the 20th in Round Rock. Please let us know by Wednesday, September 17th if you’ll be there.

August virtual meeting examines no-hitters with author Kevin Hurd

We’ve made it past the trade deadline of the 2025 season, and our favorite teams fall somewhere on the spectrum of buying with both hands, filling one or two specific needs, standing pat or close to it, or tossing in the towel. And I’m still recovering from last night’s gigantic WHEEEEEE the Rockies put on the Pirates, a flashback to late-inning (and some earlier-inning) Coors Field magic of seasons past.

Which brings us to this month’s meeting, a virtual Zoom affair featuring author Kevin Hurd. On August 24, 1975, Ed Halicki spun a no-hitter pitching for the Giants at home against the Mets. Halicki, with a lifetime record of 55-66, is proof that no-hitters do not always come from elite pitchers – and that got a young Hurd, who was in the stands at Candlestick that day, thinking about the accomplishment.

After retiring from a 20-year career in the USAF as a navigator on RC-135s and KC-135s, his interest in the lore rekindled in 2014 with no-hitter feats from Tim Lincecum and Clayton Kershaw. Finally, in March 2020, with a pandemic just starting and his security job at the Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth just ending, a friend suggested turning his passion for no-hitters into a book. The result is a two-volume effort titled “From Randy Johnson to Dallas Braden: No-Hitters Beyond the Box Score,” available on Amazon.

Hurd documents 23 no-hitters with a unique perspective, looking at what went on around each game with first-hand accounts from many people who made baseball history. A twist to Hurd’s work is that he interviews not only the pitchers who accomplished the feat, but also others, including the catcher behind the plate. (I’ll be curious to see if Hurd talked to our old friend Robby Hammock, who my daughter got to know a bit as manager of the Missoula Osprey in 2013.)

Chapter commissioner Gilbert Martinez will interview Kevin Hurd live, and the event promises to be a WHEEEEEE for the Hornsby Chapter and our SABR friends around the country. We hope you can join us online on Saturday, August 9, starting at 2 p.m. CDT. Register for the Zoom at the following link. See you there!

SABR Hornsby Chapter – August 2025 Meeting