SABR 50 at 50

Bill Nowlin has served on the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) board of directors since 2004 and is one of the co-founders of Rounder Records. He has written or edited nearly one hundred books, including Ted Williams at War and Tom Yawkey: Patriarch of the Boston Red Sox (Nebraska, 2018). John Thorn is the official historian for Major League Baseball.  Contributors: Mark Armour, Bob Bailey, Philip Bergen, Gai Ingham Berlage, Phil Birnbaum, Peter C. Bjarkman, Clifford Blau, Gene Carney, Jerrold Casway, William R. Cobb, Warren Corbett, Richard D. Cramer, L. Robert Davids, Mark Fimoff, D. B. Firstman, Robert K. Fitts, Duke Goldman, Peter B. Gregg, Bill Haber, Gary D. Hailey, Leslie Heaphy, John R. Husman, Bill James, Clifford S. Kachline, Stephen R. Keeney, Bill Kirwin, Herm Krabbenhoft, William F. Lamb, Larry Lester, Daniel R. Levitt, Matthew Levitt, Frederick G. Lieb, Karl Lindholm, Jerry Malloy, Tom Melville, Peter Morris, Leonard S. Newman, Keith Olbermann, Heather M. O’Neill, Joseph M. Overfield, Pete Palmer, Lawrence S. Ritter, Tom Shieber, David Shoebotham, David W. Smith, Steve Steinberg, A. D. Suehsdorf, John Thorn, Stew Thornley, Jules Tygiel, and William J. Weiss.

"This compilation, a distillation of all that is important to the society's members . . . showcases the SABRite at his or her baseball-loving, stat-obsessed best."-Paul Dickson, Wall Street Journal "This book is more than just statistics and formulas. It is a living, breathing history of baseball, with writers passionate about not only preserving the history of the game, but also getting it right."-Bob D'Angelo, Sports Bookie "A well conceived collection of 'the fifty most important contributions' to baseball research."-David Pegram, NINE

• Foreword by John ThornAcknowledgmentsEditors’ Note1. Ernie Lanigan-Patron Saint of sabrFrederick G. Lieb2. Relative Batting AveragesDavid Shoebotham3. The Best Games Pitched in ReliefL. Robert Davids4. The First Negro in Twentieth-Century O.B.William J. Weiss5. Average Batting Skill through Major-League HistoryRichard D. Cramer6. Runs and WinsPete Palmer7. Ladies and Gentlemen, Presenting Marty McHaleLawrence S. Ritter8. In Pursuit of Bull DurhamBill Haber9. Out at HomeJerry Malloy10. The Federal League and the CourtsGary D. Hailey11. J. Lee Richmond’s Remarkable 1879 SeasonJohn R. Husman12. Roy Tucker, Not Roy Hobbs: The Baseball Novels of John R. TunisPhilip Bergen13. Zane Grey’s Redheaded OutfieldJoseph M. Overfield14. Honus Wagner’s Rookie Year, 1895A. D. Suehsdorf15. Four Teams Out: The National League Reduction of 1900Bob Bailey16. Jackie Robinson’s Signing: The Real StoryJules Tygiel and John Thorn17. Locating Philadelphia’s Historic BallfieldsJerrold Casway18. Smokey and the Bandit: The Greatest Pitching Duel in Blackball HistoryLarry Lester19. The Evolution of the Baseball Diamond: Perfection Came SlowlyTom Shieber20. The BookKarl Lindholm21. Cricket and Mr. SpaldingTom Melville22. Lifting the Iron Curtain of Cuban BaseballPeter C. Bjarkman23. The Colorado Silver Bullets: Can Promotion Based on the “Battle of the Sexes” Be Successful?Gai Ingham Berlage24. Cy Seymour: Only Babe Ruth Was More VersatileBill Kirwin25. Free Agency in 1923: A Shocker for BaseballSteve Steinberg26. Hack Wilson’s 191st rbi: A Persistent Itch Finally ScratchedClifford S. Kachline27. John McGraw Comes to New York: The 1902 GiantsClifford Blau28. Underestimating the FogBill James29. Which Great Teams Were Just Lucky?Phil Birnbaum30. Why Is the Shortstop “6”?Keith Olbermann31. Do Batters Learn During a Game?David W. Smith32. New Light on an Old ScandalGene Carney33. Roberto Clemente’s Entry into Organized BaseballStew Thornley34. The Effects of Integration, 1947–86Mark Armour35. Pots & Pans and Bats & BallsJohn Thorn36. History vs. Harry Frazee: Re-Revising the HistoryDaniel R. Levitt, Mark L. Armour, Matthew Levitt37. The Quest for Dick McBridePeter Morris38. Zooming In on a Great Old PhotoMark Fimoff39. The Georgia Peach: Stumped by the StorytellerWilliam R. Cobb40. Babe Ruth, Eiji Sawamura, and WarRobert K. Fitts41. Lou Gehrig’s rbi Record: 1923–39Herm Krabbenhoft42. Clutch Hitting in the Major Leagues: A Psychological PerspectiveLeonard S. Newman43. Do Hitters Boost Their Performance during Their Contract Years? Evidence from the 2006–11 Collective Bargaining Agreement’s Years Says “Yes”Heather M. O’Neill44. The Double Victory Campaign and the Campaign to Integrate BaseballDuke Goldman45. The Black Sox ScandalWilliam F. Lamb46. Bill McKechnieWarren Corbett47. The Roster Depreciation Allowance: How Major League Baseball Teams Turn Profits into LossesStephen R. Keeney48. Professional Woman UmpiresLeslie Heaphy49. The Struggle to Define “Valuable”: Tradition vs. Sabermetrics in the 2012 al mvp RacePeter B. Gregg50. From Usenet Joke to Baseball Flashpoint: The Growth of “Three True Outcomes”D. B. Firstman