In conjunction with the publication of Paul Dickson’s monumental third edition of his Baseball Dictionary and the SABR National Convention, the Smithsonian Associates is putting on a program on the “Language of Baseball” at 7:30 p.m., July 29, featuring Dickson and Phil Hochberg, former stadium announcer for the Washington Senators.

Attendees will hear the background of Dickson’s 10,000 entries and 18.000 definitions – and try to stump him with ones he may not have included.  There is a special admission price for SABR members of $15.  The event will be held at the Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, D.C.  For tickets, call (202) 633-3030 or contact www.ResidentAssociates.org.

The Bethesda Big Train summer collegiate baseball team is in its 11^th season of operation.  It plays at Shirley Povich Field in Cabin John Regional Park in North Bethesda, not far from Westfield Montgomery Mall. Big Train is a team in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League.

The team has been successful in many ways.  Five of its former players have made it to the major leagues:  John Maine, Charlton Jimerson, Bobby Livingston, Steve Schmoll and Dirk Hayhurst.  About a third of its players play professional baseball after they graduate from college.  The organization has raised over $500,000, which it has donated in support of improvements to youth ball fields in Montgomery County and the District of Columbia.  It has welcomed more than 150,000 fans to watch Big Train games at Povich Field, a ballpark it built in partnership with the Montgomery County Parks Foundation.

We see the potential to do even more good works in the field of baseball, if we can get more volunteer help with the year-round management of the organization.  The team is seeking volunteers to fill the positions of Marketing Director, Assistant Marketing Director, Fund-Raising Director, Press Relations Director, Program Director (game night entertainment), Publications Director, Community Relations Director, Ballfield Facility Planner and Accountant/Bookkeeper.

If you have experience in any of these areas and a passion for baseball that you would like to convert into active management of a baseball operation, please contact Bill Hickman at volunteer@bigtrain.org.  We have position descriptions for each of these volunteer jobs and would be pleased to provide you with more specific information about them.

– By Bill Hickman

Chapter members: be sure to check your email for this week's chapter update, which outlines several opportunities to help with this August's SABR Convention in Washington. If you didn't get your copy, contact the Chapter President at dbrucebrown@verizon.net.

As the convention gets closer, we'll have frequent updates on our Chapter Information page, so come back often.

If you'd like to join SABR and help us put on an exciting convention for baseball researchers from around the world, click here.