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This year's convention of the Society for American Baseball Research is taking place from July 15 to 18 in Cincinnati. This is SABR 34, the 34th annual meeting.

Any Bauxites headed to the Queen City for the fun? I am seriously torn about going and if there are others headed there it might just spur me to take the plunge. I've never been to a SABR convention before and would love to go...

Incidentally, the 2005 convention is in Toronto, and I'll DEFINITELY be at that one.
SABR 34 | 9 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
_Jordan - Wednesday, February 11 2004 @ 10:13 AM EST (#79239) #
Craig, I'm not sure whether I really want to go to another convention. To tell the truth, after all these conferences, I'm kind of tired of packing and unpacking ... town to town, up and down the dial. SABR, they and me were never meant to be. I just hope SABR thinks of me once in a while.
_Matthew E - Wednesday, February 11 2004 @ 10:20 AM EST (#79240) #
That song was actually running through my head last night. Spooooky.
Craig B - Wednesday, February 11 2004 @ 10:22 AM EST (#79241) #
Jordan, I don't think any LESS of you, you just don't have baseball FEVER anymore. You're saving your QUARTERS for other things, and that's OK. It doesn't take a Phillip MARLOWE to detect you're not into it.
_Jordan - Wednesday, February 11 2004 @ 10:23 AM EST (#79242) #
Thanks, Big Guy.
_EddieZosky - Wednesday, February 11 2004 @ 12:22 PM EST (#79243) #
Nicely Done. I just spit a mouthful of taco salad onto my keyboard.
_coliver - Wednesday, February 11 2004 @ 12:26 PM EST (#79244) #
Ok, who gets the Silver Sow Award today?

At the very least, someone should get a Copper Cob.
robertdudek - Wednesday, February 11 2004 @ 08:41 PM EST (#79245) #
Mr Carlson, I hate to tell you this, but Sparky Anderson doesn't manage the Reds anymore.
_StephenT - Wednesday, February 11 2004 @ 10:27 PM EST (#79246) #
Craig, I attended the SABR convention in Denver last year (my first one) and it was a blast. But I'm not expecting to attend this year's.

I know what you mean by being "torn" about whether to go to SABR. The first time I seriously considered going was 1999 (Phoenix, plus a side trip to the Grand Canyon), but a family event conflicted. In 2000, I wasn't interested in going to Florida in the summer. In 2001, I was curious to see the new ballpark in Milwaukee, but didn't want to do Bud Selig the favour of a visit (I decided to go to Seattle instead and saw the Jays play at Safeco during the Mariners' 116-win season). In 2002, I thought a lot about going to Boston, but I'd been to Fenway a few times before, and there wasn't any other sightseeing I wanted to do in that area, so I skipped it again.

In 2003, I finally went. What a week. Barry Bonds taking batting practice at Coors Field. Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd speaking perhaps too candidly about his problems. A scouts roundtable including Pat Gillick and reactions to Moneyball. Bill James telling a Red Sox story as part of the simulations panel. The operations people for Coors Field (including grounds crew) describing how they doctor the field to favour the Rockies. A number of well done historical research presentations (I mostly avoided the stats talks). A side trip to (even higher altitude) Colorado Springs (SkySox AAA game). I love mountain scenery, so the best part for me was an independent tour I took through Rocky Mountain National Park (more than 12,000 feet up).

Some parts of the convention did drag a bit. Former umpire Jim Evans told a lot of tired, old, non-baseball related jokes in the keynote address. The Baseball 2020 panel had a lot of negativism on business issues. But overall, it was a lot of fun (and I've just mentioned the highlights).

For Cincinnati this year, I haven't seen a program yet, but I don't expect it to live up to last year's, and especially I don't know of any other sightseeing I'd want to do in that area. I think I'll pass this year. (I'm thinking instead I might follow the Jays on that New York-Cleveland road trip in August, since I haven't been to Yankee Stadium or Jacobs Field before. Though there are a lot of things I want to do around my place, so more likely I'll just stay put this year.)

Next year, of course, it's an easy trip to Toronto, a lot of the panels and research will probably include a Canadian or Blue Jays focus, plus they're sure to schedule the event while the Jays are in town, so I'm looking forward to that one.
_John Northey - Thursday, February 12 2004 @ 01:17 PM EST (#79247) #
I'd love to go this year, especially as I'm helping on the Toronto show next year (planning on doing the schedules). However, I just don't think I can as my wedding is in August and the budget really doesn't have space for both. Ah well.

As for those driving, it is an 8 hour 11 minute drive according to MapQuest from Toronto to Cincinnati (490 miles). Do-able by just one driver non-stop outside of gas/food/washroom requirements. For the crazy ones, drive down Friday after work, convention Saturday, drive back Sunday afternoon.
SABR 34 | 9 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.