Category: Chapter News

Fifteen chapter members enjoyed barbeque and baseball talk at the midseason break on Thursday, July 12.

 

Despite quiz-maker Jim Baker’s best efforts, a few of us eked out a few correct answers in Baker’s “The Perfect Quiz,” which focused on the 22 perfect games in Major League Baseball history.

 

Bill Gilbert was the only one to reach double-digits in overall score with 10 total points. Ira Siegel was second with seven points. Try your hand in the ‘Contests’ tab above, or by clicking here.

 

This was the 68th consecutive month that the chapter has met. On the horizon are Mark McGwire’s 70 and Barry Bonds’ 73.

 

Next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23.

 

Sixteen chapter members and guests were treated to several impressive home runs on a pleasant summer evening Saturday, June 16, at the Dell Diamond.

 

The Oklahoma City RedHawks, the Houston Astros’ Triple-A affiliate, defeated the Round Rock Express, 8-5, in part, because of back-to-back home runs by Mike Hessman and Brad Snyder and another by Landon Powell. The Express made a charge in the ninth, scoring three runs before falling short. Brad Nelson and Julio Borbon contributed with home runs.

 

Former Detroit Tiger Armando Galarraga, who nearly threw a perfect game in 2010, pitched well enough for the RedHawks and notched his first win with the team. After stints with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Baltimore Orioles, Galarraga signed a minor league contract with the Astros in May.

 

The next Hornsby Chapter meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, July 12, at Iron Works BBQ in downtown Austin, and comes at the halfway point of the season. Discussions of the first half and predictions for the second half will surely be among the topics of discussion.

A group of eight Hornsby Chapter members gathered on a lovely evening at Iron Works BBQ in Austin on Tuesday, May 15.  Topics of discussion included early season surprising/disappointing teams, brief reviews of Dan Walsh’s early season trip to Nationals Park and Jan Larson’s recent trip to Chase Field, some rehashing of members’ past experiences with ticket scalpers and a spirited discussion of BABIP.

The June meeting, scheduled for Saturday June 16, will include a pre-game meal at the Salt Lick BBQ followed by the Round Rock Express vs. Oklahoma City Redhawks game at the Dell Diamond.  Those interested will be given the opportunity to purchase advance tickets.  Details will be forthcoming.

A smaller than usual but enthusastic group of seven gathered at Iron Works BBQ on Tuesday, April 17 to discuss baseball and consume meat.  Returning from a stint on the disabled list was chapter founder Bill Gilbert.

With no trivia quiz on the agenda there was more time to concentrate on the baseball topics of the day including (in no particular order) Ozzie Guillen, Bobby Valentine, the Dodgers’ triple play, the Astros’ early season competitiveness, various members’ upcoming baseball-related trips and the 2012 post-season format.  Other baseball topics, not necessarily of the day, that came up for discussion included Dave Kingman, the starting rotation of the ’81 Oakland Athletics, the 1990s Cleveland Indians, members’ first major league games, the relative abilities of past baseball greats versus modern players, some recent baseball books and former Astros’ second baseman Craig Biggio’s chances of first ballot election to the baseball Hall of Fame.

The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 15 at Iron Works.  Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 16 when we’ll attend the Round Rock vs. Oklahoma City game at the Dell Diamond.  More information will be forthcoming.

 

Chapter members kicked off the new baseball season by taking in an exhibition game between the Texas Rangers and the Round Rock Express on April 2 at the Dell Diamond. The teams combined for six home runs, three apiece per team.

Ten members and guests enjoyed the three Rangers home runs by Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton and Mitch Moreland, and the other three by Express players Yangervis Solarte, Luis Hernandez and Michael Bianucci. For more about the game, check out the team’s summary by clicking here.

Both starting pitchers, Derek Holland for the Rangers and Greg Reynolds for the Express, labored early in the game, throwing more than 40 pitches apiece in the first few innings.

Above is a view from the nice seats secured by Jan Larson.

The next chapter meeting will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, at Iron Works BBQ in downtown Austin.