Baseball's Business

The Winter Meetings have been Organized Baseball's annual offseason ritual since the early days of the game. This is SABR's second volume on their history, covering 1958 - 2016, plus a special section on the Negro Leagues winter meetings. The latter years of the 20th century included many monumental changes in the business of baseball. This volume covers multiple rounds of expansion, the advent of free agency, several work stoppages, collusion among the owners, and the elimination of the American and National League presidents' offices and consolidation of the two leagues as a single business entity.

With contributions by 40 members of the Society for American Baseball Research: Abigail Miskowiec, Andy Bokser, Bob Whelan, Chad Hagan, Charles H. Martin, Chip Greene, Chris Jones, Christopher Matthews, Clayton Trutor, Dan Levitt, Darren Munk, David M. Kritzler and Alan P. Henry, Donald G. Frank, Duke Goldman, Gregory H. Wolf, Hawkins DuBois, Jason C. Long, Jason Myers, Jeff Barto, Jerry Swenson, Jessica Frank, John Bauer, John Burbridge, Kent Henderson, Luca Rossi, Mark Armour, Mark S. Sternman, Michael Huber, Mike Lynch, Paul D. Brown, Paul Hensler, Robert K. Whelan, Rodger A. Payne, Ross E. Davies, Steve Cardullo, Steve Weingarden, Steve West, Tim Rask, Tom Cuggino, Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr.

Contents:
1958: LAST WORD IN UTTER FUTILITY--Mike Lynch
1959: WINDS OF CHANGE--David M. Kritzler and Alan P. Henry
1960: MISSOURI COMPROMISE--David M. Kritzler and Alan P. Henry
1961: METS, COLT .45s, AND THE SPITBALL--Christopher Matthews
1962: ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION--Chris Jones
1963: NO LITTLE LEAGUE BATS--Chris Jones
1964: FREE-AGENT DRAFT & ALL-STAR VOTING--Donald G. Frank
1965: ENTER THE GENERAL--Andy Bokser
1966: TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS--Jason Myers
1967: EXPANSION, INEVITABLY--Mark Armour
1968: DOWN GOES ECKERT--Mark Armour
1969: REORGANIZATION TALK--Mark Armour
1970: KUHN THWARTED--Mark Armour
1971: SWAP MEET--Mark Armour
1972: CALM BETWEEN STORMS--Mark Armour
1973: PADRES' DILEMMA--Donald G. Frank
1974: DETENTE--Clayton Trutor
1975: RETURN OF THE MASTER SHOWMAN--Gregory H. Wolf
1976: CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS--Gregory H. Wolf
1977: WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR--Steve Cardullo
1978: FIGURING OUT FREE AGENCY--Dan Levitt
1979: FIRST CHANCE AT A NEW POST-FREE-AGENCY CBA--Dan Levitt
1980: FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS--Kent Henderson & Paul Hensler
1981: POST-STRIKE INTRIGUE--Paul Hensler
1982: DISPIRITED & ARGUMENTATIVE--Dan Levitt
1983: END OF THE KUHN ERA--Michael Huber
1984: SUPERSTATIONARY--Ross E. Davies
1985: FREE-AGENT FREEZEOUT: COLLUSION I--Jeff Barto
1986: RIGGED MARKET: COLLUSION II--Jeff Barto
1987: CHANGING TIMES: COLLUSION III--Bob Whelan
1988: RANGERS MAKE SPLASH--Steve West
1989: MINOR MOVES MAKE MAJOR IMPACTS--Mark S. Sternman
1990: THEY ALMOST DIDN'T HAPPEN--John Burbridge
1991: CONCERN FOR SMALL MARKET CLUBS--Tim Rask
1992: THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN--Rodger A. Payne
1993: A COOLING HOT STOVE AND BOILING TEMPERS--Abigail Miskowiec
1994: YEAR-ROUND LABOR NEGOTIATIONS--Abigail Miskowiec
1995: INTERLEAGUE PLAY?--Paul D. Brown
1996: THE YEAR THAT BROUGHT LABOR PEACE--Chip Greene
1997: MINOR-LEAGUE CHANGES, MAJOR-LEAGUE IMPACT--Jessica Frank
1998: CONTRACTS EXPLODE--Jessica Frank
1999: ALL ABOUT JUNIOR--Steve West
2000: SHOW ME THE MONEY--Steve West
2001: ALL QUIET--Clayton Trutor
2002: RETURN TO NASHVILLE--Jerry Swenson
2003: BACK IN THE BAYOU--Jerry Swenson
2004: IT'S ALL A GAMBLE--