Category: Chapter News

Live Baseball – Recap of August 7 chapter meeting at Dell Diamond

Chapter members met at Linda and Monte Cely’s house near Dell Diamond for some baseball grub and then ventured on to the ball park for the Hornsby Chapter’s August, 2021 outing.

It was a pleasant evening at the ball park.  There was something for all Lone Star State baseball fans, as the Rangers’ and Astros’ AAA affiliates squared off.  The Astros farmhands prevailed, as Sugar Land defeated Round Rock 12-3.

Those of us that got there early enough scored a Yordan Alvarez ROY bobblehead:

We were having such a good time that we forgot to take any pictures of ourselves!  Nine Hornsby Chapter members were in attendance.

Talking Baseball wrapping up sixth year of baseball reminiscence

The “Talking Baseball” (originally known as BasebALZ) reminiscence program will celebrate six years of operation next month.  Chapter member Jim Kenton proposed this community service effort to the Hornsby Chapter at our January 2015 Winter Meeting and, as the saying goes, “the rest is history”.

Even the global pandemic could not stop Talking Baseball!  After experimenting with informational newsletters, the program went “online” using Zoom during the Summer of 2020.  Current offerings are held every other Monday in Austin and every other Wednesday in Georgetown.

Speaking of the Georgetown program, a nice article recently appeared about that offering in the April 2021 edition of Sun Rays, the official magazine of Sun City Texas.  Take a look, it’s a great read!

 

14th Annual Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting of the Rogers Hornsby Chapter of SABR

On Saturday, January 11th 2020 we’ll gather at Old Main Building on the Texas State University campus in San Marcos, TX for our 14th annual Winter Meeting, the second to be named in honor of chapter founder Bill Gilbert.

We cordially invite all SABR members and their guests to join us.

Keynote: Jon Pessah

Jon Pessah was a founding editor of ESPN the Magazine. He has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, managed the sports departments for Newsday and the Hartford Courant, and edited, wrote, and ran the investigative team for ESPN the Magazine.

Jon is the author of two baseball books:

  • The Game — an insider’s account of the run-up to 1994 player’s strike that cancelled the World Series and set the tone for future labor/owner relations in MLB. Featuring Bud Selig, Don Fehr, and current MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred as well as a supporting cast of owners and players.
  • Yogi: A Life Behind the Mask — a forthcoming biography of Yankees icon Yogi Berra. Releasing Spring 2020.

Jon will join us remotely via video chat.

Featured Speakers: Tim Jackson & Mike Capps, Round Rock Express

Tim Jackson is the General Manager of the Round Rock Express. He joined the Express staff in March of 2010. He was promoted to General Manager in October 2015 after serving as assistant GM, baseball operations for one season. Tim oversees the day-to-day business and baseball operations of the team.

Mike Capps serves as the Director of Broadcasting for the Round Rock Express and has been the voice of the Express since day one. An author, reporter and T.V. anchor, Mike brings over 25 years of news experience to the Express. He has been broadcasting baseball for the last 19 years, including three major league games with ESPN Radio, one in 2005 and two in 1998.

Tim and Mike will discuss all things Astros, major and minor leagues, and provide commentary on the ongoing Professional Baseball Agreement negotiations.

Member Presentations

In addition to our keynote and featured speakers, our agenda includes the following:

  • Eric Robinson will talk about the Chinese national baseball team’s experience with the Texas AirHogs
  • Monte Cely will discuss the new rules that apply to the 2020 season
  • Tom Thayer will present on competitive balance throughout baseball history
  • Mike McNulty will update us on the BasebALZ group
  • Peter Myers will talk about the 1953 Hall of Fame Game

And as always we will have quizzes, trivia, mock HOF voting, a baseball book exchange, memorabilia show and tell, and more!

Remember to Bring

  • $12 cash for lunch from Which Which. Exact change is preferred. Checks are not accepted.
  • Any memorabilia you’d like to share or discuss. We’ll have a table for display and have scheduled time for people to present their items to the group.
  • Any baseball-related books you’d like to exchange.

Timeframe

We plan to begin at 9:30 AM and envision ending around 4:30 PM. There will be a 45-minute break for lunch as well as a 15-minute afternoon break.

Directions

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

You do not need a parking pass to park on campus – however, do not park in spaces not marked as parking spaces or in handicapped parking (unless you have the appropriate tag displayed).
The meeting room is on the third floor in Room 320. There is an elevator on the first floor, or you can take the stairs.

Tell your friends! Hope to see you there!

Rogers Hornsby Chapter Annual Report (June 2018 to May 2019)

Society for American Baseball Research

Rogers Hornsby Chapter

Central and South Texas

Annual Report, June 2018 – May 2019

By Gilbert D. Martinez

Chapter Commissioner

Rogers Hornsby Chapter

The Rogers Hornsby Chapter enjoyed another year of baseball-related activities and said goodbye to chapter founder Bill Gilbert in the last year.

Gilbert, who also founded the Larry Dierker Chapter in Houston prior to moving to Central Texas in the mid-2000s, brought baseball enthusiasts together in the Austin area to form the Rogers Hornsby Chapter. He also started our tradition of annual winter meetings filled with research presentations and visits from former ballplayers, managers, umpires, agents and front-office staff. In recognition of his contributions to SABR and the chapter, we have named our annual winter meeting after him, which will now be known as the Bill Gilbert Winter Meeting of the Rogers Hornsby Chapter.

At the 13th annual winter meeting in January 2019, we honored Bill Gilbert and had a videoconference with acclaimed baseball writer (and commissioner of the West Coast League) Rob Neyer. Bob Joyce, son of former Major League pitcher Bob Joyce, recounted his father’s career, pitching with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1939 and with the New York Giants in 1946. In addition, Joyce won 94 games as a starting pitcher for the Double-A San Francisco Seals from 1942 to 1945, including a 31-game win total in 1945. In addition, Bob Joyce shared his own collegiate baseball experiences playing for the University of San Francisco. Other presentations included Gilbert Martinez’s “Baseball in Japan,” in which he described attending Chunichi Dragons games in June 2018, visiting the Ichiro Suzuki museum near Nagoya, Japan, and presenting Ichiro’s father with a photo of Ichiro’s 3,000th professional hit (Nippon Professional Baseball hits plus MLB hits). In addition, longtime broadcaster for the Round Rock Express Mike Capps shared details about the long-anticipated return of the Triple-A affiliate to the Astros’ farm system.

The chapter’s “Talking Baseball” reminiscence program celebrated its 100th session in April 2019. Our SABR chapter’s program in Austin, offered in conjunction with Alzheimer’s Texas, has been running for four years.  This session concluded our 11th “season” in Austin.  The monthly program in Kerrville, in cooperation with the Veteran’s Administration there, has been in operation for three years.

Monte Cely also attended and filed dispatches about the Caribbean Series 2019 from Panama City, Panama. Panama defeated Cuba to take the Serie del Caribe crown.

In May 2019, the chapter met for the 150th consecutive month, a streak dating back to December 2006.

Many of the monthly meetings include lunch at a restaurant in the Austin area, sometimes involving baseball trivia quizzes.

“Talking Baseball” enjoys evening at Dell Diamond

Twenty participants, volunteers and family from the baseball reminiscence program enjoyed an evening at Dell Diamond in Round Rock on Monday May 13. 

In a “rematch” (of sorts) of the 2017 World Series, the Astros and Dodgers AAA affiliates squared off.  The Express prevailed 5-2 over the OKC Dodgers.

A big “THANK YOU” goes out to United Heritage Credit Union for arranging the use of their luxury suite plus food and drink.  Thanks, as always, to our great sponsors at Alzheimer’s Texas.  A good time was had by all. 

Baseball Reminiscence program celebrates 100th session

The “Talking Baseball” reminiscence program celebrated its 100th session on Monday April 8 at Westminster Senior Living in Austin.  Our SABR chapter’s program in Austin, offered in conjunction with Alzheimer’s Texas, has been running for four years.  This session concluded our 11th “season” in Austin.  The monthly program in Kerrville, in cooperation with the Veteran’s Administration there, has been in operation for three years.

We had “standing room only” with 26 participants, caregivers, family, guests and volunteers in attendance.  This also set a record for attendance at a single session.

Two special guests joined us for our Centennial program.  Former Texas Longhorn and professional baseball pitcher Jim Gideon (standing) entertained the group with stories of his years at U.T. and in the Texas Rangers organization.  Jim also fielded questions and autographed baseball cards and baseballs for the attendees.  Local radio personality and Alzheimer’s Texas board member Ed Clements (seated) added to the fun.  We sincerely thank Ed and Jim for joining us.

Very special thanks to our long-time sponsors at Alzheimer’s Texas.  In addition to all their logistical support, they even brought the cake!

Our next scheduled events are the monthly program at Kerrville VA Hospital and then a night at Dell Diamond in May (in one of the luxury suites courtesy of United Heritage Credit Union).   Planning for Season 12 is underway.  Stay tuned! 

 

March BBQ

Our March lunch meeting will be held at the birthplace of the Rogers Hornsby Chapter – the County Line BBQ located at 5204 Ranch Road 2222 in Austin (a short distance east of Hwy 360 on 2222) at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 23.  Members, guests and baseball fans in general are welcome to attend.

Please RSVP to Jan Larson at jan.a.larson@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

World Series Watch Party

Hornsby chapter member, Jim Baker, will be hosting his annual World Series watch party on Saturday, October 27. Game time for Game Four between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers is 7:09 p.m. Jim will be providing food. Bring along something to drink if you have specific beverage requirements. Please RSVP to Jim at jimbaker1066@yahoo.com if you plan to attend and for directions, if required, to Jim’s house in Cedar Park, TX.