SABR Members

[Cod]

Anyone here a member of the Society for American Baseball Research?

I went to my first SABR chapter meeting a few weeks ago and it was probably the best four hours I've spent in a very long time. I'm not a "paying" member yet, but wanted to find out whether or not membership was worth the cost of admission.

[swampdragon]

I like membership solely for the access to Paper of Record and the back issues of the Sporting News going back to 1886. You also get access to numerous articles and pieces of analysis. If you like the biographical sketches at Baseball Reference and baseball history generally, it's worth the money. If you're more into the current game and interested primarily in ways of enhancing that knowledge, you'd be better off with a subscription to one of the analysis sites like Fangraphs. I lean towards the historical end, so I'm a member of SABR.

[Le Grande Orange]

I have been one a couple of times. Been thinking of signing up again.

Swampdragon's post covers the important benefits; though I would add access to the SABR-L listserv, where you can query the entire membership about subjects of interest, or request research assistance, is a useful item. Being a member of some of the various Research Committees can also be beneficial. You do also get exclusive access to a number of SABR publications.

[Antonin]

For years I have thought about joining. About two years ago I was trying to decide between SABR and the US Chess Federation. I chose the latter. It was fun, but that organization seems to be oriented toward chess players who are far above my skill level. So I let my membership lapse after a year.

Maybe I will enjoy myself more if I join SABR.

Wasn't it based in Cleveland at some point?

[swampdragon]

I think it still is. They have an old library with box scores and game accounts going back well beyond the Retrosheet era. They even provide access to the New York Clipper, which is a prime source of 1870s-1880s box scores you can't find anywhere else. Some of that is digitized now and accessible with your membership.

The USCF is mostly for kids and tournament players. If you want access to chess on the internet for casual players, I'd recommend chess.com and/or chessgames.com. Chessgames will get you access to all of chess history once you learn your way around, and chess.com has a wealth of instructional material, access to opponents of all levels, and an active forum.

[Antonin]

Originally Posted by swampdragon

...The USCF is mostly for kids and tournament players...

I agree. In my message on their forum explaining why I wasn't going to renew my membership, I said I'm in my late 50s and just could not identify with the child prodigies and other elite players that were constantly featured in "Chess Life." I used to be a decent chess player, but that was more than 40 years ago.

I might have a lot more fun being a member of an organization devoted to baseball history.

[Cod]

Originally Posted by Antonin

Wasn't it based in Cleveland at some point?

Do you live in the Cleveland area? I ask because I went to the chapter meeting in Dayton and was thinking about attending the Columbus one as well in the Spring.

[Antonin]

Sure do!

[chucksabr]

Originally Posted by Cod

Anyone here a member of the Society for American Baseball Research?

I went to my first SABR chapter meeting a few weeks ago and it was probably the best four hours I've spent in a very long time. I'm not a "paying" member yet, but wanted to find out whether or not membership was worth the cost of admission.

Is $60 basically a blip to you? Then a year's membership in SABR is totally worth it.

If $60 is a lotta lotta money to you, it's still worth it if you plan on diving into the resources it offers you, including free access to basically every book they have ever published in e-book form.