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Home > Chapter Publications > Holy Cow! Newsletter > 2004 newsletters > November 2004 issue

 

The Holy Cow

November 2004


October 23 Chapter Meeting Recap

        The annual Fall meeting of the Halsey Hall Chapter of SABR took place on Saturday, October 23 at the Community United Methodist Church in Columbia Heights. After members introduced themselves and said a few words, research presentations commenced. Rex Hamann was first up and he gave an interesting talk about a trip he and his wife took this past summer. Rex’s passion is the old American Asssociation (1902-1960 minor league) and he spends some of his free time tracking down the grave sites of ex-American Association ball players. The Hamann’s spent two weeks traveling around Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri and Iowa visiting graves and leaving markers honoring the individual’s baseball career.

        Dan Levitt gave a talk about how the New York Yankees of the 1920s and 1930s built their club and how Yankee ownership plowed money back into the team, thus making it stronger, when other teams paid dividends to stockholders and thus had little to reinvest into the club. Long time member, but first time attendee, Rich Cohen from Hamiliton, New York then gave a talk about the career of Hamilton’s only major leaguer, pitcher George “Hooks” Wiltse. Next, Gregg Nelson gave an interesting talk about the career of his brother and current major league umpire, Jeff Nelson. The odds of making the major leagues as an umpire are greater than a player (think about it...60 some umpires...900 some players) and umpires have to graduate from one of the two umpiring schools in order to be placed in the minor leagues. Jeff was amazed at the number of people who show up at these umpiring schools with little or no amateur umpiring experience.

        After lunch of chili (thanks Rex) and sub sandwiches (thanks Howard) and the business meeting the panel of ex-Gopher baseball players held court. Appearing were Greg Wasick (outfielder in 1968-1969); Bill Davis (senior in 1964 and a brief major leaguer); Don Evans (1961-1962 teams); Richard “Woody” Erickson (catcher on 1956 NCAA championship team); and Glenn Gostick (1949-1951 teams and assistant coach on all three national championship teams). All remarked that Dick “Chief” Siebert was a player’s coach who looked the other way at some of things that went on (off the field)  since he had been a player.

        A trivia contest, in the form of a Jeopardy game, emceed by Howard Luloff, ended the meeting nicely.

 


 


Chapter Calendar and Notes

Chapter Breakfast   has been changed to Saturday, November 13th at 8:30 a.m. at the normal place of the Baker’s Square at 66th and Xerxes in Richfield.  It previously was announced for this Saturday, November 6th.

 

Web Page Meeting will be held on Saturday, December 4 between 7:30 and 8:30 at the Baker’s Sqare at 66th and Xerxes in Richfield. Members interested in the future of the chapter’s web-page are urged to attend.

 

Board Meeting will be held on Saturday, December 4 at 8:30 a..m., following the web-page meeting at the Baker’s Square at 66th and Xerxes in Richfield.

 

Book Club Meeting on December 11th at 9:30 at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore at the Edina Galleria (see back page).

 

Hot Stove Saturday Night on January 22nd. Time and place to be announced.

 

Twins Fest....the Halsey Hall Chapter plans to have a table again this year. January 28-30, 2005 at the Metrodome. Contact Rich Arpi (rwaces@cs.com or 651-739-6986)

 

Spring Chapter Meeting scheduled for May 21. Milwaukee will be the Twins opponent that night.

 

Newsletter editors: I have resigned as newsletter editor, effective after the December 2004 issue, and Bob Tholkes has resigned as editor of the Holy Cow Extra. Contact the board of directors if want either job or have suggestions.

                                                                                                                                                                               



May our new President, who ever he is, have the intelligence and patience of our first President.


 

Book Club and Open House on November 6

        The book club of the Halsey Hall Chapter of SABR (we really need a snazzy name, don’t we?) will meet on Saturday, December 11 at 9:30 at the coffee shop of the Barnes and Noble store at the Edina Galleria. The featured book is Nine Innings by Daniel Okrent, published by Ticknor and Fields in 1985. The book uses a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles as a backdrop to analyzing both teams, players on both teams, and the state of major league baseball. Moderator Tom Swift has mentioned that author Daniel Okrent will field questions about the book from members, so contact Tom (507-645-2280 or tomswift@nickelcurves.com) to take advantage of this unique opportunity to interact with an author about his book. At the meeting we will be able to talk about some of these exchanges and possibly contact Okrent with some other questions after the meeting.

        Moderater Tom Swift announces that he has signed his first book contract with the University of Nebraska Press to write a biography of Charles “Albert” Chief Bender that will be published in 2006 or 2007. Bender, a Hall of Fame pitcher who spent most of his major league career with the Philadelphia Athletics, was born on the White Earth Reservation in Crow Wing County. Until 2001 when Dave Winfield was inducted, Bender was the only Minnesota born player enshrined in  the Baseball Hall of Fame. Tom welcomes suggestions and information from members. For more information visit Tom’s website at www.nickelcurves.com.

        Stew and Brenda are holding an open house at their condo on November 6 to celebrate the publication of Stew’s book, Six Feet Under. Stop by between four and 10 p.m.  (651-415-0791).

 



Brewer book walks off- Please pay up.

        Rex Hamann sends notice that one of his books entitled, “The American Association Milwaukee Brewers,” published this summer by Arcadia Press that was left on one of the tables at the chapter meeting on October 23 is missing. Perhaps Rex did not make it clear that these books were for perusal only and if someone wanted a copy they were supposed to pay Rex for a copy ($ 20.00 each).

        If you are the individual who walked off with a copy, please make arrangements with Rex about payment. Rex can be reached at 763-862-8187 or pureout@msn.com. Rex and the chapter are sorry about the confusion over this book and hopes members in the future will ask before taking, if there is any doubt.

 



 


The Holy Cow


Halsey Hall Chapter of SABR

Rich Arpi, editor

2445 Londin Lane, Apt. 410

Maplewood, Minnesota 55119

 


“They say anything can happen in a short series. I just didn’t expect it to be that short.”

          Chuck Tanner not commenting on

          the 2004 World Series (meaning

          some previous series).