See details below. Please RSVP to Jim Baker at jimbaker1066@yahoo.com
Bring your own drinks and, if you like, a side dish or dessert.
Category: Chapter News
Mexican Baseball Fiesta wrap-up
On the evening of Saturday, September 24, fourteen Hornsby Chapter members and guests enjoyed pre-game BBQ at the Salt Lick restaurant followed by Game One of the “Mexican Baseball Fiesta” at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. The “Fiesta” featured the Águilas de Mexicali (Mexicali Eagles) versus the Naranjeros de Hermosillo (Hermasillo Orange Growers) of the Mexican Pacific League in a two game “fall training” series. One of the coaches for the Naranjeros is Mario Mendoza; he of the (in)famous “Mendoza Line.”
Although the skies were threatening prior to game time, nary a drop of rain fell and by the time the tarp was removed from the field, lines added, players warmed up and ground rules covered in what is apparently not atypical in the Mexican league, the first pitch of the game, scheduled for 6:00 p.m. actually took place at 7:30.
With some of the “color” typical in Mexican League games, including a mascot hamming it up on the field and continuously playing music (piped in for this game as opposed to the live performances in regular season games) the Naranjeros left the field at the end of the game with a 3-0 win.
The next Hornsby Chapter get-together is scheduled for Saturday, October 29 at the home of Jim Baker where we will enjoy and critique Game Four of the 2016 World Series. More information will be forthcoming.
August Lunch Meeting Wrap-Up
Eleven Hornsby Chapter members got together for a Saturday afternoon lunch meeting at the Macaroni Grill in the Arboretum in Austin. Jim Baker provided a very challenging quiz (some contestants were shut out) on the subject of Italian Major Leaguers. Tom Thayer, however, came through with a monster performance and took home the top prize.
Other topics discussed included Gilbert and Raeanne Martinez’s recent trip to Japan and Okinawa, the Yankees’ release of Alex Rodriguez and call up of young players, the chapter’s involvement in the BasebALZ project.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, September 24 at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock when we take in the Hermosillo vs. Mexicali game. We have reserved a block of tickets. Click here for more details. Note: For college football fans, the Texas Longhorns do not play that day.
September Baseball
Two of the top clubs in the Mexican Winter League will be at Dell Diamond on Saturday evening September 24 for a “pre-season” exhibition ball game. This is part of a U.S. “Fall training” tour that the teams will be making prior to their season opening in mid-October.
The two teams, Naranjeros (Orange growers) de Hermosillo (Sonora) and Aguilas (Eagles) de Mexicali (Baja Calif. North) are successful franchises in the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico, the Mexican winter league. In fact, they have been the two most recent Mexican hosts of the Caribbean World Series (Mexicali in 2009 and Hermosillo in 2013). Naranjeros were the first Mexican club to win the Caribbean Series (in 1976) and have won the Series as recently as 2014. Hermosillo has captured 16 Mexican Winter League titles.
We will plan for this event to be our chapter’s September monthly meeting. Jan Larson has arranged for a block of tickets that are available to chapter members for $10 each. These tickets are available to you on a first-come, first-served basis. We can take orders up to September 10, or until this block of tickets is sold out. All ticket commitments as of that date are final, payable to Jan. Contact Jan at jan.a.larson@
We’ll see y’all at Dell Diamond for some exciting beisbol latinomericano.
August Lunch Meeting
Our monthly meeting for August will be another Saturday lunch get-together which will be held at the Macaroni Grill at Great Hills Trail and 183 in the Arboretum Area.
We will plan to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 20. Please RSVP so we can provide an accurate headcount for seating purposes to Jan Larson at jan.a.larson@gmail.com.
July Chapter Meeting Wrap-up
by Monte Cely
Seven members met at Ryan Pollack’s house on Sunday afternoon, July 31, for the 116th consecutive monthly meeting of the Rogers Hornsby SABR Chapter. The main topic of discussion centered around trade activity as the non-waiver deadline approaches. We also discussed how changes in the game over the last few decades have affected our enjoyment of viewing a ball game. Ichiro Suzuki’s nearing 3000 MLB hits was also a topic of note, although we were disappointed that he has not gotten more ABs this weekend.
Plans for the August meeting are currently TBD. Watch this space for further news.
June Meeting Included BBQ and Baseball
by Jan Larson
The June meeting of the Rogers Hornsby Chapter consisted of a trip to the Dell Diamond for the Round Rock vs. Colorado Springs game that followed a pre-game BBQ dinner at the nearby Salt Lick restaurant. A total of eighteen Hornsby chapter members and guests attended one or both.
An announced crowd of over 10,000 fans were disappointed as the home standing Express fell to the Sky Sox by the score of 8-5. Despite the loss a good time was had by all.
Plans are pending for the July meeting. Watch this space for more information.
May Chapter Meeting Summary
by Gilbert Martinez
Nine chapter members gathered in southwest Austin for the monthly meeting, the 114th consecutive month in which the chapter has met.
The group talked about a wide range of baseball topics, including the news of plans for a new stadium in Arlington for the Texas Rangers, the disappointing season for the Houston Astros, and the surprising Philadelphia Phillies. We also talked about whether waiving the four-pitch walk would speed up the game (most of us agreed that it wouldn’t save much time). In a continuation of our online email discussion, we also agreed that advertising on baseball uniforms, though not favored, seems to be inevitable.
On a personal note, I was very grateful to lead the group in a toast to my Tio Arturo Martinez, who died last month. He took me to my first game at old Yankees Stadium 24 years ago. May he rest in peace.
Next meeting will include a Round Rock Express game on Saturday, June 25, and a pre-game dinner at Salt Lick BBQ. More details to come.
BasebALZ wraps up a successful third season
Volunteers from our chapter and Alzheimer’s Texas wrapped up another successful BasebALZ “season”. Our reminiscence sessions were held at the Alzheimer’s Texas office in northwest Austin. Eight participants with early-stage Alzheimer’s and their caregivers enjoyed the program and shared their memories with us.
Participants and volunteers capped off the season with a trip to Dell Diamond on June 27 to see an Express game.
Pictures outside and inside of the Heritage Suite at Dell Diamond
Rogers Hornsby Chapter Annual Report (June 2015 to May 2016)
Society for American Baseball Research
Rogers Hornsby Chapter
Central and South Texas
Annual Report, June 2015 – May 2016
By Gilbert D. Martinez
Chapter Commissioner
Rogers Hornsby Chapter
The Rogers Hornsby Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research in Central Texas continued its consecutive meeting streak, reaching 114 straight months with a meeting in May 2016.
The chapter’s 10th Annual Winter Meeting in January 2016 was the highlight of the year. Thirty-nine members and guests met at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, and heard from Evan Drellich, Astros beat writer for the Houston Chronicle (now with the Boston Herald covering the Red Sox), and Mike Capps, award-winning broadcaster with the Round Rock Express.
Another highlight for the chapter is our baseball reminiscence project with Alzheimer’s Texas, now in its third “season.” We have held sessions at the local Alzheimer’s office, at an area senior living facility, and at the Veterans Administration in Kerrville, Texas. The VA in Texas may have interest in hosting this program at other sites around the state. We have also fielded requests from SABR members in San Diego, California, and Connecticut who are interested in the program. Six chapter members, led by Jim Kenton, are currently volunteering their time for this effort. The project provides an enjoyable and memory-filled program for our Alzheimer’s participants and their caregivers, several of whom have joined SABR.
Through the rest of the year, chapter members met for BBQ, watched Round Rock Express games at the Dell Diamond and gathered to watch the World Series in October at a chapter member’s home. In addition, the chapter met for lunch on SABR Day.
In addition, the Hornsby Chapter provided support to chapter member David Skelton for hosting the inaugural Fall Forum in Waco in September. The forum featured former Major League pitcher Lindy McDaniel and a variety of baseball presentations.
For the sixth consecutive year, chapter member Monte Cely covered the Caribbean World Series, which in 2016 was held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Cely posted updates, summaries and photos on the Hornsby Chapter website chronicling Mexico’s undefeated run to a fourth Serie del Caribe win in the last six years.
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