Author: Gilbert Martinez

Thirteen chapter members and guests celebrated SABR Day on Saturday with a hearty Italian lunch and plenty of baseball talk.

We discussed the election of Derek Jeter and Larry Walker to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and noted that our own Hall of Fame vote at our winter meeting two weeks ago perfectly matched that of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced last week.

Another major topic was the continuing fallout from the Houston Astros cheating scandal, which, so far, has claimed the jobs of a general manager and three managers. Meanwhile, the Astros reportedly have cast a wide net in search of a replacement skipper.

Thanks to the Larry Dierker Chapter, we tried our hand at one of their trivia quizzes about home run leaders by letters of the alphabet. Jerry Miller dominated the quiz, scoring 79 points with Ira Siegel in second with 63 points. For their acumen, they were given a hearty handshake and congratulations.

Among the Major League ballclubs represented were the Chicago White Sox, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Cleveland Indians, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. We also had a Round Rock Express cap, an Arizona spring training shirt, a SABR 44 (Houston) shirt and an El Paso Chihuahuas cap. I paired a National Baseball Hall of Fame shirt with a Nippon Professional Baseball Seibu Lions ballcap.

The lunch was part of the 11th Annual SABR Day, a coordinated international event to celebrate the organization and baseball. You can read more about other SABR Day events at this link: https://sabr.org/sabrday

The next monthly meeting will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at Serranos (MoPac and 290) in Southwest Austin. We’ll make a call for RSVPs on the email list in mid-February.

Former White Sox player and Astros coach Deacon Jones (pictured above) and founding editor of ESPN Magazine Jon Pessah highlighted a robust day of baseball at the 14th annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 11.

In addition, more than 30 attendees got an update on the Rogers Hornsby Chapter’s BasebALZ, a baseball-themed therapy program for Central Texas residents with early stage Alzheimer’s, and heard from Round Rock Express General Manager Tim Jackson and broadcaster Mike Capps.

The group also heard presentations about competitive balance throughout professional baseball history, new baseball rules in the upcoming season, Chinese players in independent baseball striving to improve their country’s chances in international play, and an ongoing scavenger hunt related to a curious card signed by several baseball greats.

Thanks to Mike McCroskey of the Larry Dierker Chapter, our winter meeting included Deacon Jones, who played for the Chicago White Sox in the 1960s and later served as a coach for the Houston Astros (1976-82) and San Diego Padres (1984-87). He’s currently special assistant to the president of the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League.

Jones shared several stories about his baseball career, including reflections on meeting his idol Jackie Robinson. As an 18-year-old, he recalled how thrilled he was to work out with the Brooklyn Dodgers. On the third and final day of the workout, Jones said that Robinson told him, “You’re going to play in the big leagues someday.” He also credited Robinson with encouraging him to go to college.

Jones also recalled a highlight from one spring training when Ted Williams said, “Young man, you have a good swing.” They talked hitting and Williams gently offered suggestions for improvement.

In the afternoon, winter meeting coordinator Ryan Pollack arranged a video conference with Jon Pessah, journalist and founding editor of ESPN the Magazine. Author of “The Game: Inside the Secret World of Major League Baseball’s Power Brokers,” Pessah shared stories about his interviews with former baseball commissioner Bud Selig and union leader Donald Fehr. In a wide-ranging interview, he talked about the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the steroids era of baseball.

Pessah also talked about his upcoming book, “Yogi: A Life,” set to be published in April. When asked about Jackie Robinson’s steal of home in Game 1 of the 1955 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Yogi’s New York Yankees, Pessah said Yogi insisted that the safe call was wrong. In later years, whenever he saw Robinson, he would greet him simply with “out.”

Tim Jackson, general manager of the Express, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, discussed the ongoing negotiations between Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball. While he said he agrees with some of MLB’s stated concerns about compensation for minor leaguers and the inadequate state of some minor league stadiums, Jackson said the negotiations and discussions with MLB have gotten tense and contentious ever since MLB floated a plan to eliminate 40 minor league clubs. Even though the Express isn’t one of the teams being considered for contraction, Jackson said he felt a responsibility to support the threatened clubs while also being a good partner with the Astros. During his talk, he made reference to this Baseball America article about Minor League Baseball’s response to the tension with MLB: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-baseball-issues-its-response-to-mlb-in-pba-spat/

Longtime journalist and broadcaster Mike Capps gave his outlook for the Express and expects a highly competitive club with players that might soon make the big leagues.

Several Hornsby Chapter members contributed interesting presentations to fill out the program. Monte Cely updated the group about the new baseball rules and how they might impact the game. New rules to watch for in the upcoming season include expanding the active roster to 26 players; designating players as pitchers, position players or “two-way” players; and requiring relief pitchers to face at least three batters (or pitch to the end of the inning), unless an injury or incapacity occurs. In addition, Cely took a look at experimental rules in the independent league (such as the use of “robo-umps,” stealing first base and others) that may make it to the big leagues in the years to come.

Tom Thayer researched professional baseball history to examine the competitive balance of each season based on the total number of games teams were cumulatively over and under .500. He also considered whether attendance at games may have been related to competitive balance and found that, generally speaking, attendance tended to drop during noncompetitive seasons. He said competitive balance has ebbed and flowed through professional baseball and found that the most competitively balanced season occurred in 2006. In the three most recent seasons, the leagues have become less competitive, especially in 2019, with four teams winning more than 100 games (Astros, Dodgers, Twins and Yankees) and four teams losing more than 100 games (Marlins, Orioles, Royals and Tigers).

Peter Myers took a close look at Baseball Hall of Fame weekend in 1953, when Dizzy Dean and Al Simmons were inducted. His Uncle Bob worked at the Otesaga Hotel, the site of the Hall of Fame dinner, and took photos and secured signatures of most of the attendees on a hotel menu. Signatures on the menu include those of Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby and Connie Mack. There are other signatures Myers is investigating as he continues his research on the players who were at the dinner. Myers noted that his uncle, who gave him the photos and signature-filled menu, passed away last April.

Mike McNulty shared an update on the Hornsby Chapter’s BasebALZ program, which kicked off its fifth year on Jan. 6 at Sun City Texas. This collaboration with Alzheimer’s Texas supports those with early stage Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. The program uses baseball memories to connect with these participants and talk about baseball players and seasons from early in their lives. McNulty noted that the group reached a milestone in April: they had their 100th meeting. He was also encouraged to see that BasebALZ is inspiring other SABR chapters to start their own programs, including the SABR Allan Roth Chapter in Los Angeles. McNulty also said that Jim Kenton, founder of the Hornsby Chapter’s BasebALZ program, promoted the program at the Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball & American Culture last year.

Honorary Hornsby Chapter member Eric Robinson, who hails from the Ernie Banks-Bobby Bragen DFW Chapter, told the story of the Chinese baseball players who came to play for the Texas AirHogs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. With a three-year partnership that began in 2018, the team includes Chinese players to help them improve their baseball skills and contribute to Team China’s efforts in international competition. Though the team has had a rough go in the early going, Robinson noted it improved from year one to year two and expects that the players will continue to improve this coming season. He said that China making the 2020 Summer Olympics is possible but unlikely, and with baseball academies getting started in China, he thinks prospects and players from China reaching MLB are on the horizon.

At the beginning of the meeting, we remembered and paid tribute to Bill Gilbert, the founder of the Hornsby Chapter and the Dierker Chapter in Houston, as well as the creator of the Hornsby Chapter’s first winter meeting in 2005. Gilbert, who passed away in 2018, would’ve enjoyed the broad diversity of baseball topics at this winter meeting.

Another tradition in our winter meetings is to take a stab at the Hall of Fame ballot. We anoint ourselves as the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and vote our hearts’ desires. As a group, we have often been less generous than the actual body of sports writers, so it’s always interesting to see how we vote as a group and what it might portend for the HOF vote. The class of 2020 is scheduled to be announced by the real BBWAA on Jan. 21.

Jan Larson, who prepares the ballot and counts votes with Raeanne Martinez, announced our results. With 31 ballots, players needed 24 votes (or 75%) to trigger selection in our mock election. Only two achieved that threshold – Derek Jeter with 93.5% and Larry Walker with 80.6%. In fact, only three more players reached higher than 50%: Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling tied at 61%, and Barry Bonds had 55%.

Many thanks to all the attendees and presenters at the winter meeting.

Our next meeting will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at Romano’s Macaroni Grill (9828 Great Hills Trail at the Arboretum in Austin) to celebrate SABR Day. A call for RSVPs will be forthcoming.

Fourteen chapter members and guests enjoyed delicious baked goods from Linda and Monte Cely with healthy side portions of barbecue and hot stove topics on Sunday.

As has become a holiday tradition anticipated all year, the Celys brought platters of cookies and treats to share with the group. They also brought holiday baggies so that we could each take an assortment of goodies home with us. Many thanks to Linda and Monte!

One of the main topics of discussion that day was the reported trade of two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber of the Cleveland Indians to the Texas Rangers. When Tribe fan Tom M. joined us for lunch, we didn’t know if he had heard the morning news and were hesitant to share it with him. He revealed that he had heard and said, dejectedly, that he half-jokingly hoped that the owner’s next move isn’t to move the team. Several of us thought that the Rangers picked up a quality arm for relatively little. Time will tell.

We also talked about the commissioner’s office’s ongoing investigation of the Houston Astros and the alleged use of live cameras to steal signs in 2017 and beyond. Many of us agreed that the charges – if true – do considerable damage to the Astros and their remarkable run the last three seasons. Some of us expect that fines imposed on the team and suspensions in the Astros’ front office are the likely outcomes.

Perhaps in relation to the investigation, this was the first meeting in recent memory in which Astros gear – a cap, shirt, etc. – was not represented among the monthly meeting participants. Instead, we saw gear representing the Nationals, Cardinals, Yankees, Orioles, Phillies, Indians and Rangers. Also represented were the Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, Shea Stadium, George Washington University and UCLA’s baseball national championship in 2013. Jerry paired the UCLA shirt with a cool Santa ballcap. I wore a Seibu Lions ballcap and a Japan World Baseball Classic champions shirt from 2006.

We also discussed Gerrit Cole’s record-breaking deal with the Yankees, making them the early favorites for next season.

This was our 157th consecutive month with a meeting, a streak that started this month 13 years ago. We hope you join us for next month’s Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, at Texas State University. More information to come. In the meantime, best wishes for a great holiday and New Year!

A wide range of baseball teams and players were represented at the November chapter meeting yesterday, from the suddenly suspect Astros to Rangers, Dodgers, Indians and San Antonio Missions.

We also saw Josh Gibson’s No. 20 jersey for the Washington Homestead Grays, sported by Jerry. Monte wore the jersey and cap for Cardenales de Lara of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. I wore a shirt featuring Ichiro Suzuki.

A dozen chapter members and guests enjoyed a Tex-Mex lunch in southwest Austin. It was the 156th consecutive month with a meeting for the chapter. We also welcomed Chuck, a Rangers fan, to the lunch. He’s a friend and a former coworker of Tom Wancho.

Topics during the lunch included the MLB awards announced earlier in the week. We also discussed the runner interference call in World Series Game 6 that loomed large at the time but probably did not change the outcome of the series. Some of us thought that the interference call was the correct call but wondered if MLB might review this rule in the off-season.

We also considered new rules for next season, including the 26-man roster through most of the season (expands to 28 in September). We also talked about the new rule requiring relief pitchers to face at least three batters or pitch to the end of an inning.

Mark your calendars for the December chapter meeting, which will be at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, at County Line on the Lake (FM 2222 and Loop 360). Linda Cely plans to bring her annual holiday treats, so bring your appetites!

Fourteen chapter members and guests – and one very good dog – gathered to watch World Series Game 4 to find out if the Washington Nationals would push their advantage to a 3-games-to-1 lead or if the Houston Astros would even the best-of-seven series.

With a dominating five innings from Jose Urquidy, only the third Mexican pitcher to start a World Series game (Fernando Valenzuela of the Dodgers and Jaime Garcia of the Cardinals are the others), and a two-run home run by Robinson Chirinos and a grand slam by Alex Bregman, the Astros knotted the Series to two games apiece, winning the game 8-1.

For the eighth time in the last nine years, Jim Baker hosted the annual World Series watch party on Saturday at his home, grilling burgers and hot dogs: a feast for baseball-loving fans.

Baker also rolled out his World Series-themed trivia quiz, challenging members with questions about team and individual exploits in the World Series. Jerry Miller, sporting a Washington Nationals jersey and a Montreal Expos cap, won the quiz with 61 points, outpacing second-place finisher Tom Thayer, who had 57 points, and the rest of the field. For his effort, Miller won a mini-figures set of characters from The Simpson’s “Homer at the Bat.” Tom won the Armed Service Edition paperback version of “You Know Me, Al” by Ring Lardner.

To try your hand at Baker’s quiz, click here. The questions are listed first with answers at the end of that page.

Baker also shared an autograph from Bosox slugger Carl Yastrzemski. A friend of the family secured the personalized autograph for a 7- or 8-year-old Jimmy Baker in 1967.

This was the 155th consecutive month with a chapter meeting, a streak that dates to December 2006. Many thanks to Jim for hosting the World Series Watch Party.

Next meeting is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at Serranos in southwest Austin (MoPac and 290). A request for RSVPs will be issued in early November. By then, we’ll know the World Series champion along with the season award winners.

Jim Baker wrote and administered this quiz at the World Series Watch Party on Saturday, Oct. 26. Answers are listed at the end. Jerry Miller won the quiz with 61 points, and Tom Thayer was second with 57 points.

TEAM SECTION

The first World Series of the so-called Modern Era was played in 1903. Since then, how many seasons did not end in a World Series and which seasons were they? (1 point each)

The Nationals (nee, Expos) are in their franchise’s first World Series this year, leaving just one franchise never to have made it to the Fall Classic. Which team is that? (1 point)

Since the advent of the LDS format in 1995, which two teams became World Champions while losing only one postseason game, going 11-1? (Team, 2 points each; Year, 1 point each)

In the same era, which two teams became World Champions in spite of losing seven postseason games? (Team, 2 points each; Year, 1 point each)

If the Nationals win the World Series in 2019, they will have to win 12 games to do it and will become the second wildcard team to do so since the advent of the play-in game in 2012. Name the first team to do it (Team and Year, 2 points each)

Which team had the worst regular season record ever for a World Champion? (1 point)

1. 1985 Royals
2. 2006 Cardinals
3. 1987 Twins
4. 2000 Yankees

INDIVIDUAL SECTION

Two legendary players were on either end of the first run scored in modern World Series history. Who was the pitcher who surrendered it and the player who got the RBI? (2 points each)


Who won the very first World Series MVP Award? (1 point)

1. Mickey Mantle
2. Lew Burdette
3.  Don Larsen
4.  Johnny Podres

Name the two Florida Marlins who were World Series MVPs. (2 points each)

Four Red Sox players have been World Series MVPs in the 21^st Century. Which one of these players is NOT one of them? (1 point)

1. Mike Lowell
2. David Ortiz
3. Curt Schilling
4. Steve Pearce

Which of these players has the lowest career WAR ever by a Series MVP? (2 points)

1. Larry Sherry, 1959 White Sox
2. Ray Knight, 1986 Mets
3. Bobby Richardson, 1960 Yankees
4. Pat Borders, 1992 Blue Jays

Owing to ties, there are 13 players in the top 10 all-time World Series home run hitters. Of the 13, only four never appeared with the Yankees in a World Series. Three are Hall of Famers and the fourth is a recently retired second baseman who averaged a home run every 8 World Series plate appearances. Can you name any or all of the four? They have 11, 8, 7 and 7 Series homers respectively. (4 points each)

Three men have hit five homers in a Series and nine have hit four. Of those nine, who is the only one to do it in a sweep? It took him just 17 plate appearances. (3 points)

Who turned the first—and so far, only—unassisted triple play in World Series history? (3 points and an extra point each for naming his team and the year in which it took place and another point on top of that if you spelled his name correctly)

Give yourself a point for every member of the 1919 Chicago White Sox outside the infamous eight you can name (provided they appeared in the World Series). There are 11 of them, including a Hall of Famer, a player who shares his name with a famous modern comedian and another who shares his name with a famous sabermetrician. (11 points in total)

Did you put Lefty Williams on that list? Take him off! He was crooked and lost three games for the Black Sox in 1919. Now name the only pitcher who lost three games in a single World Series while trying to win. (3 points)

Name the only two pitchers with two World Series home runs. They each hit theirs in consecutive seasons over a four-year period from 1967 to 1970. (1 point each)

ANSWERS: Team Section

1904, 1994

The Seattle Mariners, born 1977

1999 Yankees and 2005 White Sox.

2011 Cardinals and 2017 Astros.

2014 Giants

2006 Cardinals, 82-79

ANSWERS: Individual Section

Cy Young of Boston and Honus Wagner of Pittsburgh

Johnny Podres, 1955

Livan Hernandez (1997) and Josh Beckett (2003)

Curt Schilling. Manny Ramirez was the fourth in 2004

Borders, 3.6; Sherry, 5.8; Richardson, 8.2; Steve Pearce, 9.7; Ralph Terry, 11.9; Bob Turley, 13.2; Ray Knight, 13.3

Duke Snider 11, Frank Robinson 8, Goose Goslin 7 and Chase Utley 7 in 56 PA

Lou Gehrig, 1928

Bill Wambsganss, 1920 Indians

Eddie Collins, Shano Collins, Bill James, Dickey Kerr, Nemo Leibold, Grover Lowdermilk, Byrd Lynn, Erskine Mayer, Eddie Murphy, Ray Schalk, Roy Wilkinson.

George Frazier, 1981 Yankees.

Bob Gibson, 1967 and 1968; Dave McNally, 1969 and 1970.

Eleven chapter members and guests pondered the final two weeks of the season while enjoying an Italian lunch on Saturday.

Inspired by a discussion of journeymen players at a prior meeting, I put together a quiz asking participants to name the franchises that the top five journeymen have played for. Edwin Jackson, currently pitching for the Detroit Tigers, is the all-time leader with 14 franchises, followed by Octavio Dotel (13), and Mike Morgan, Matt Stairs and Ron Villone (each with 12). Details can be found at baseball-reference.com (https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/leaders_most_franchises.shtml).

Jim Baker bested the field with 35 total points, correctly naming the most franchises for these players. For his effort, Jim took home a framed poster with baseball sayings by famous ballplayers (see photo above). For example, Rogers Hornsby is quoted on the poster (“I don’t want to play golf. When I hit the ball, I want someone else to go chase it”). Yogi Berra is also featured (“All pitchers are liars or crybabies”). And Nolan Ryan (“It helps if the hitter thinks you’re a little crazy”). Baker said he’s looking forward to adding the poster to his baseball-themed library at home.

Baseball-themed gear represented at our meeting included the Astros, Yankees, Cardinals, Orioles, Athletics, Rangers and Indians. Also making an appearance were the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate Round Rock Express, the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball and the Naranjeros de Hermosillo of the Mexican Pacific League. Jerry Miller sported a cool baseball shirt with a clever equation: 6+4+3 = 2.

Also, Linda Nichols, who attended Game 3 of the Pacific Coast League Championship Series the night before, shared the giveaway for fans: a 2005 National League Championship Replica Ring with Craig Biggio’s name (see photo below)

Mike Dillon posed an interesting question for discussion — are starting pitchers worth or valued less today because they’re typically not pitching deep into games like in years past, or are pitchers who pitch 200+ innings worth or valued more today? Jan Larson surmised that in the coming years, the value for starting pitchers will likely decrease as they’re not expected to go much longer than five innings. It made us wonder: Would you rather have a pitcher go seven innings but give up two runs, or a pitcher that goes five innings with no runs?

With this meeting, the chapter met for the 154th consecutive month, matching the amount of games played in a baseball season before it was expanded to 162 games in 1961. This streak dates to 2006.

Next month’s meeting will be the long-anticipated World Series Watch Party at Jim Baker’s house on Saturday, Oct. 26. We don’t yet know who the pennant winners will be, but we do know that we’ll be watching Game 4 of the World Series. A call for RSVPs and details will be forthcoming in mid-October.

An All-Star Home Run Derby ball from Cleveland and a fun and challenging quiz about the 3,000 Hit Club were the highlights of the August monthly meeting at County Line Bar-B-Que on the Lake on Saturday.

Scott Jarret (pictured above) brought the baseball he caught during the Home Run Derby last month. He snagged it on the fly off of Joc Pederson’s bat, which was his 19th home run during the derby. This writer did not notice if Dodgers fan Jerry Miller was devising a plan to secure that home run ball for himself. More details may be known in time for next month’s meeting.

Tom Wancho brought a simple but challenging quiz to name all 32 MLB players with 3,000 hits or more in a career. Jim Baker (shown below) won a Gerrit Cole bobblehead for his score of 28. Tom said he was inspired to make this quiz based on a conversation with Jim in a prior meeting. The aforementioned Jerry walked away with second with a score of 27. A tiebreaker question, which was not needed in this contest, asked us to name the three players who achieved Hit No. 3,000 with a home run (bonus question answers are featured at the bottom). For a list of the 3,000 Hit Club, go to this link by baseball-reference: https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/3,000_hit_club

Chuck Kaufman brought extra copies of the Dell Diamond program featuring Reid Ryan, owner and founder of the Express and currently the president of the Houston Astros. On Friday, Aug. 16, Ryan was inducted into the Express Hall of Fame. Thanks, Chuck!

Jan Larson shared some details of his Seven Days of Baseball last week (including an Express game in Round Rock, a pair of Astros games in Houston and four games in Detroit). He said he had a front row seat at Comerica Park just beyond the first base dugout, expecting to have a great vantage point from which to watch the game, but the rolled-up tarp blocked some of his view. He said he couldn’t see the bases on the field! After consulting with customer service, he was moved to a nearby seat with a better view.

Monte Cely told of an interesting play in a recent St. Louis Cardinals game in which Yadier Molina, while on the basepaths, was struck by a batted ball but, upon review, was not called out. The play in question involved a drawn-in infield, so because the fielder had a chance at the ball, Molina was not declared out, per MLB rules, even though he was struck by the ball.

Fourteen chapter members and guests enjoyed an afternoon of barbeque with heaping sides of baseball chatter. This meeting was the 153rd consecutive month in which the chapter has had a meeting.

A wide variety of baseball related gear appeared at our lunch meeting, including a shirt with the logo of the MLB All-Star Game in Los Angeles (Jerry); the Mexico team cap from the 2012 Serie del Caribe (Monte); an Albuquerque Isotopes shirt (Tom); an interesting pairing of a Dodgers cap and a Red Sox shirt (Mike); a Royals T-shirt (Dustin); a Chester Charge shirt (Raeanne); a New York Yankees shirt (Ira); a Detroit Tigers cap (Jan); a Cleveland cap (Scott); and an Ichiro Suzuki shirt (myself). Also included was a Gridley’s Bar-B-Q shirt (Jim).

As the regular season winds down, we have some favorite gatherings coming up. For many years, Jim has hosted a World Series Watch Party. He announced that World Series Game 4 on Saturday, Oct. 26, would be the date for this year’s watch party, which will also be our monthly meeting for October. Save the date!

Meanwhile, next month’s meeting is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Macaroni Grill (Arboretum). A call for RSVPs will be made in the weeks leading up to the meeting.

(Bonus question answers: Wade Boggs, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez)

Fourteen chapter members and guests gathered for a potluck meal with a main dish of afternoon baseball games on Saturday, July 27.

Hosted by Ryan Pollack, we enjoyed a sandwich platter with a variety of side dishes and desserts. Many thanks to Ryan for hosting and to Linda Cely and Raeanne Martinez for bringing delicious homemade desserts. Thanks to everyone for their potluck contributions.

The first game of the day featured the Tampa Bay Rays hosted by the Toronto Blue Jays, giving us a chance to watch several rookies with famous names (Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio). Early on, it seemed that the Rays had the game well in hand, leading 8-2 after five innings. After a vote of attendees, we opted to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers-Washington Nationals game. The Nats took a quick 2-0 lead on Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers. But by the fourth inning, the Dodgers took the lead 4-2 on their way to a 9-3 victory.

Before long, we noticed that the Blue Jays had battled to a 9-5 deficit headed into the bottom of the ninth, so, we switched back to see if the Jays had a comeback in them. Sure enough, they did! Guerrero led the charge with a three-run home run to pull the Jays within one, and then Brandon Drury homered for the second time in two innings to tie the game. It took another three innings, but the Blue Jays prevailed with a solo home run by Teoscar Hernandez (former Astros player!), his second of the game. In fact, this game did not lack for home runs – Biggio hit his seventh of the year in the second inning.

This was the 152nd consecutive month that the chapter has had a meeting, a streak dating to 2006. We often gather for weekend lunches to talk baseball. We sometimes meet at the Dell Diamond to watch the Triple-A Round Rock Express. We also host baseball playoffs and World Series watch parties in October. This meeting is one of the few in which we gather to watch andtalk baseball.

Next meeting will be at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, at County Line Bar-B-Q on the Lake (5204 FM 2222).

A game-tying A.J. Reed home run late in the game, an extra inning that featured runners placed at second and a game-winning single, clinching a win for the Round Rock Express, and a former National League batting champion making his debut with the Iowa Cubs were among the highlights at the June chapter meeting for seventeen chapter members and guests.

The Express topped the Iowa Cubs 2-1 in 10 innings at the Dell Diamond. It was the first time many of us saw the new extra inning rule in which a runner is placed at second base to start every inning until a winner emerges. The base runner is the hitter in the order previous to the leadoff batter in extra innings. The public address announcer explained the new rule at the top of the 10th inning, prompting at least one of our members to boo heartily. It caused a good amount of disagreeable grumbling among our group. The Cubs were unable to score their runner, while the Express walked it off with a Lorenzo Quintana base hit.

Many in the group were hoping to see 20-year-old Yordan Alvarez, who has 20 home runs on the season, but he had a rest day. Still, we kept an eye on the dugout for Hug Watch in case an Alvarez call-up was imminent.

Another hot prospect for the Astros, right fielder Kyle Tucker, who has 16 home runs, had a quiet night at the plate, going 0-4 with two strikeouts.

The most recognizable name on the Cubs’ starting lineup was Carlos Gonzalez, the former Colorado Rockies slugger and National League Batting Champ in 2010. He was most recently with the Cleveland Indians, who signed him this season, but after a lackluster performance, released him. He joined the Iowa Cubs on May 30 in an attempt to return to the big leagues. This game was his debut with the Triple-A team; he went 0-4 with a strikeout.

Some of us stuck around for the post-game fireworks. And, for completeness, Chicken White won the chicken race, granting our section coupons for five free wings at Plucker’s.

Prior to the game, 10 of us gathered for bbq dinner at the Salt Lick. Because of other reservations, we were not able to make our own reservation, but they were able to seat our group within a half hour and we made it to the game just prior to first pitch.

This meeting was the 151st consecutive month with a chapter meeting. The July meeting hasn’t been scheduled yet, so look for an announcement later this month.