Here's part of a post that I just sent to the American Dialect Society
list. It appears that you can get access to the entire archive of the
New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago
Tribune for only $50 a year by joining the Society for American
Baseball Research (SABR). This is a great deal. You can have your
baseball, (Chicago) hot dogs, and apple pie.

The Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune are not finished, but
large portions are currently searchable.

Historical newspapers (especially from the largest of our American
cities) are a powerful research tool. For example, maybe you have a
Craig Claiborne New York Times cookbook. Why not get searchable
access to every New York Times column he's ever written for almost
nothing?

A word of caution. If one of you beats me to the first "California
roll," I will be greatly chagrinned. You don't want to see me
chagrinned. Keep this research secret to ourselves and don't tell
anybody.

Barry Popik
New York, NY

ICED TEA (AGAIN)

Is there some law that people who write for newspapers have to pass
along incorrect information, forever?
From Sunday's NEW YORK POST, 30 May 2004, pg. 108, col. 2:

During the 1904 World's Fair, an enterprising Brit poured hot tea
over ice cubes to lure revelers to his booth, and iced tea was born.

("Ice tea" and "iced tea" and much more is in the ADS-L archives--ed.)

---------------------------------------------------------------
PROQUEST THROUGH SABR!

The Proquest Historical Newspapers Chicago Tribune digitization is
still not at NYU. I didn't see it even at the University of Chicago
library.
I checked around further, and the SABR deal is a "steal" (as they
sometimes say in baseball). Fifty dollars a year for several
historical newspaper databases that you can search from home. It also
looks like the Chicago Tribune is available there right now. Holy
cow:

http://www.sabr.org/sabr.cfm?a=cms,c,766,40

SABR Adds The Chicago Tribune to its ProQuest Lineup
By John Zajc

Cleveland, Ohio – The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR)
has added The Chicago Tribune to its lineup of research tools
available to members only, joining three other ProQuest Historical
Newspapers (The New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles
Times).

SABR has purchased an institutional subscription allowing all 2004
SABR members to log on to the "members-only" website and have remote
access to text searches of the newspapers mentioned above.

To demonstrate the power of this as a tool to baseball researchers,
within 24 hours members of the SABR Biographical Research Committee
were chasing down fresh leads on major leaguers vital statistics.
There is more confirmation needed, and cross-checking to be done, but
Peter Morris believes he has found that Hughie Reed did not die in
1883 as previously listed, but rather in December of 1928. Reed
appeared in one major league game in 1874.

Becoming a member is easy and SABR memberships are open to anyone with
a passion for the game of baseball. To take advantage of SABR's great
member benefits, (1) you can sign up by credit card online at
http://store.sabr.org (2) call the membership office at
1-800-969-7227, (3) or send us your payment with a completed
membership application. For more information or a membership
application form, contact the SABR office.

Regular SABR membership dues are $50 dollars or $140 for three years
(membership is based on the calendar year, but there is a three-month
grace period for renewal). International, senior and student rates are
available as well. Among the many benefits, members receive access to
our online SABR membership directory listing most members, their
research interests, expertise, and contact information. Members also
receive our annual research publications (The Baseball Research
Journal and The National Pastime) in addition to many other benefits
including SABR's newsletter printed 6 times a year.

SABR (pronounced "Saber") is an international organization
headquartered in Cleveland, OH. The Society's mission is to foster the
study of baseball, to assist in developing and maintaining the history
of the game, to facilitate the dissemination of baseball research and
to stimulate interest in baseball.

###


Created On: 05.21.04

(That's about a week ago--ed.)