Times change, but sometimes the identity of an historic organization like SABR holds true over 45 years of accomplishment, even if that result is due to accident.
Because of SABR, the written, pictorial, and statistical histories of the game’s teams, players, and spread – throughout the world – would not be what it is today – and on a not-even-close basis. It’s even fair to speculate too that the “saber-metrics” that have evolved as the foundation for the kinds of analytic aspects of World Series championship building (see Houston Astros (2013-2017) are also a major force in the expansion of interest in American Baseball on an international level that is now way beyond anything anyone dreamed possible back in the 1971 start of SABR.
Our current SABR website expresses our organizational identity and extant purpose this way on January 26, 2018:
“The founding of the Society for American Baseball Research on August 10, 1971, at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, marked the beginning of a new era. For the first time, an organization would exist to foster the study of baseball as a significant American social and athletic institution; to establish an accurate account of baseball through the years; and, most important, to facilitate the dissemination of baseball research information around the country.”
The bold type embossing of American Baseball and the final word country are our doing for this column. The first, American Baseball, needs to stay the same – in both our name and promoted honest outlook. Our game is American Baseball, whether its being played in Fenway Park, Havana, Cuba, Tokyo, Japan, or Rome, Italy. We are not talking cricket here – nor are we embracing any international faction’s attempts to alter the fundamental rules by which we play our American game on an international basis. On the other hand, as SABR, we definitely NEED to expand our outlook on where the game is being played and reported or even supported by SABR on an international level.
In the SABR website quote, the word “country” is dated. The phrase “American Baseball” is forever.
Long Live SABR!
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Tech Problem Alert! A couple of days ago, I was trying to grab a number off my cell so I could call it from some other phone. In my haste, I apparently pushed another button on my phone at the same time.
As a result, my phone deleted 10 years of collected phone number at one time. I cannot call you without first finding your number – and – as I am quickly learning, many of you are not listed.
If you don’t mind, please e-mail me your phone number at houston.buff37@gmail.com.
Don’t phone it to me because it will not be recorded here by name.
Thanks.
How many times do we need the same lesson? Our new communication technology is both heaven and hell – with both being served up like scrambled eggs on the same plate.
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Bill McCurdy
Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher
The Pecan Park Eagle
Tags: Bill McCurdy Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher The Pecan Park Eagle, SABR Forever. - Let It Be.
The Pecan Park Eagle 
January 26, 2018 at 5:05 pm |
Dr. David Paulson would agree with you. A SABR member from Baltimore, David campaigned in 2002 or thereabouts to change the name to Society for the Advancement of Baseball Research. One of the wives preferred Society for the Annihilation of Baseball Research. Personally speaking, rather than change the name to be all inclusive, I would hope SABR would consider reducing the membership fees for those of us who don’t live in the United States. They say the increased rate is for mailing costs but the last time I can remember receiving anything in the mail from SABR, Cecil Cooper was managing the Astros.
January 27, 2018 at 2:29 am |
Happy SABR Day to you, Bill.