1 The SABR(UK) Number 5 January 1995 RESEARCH Examiner SPECIAL THE JOURNAL OF THE BOBBY THOMSON CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN BASEBALL RESEARCH (UK) BRITISH BASEBALL BOBBY THOMSON CHAPTER'S OWN VER- RESEARCH TAKES OFF! SION OF BURNS' NIGHT While we are still very much at ball has almost always been treated On January 28, on or near the foot of the mountain in relation to in British publications in a tangental the traditional Scottish Robert the History Committee's ambition of manner; interest being focused not Burns' Night, the History Com- producing a comprehensive account on the game itself, as a game, but mittee plans to have its own SABR of baseball in these islands, prepara- rather as a curiosity or a phenom- version designed for baseball fa- tions for the ascent have been going enon of transatlantic socio-sporting natics. The gathering - appropri- on. cross-culture. This makes it difficult During November I had an op- to know where to start, particularly in ate to a Chapter with a Patron portunity to spend a week (some of it relation to the period prior to the native to Glasgow and whose nick- in company with Chapter President Wright/Spalding Red Stockings-Ath- name is "The Staten Island Scot" Mike Ross) in the British Library News- letic tour of 1874. I have come to - will enable members to meet and paper Library at Colindale The pur- think of the century preceding this update each other on research pose of the time spent there was not to watershed event as the Dark Ages of and other progress and also (cour- pursue any specific subject, but rather British Baseball history, the period tesy of Martin Hoerchner) to view to begin collating an index of periodi- during which the various bat and ball the first two-hour "inning" of Ken cal sources which may be of use to diamond games failed on this side of Burns' monumental nine-part other baseball historians pursuing the Atlantic to evolve and unify, as did research on specific topics. This, baseball in America, from casual PBS documentary entitled "Base- while intriguing and rewarding for the childrens' pastimes into a naturedly- ball". SABRites will be aware of interested researcher, is a very hit codified mass participation sport. The this production and the impact it and run process requiring strong de- social, cultural, economic and politi- has had in America, and will ap- tective instincts and a good deal of cal reasons for that failure, I feel, lie at preciate the opportunity to get a lateral thinking. the core of our studies. foretaste. Scotch whiskey will The basic problem is that base- On the other hand, Ian Smyth probably be available for those in Leeds is continuing and expanding who like it, but members will be his study of the 1938 England/ expected to supply their own hag- EDITOR'S NOTE: America "Test" Series, and has, Welcome to the latest number of through the Committee, written to the gis. the SABR(UK) Examiner. This time SABR Bulletin requesting help in re- we put research to the fore, and we've searching the histories of various Here's the crucial part: space is also broken ground in that we've got Canadians (Ross Kendrick in particu- extremely limited so you must act five different contributors - keep those lar) who played for England at that fast. We will be holding the meeting at articles coming in! time. the SABR(UK) Headquarters, which Congratulations to Patrick More research is being carried is shared by the abode of our Chair- Morley - his article "An Englishmen on by History Committee members man, Mike Ross. Because this is a Plays His First Game" appeared in and we depend on them to keep us, meeting of the History Committee, we The National Pastime. We missed the Chapter and SABR at large in- especially want those who are inter- scooping TNP because we wanted to formed of their progress. We're here ested in research. Please phone Mike put his submission in the Historical to hear, and to help. Ross or any of the other officers if you Issue. We have made some interesting want to attend. You'll need to send Our friend Chris Harte is also a discoveries in the short time we have your cheque to Andy Parkes A.S.A.P. member of the Association of Sports been searching; more of these in com- Addresses are on page 2. The £7.50 Historians. He wants to inform us all ing issues of the Examiner. So far, includes a sumptuous spread, mean- about ASH, so we've enclosed a pam- what we are discovering has raised ing you'll get more than Mike's legen- phlet. You should find it compelling more questions than it has resolved. dary popcorn! So please phone imme- If any of these discoveries in- But the questions are getting more diately or you might miss out! trigues you, remember that we are and more specific. We're on the right scratching the surface and there is "a track. - Patrick Carroll - Patrick Carroll lot more where that came from". 2 VIEW FROM THE CHAIR by Mike Ross We are a research society. In Really, we are in a position to If you find original articles in any some cases wed exhume ancient bod- unearth texts never before used in British press, other than day to day ies of information (although research modern baseball research. And I can reports, and news stories, they should aside, some of the toughest digs we've tell you, if you have never done re- be noted and submitted to the re- had so far have been in tracing and search work, great joys await you. search chairman. tracking a few of our own SABR(UK) The 1847 volume of Sporting Life con- I have made arrangements to members from the woody rural wiles tained some clues as to the origins of acquire antiquarian baseball books, of these British Isles). Now with our baseball, and the squelching thereof. and others out-of-print, from a few new found wealth as secured for us by I have submitted a short item in this specialized US sources at a discount our patron saint of Baltimore, Nor- issue. price. If anyone wants a particular man Macht, we are able to support It would be nice to find out when book or wants to be tempted, let me our impulses to delve into the origins the children's running games joined know. We can order almost any book and history of the game without hav- up with the game of "ball" and how you can think of. ing to spend the kids', or our own, that evolved. Hope to see you on January 28 milk money on direct expenses. If you have an inclination and on Burns Night for the first meeting of Our chairman of research, the spare time we hope you will make the Research Committee. Patrick is Patrick Carroll, made a 'pilgrimage' to some effort at research in your locale coming in from the West Country. Let the British Newspaper Library at - which is one advantage we have of him know if you would like to make a Colindale. We met there one day and being spread out over a million square presentation, or if there is something although we have made hardly a dent miles of barren baseball wasteland. you would like to discuss at the meet- into the available materials, exciting Again I urge members and asso- ing. Even if you cannot make it due to inroads have been opened in what we ciates to try to make contact with space considerations, please phone hope will be disclosure of 'new' mate- officers and/or each other. Martin anyway, then we can be assured you rial. With the 'library angel' at my would like to hear from you particu- received your Examiner; the phone is shoulder, I got lucky, simply by taking larly on the Examiner. And Patrick for our one way of keeping contact with the first book at hand and flicking a research. Have you received each everyone. We'd hate to think we were few pages and discovering... issue? Any ideas? Any submissions? missing anyone. ANDY PARKES REPORTS FROM THE SABR CONVENTION Our well-travelled Treasurer files this four days. Bobby Brown, Mel Allen, Bing Devine, report from the this year's SABR con- During my visits to Convention Stan Musial, Red Schoendist, Nolan vention in Arlington, Texas: events, I have listened and some- Ryan, Robin Roberts, Buck O'Neil, This was the Charley Pride, yes, the fourth convention I country and western have attended, and as singer who played in the far as I'm concerned, it Texas League, and the was by far the best yet. delightful Bobby The organisation was Bragan. first class and the Texan So for someone welcome is all they say who prior to 1989 had it is. The convention only heard AFN and had the full co-opera- read the Herald Trib- tion of the Texas Rang- une, this was an educa- ers, and they had their tion. At the end of the brand-new Ballpark at Convention, I was able Arlington to show us. to catch up with Nor- They were justifiably man Macht, and pre- proud of it. sented him with an en- I was travelling graved tankard in ap- solo, so I was assigned preciation for all the a roommate. It turned help and kindness he out to be Bob Bencks has shown us (see from Cape Elizabeth, photo).