May 12, 2010

The delights of this week just keep on coming!

Imagine my surprise when I opened the Sports section of the Oakland Tribune this morning (yes, I still read the paper) and saw a picture and story about one of my favorite SABR members, Doug McWilliams.

Doug has been making pictures of sports figures, most notably local teams, since the 1950's. He and Dick Dobbins used to hang out at the Oakland Oaks park, taking pictures and making their own baseball cards! Doug is getting ready to take much of his collection back to Cooperstown, to donate to the archives of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

I had the good fortune to attend a Sacramento SABR meeting that featured Doug talking about his work. It was an amazing story: you can see his love of the game in the pictures that he makes.  I hope he'll tell that story to our chapter sometime.

Doug, I debated posting this, as I know that you are a quiet, modest fellow, but I was asked to by others, and I really wanted to share this great news with our friends.

Enjoy that trip to Cooperstown, Doug, and getting together with your friends. We are very proud of you!

The Tribune story is at http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_15065511

Perfect Game !

Sunday, Mothers Day, May 9, 2010.

Dallas Braden throws perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Only the 19th perfect game in baseball and I was fortunate to enjoy it in the company of many of my SABR friends. You will all read the stories and watch the replays of Dallas Braden's game today, but there is no way that can capture the excitement and pure joy of being there AND it being my team.

Just amazing! Our Cubaball friend and El Jefe, Kit Krieger, was in town for the game. His seats were in the A's family section, right behind Dallas's grandmother and family!  Other SABR folks (most of these folks sitting with Kit) at the game included Mark Macrae, John Moist, Alan, Steve Treder and his wife Pam, Liisa Lyon, Randy Hughes, Kenny, Ed Rimer and Jere Williams.

Thanks to all my SABR buddies who called or wrote about the game. Credit Sacramento SABR leader John Moist for photo.

Marlene Vogelsang, Lefty O'Doul Chapter Chair

Monica Nucciarone, author of the recently published and Seymour Award nominated, "Alexander Cartwright", visited the Bay Area recently and graciously met with about 20 Lefty O'Doul chapter members at a breakfast meeting.

She told the story of the research behind her book, including visits to Hawaii, to investigate Cartwright's time spent there. An interesting side story commented on William Wheaton's contributions to early baseball. Wheaton was a cofounder of the San Francisco California Society of Pioneers.

More than 20 SABR members gathered at the Society of California Pioneers in San Francisco to hear a presentation on Seals Stadium and early San Francisco baseball history by historian Angus MacFarlane. MacFarlane presented a fascinating glimpse of local history as he told the story of old Seals Stadium and the ballparks that came before it—Recreation Field and Ewing Field. He highlighted his research with old photographs and maps. MacFarlane discovered mention of a baseball game in the area as early as 1858, and even shared a line-up and box score from the game! SABR Director Paul Hirsch also shared details from the recent SABR board of directors meeting. He discussed the current membership drive (be sure to renew), the upcoming elections (be sure to vote), as well as the Donor Program and the conference in Atlanta.