Data Development: the Spreadsheet

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As I move toward the start of the writing process in roughly one week for the spring issue (Vol. 15, No. 1) of the American Association Almanac, I'm wrapping up the work on the eight principal databases I've been constructing since the end of November. They concern the leading triples hitters for each team of the original American Association from 1902 to 1962. Each spreadsheet is designed to make automatic calculations for the percentages I'm most interested easier to perform. My intention in posting this blog was to post an example of one whole file. At this point I'm not sure I'll be able to do that, however, I will offer a sample at the very least. Each spreadsheet covers the career record for each team's top triple hitters. This could include those who led over time or who was among the team's top three producers during a given season. No less than 110 players are listed in any one team's spreadsheet. The totals for each player are derived and sorted so each category can be ranked for the leading players. What is especially valuable is the data for multi-team players; a multi-team player, also known as a split-season player, spent his time with more than one team. In this record the data has been gleaned from the box scores in order to produce the record for just the team he's listed with as being a leading producer. The time it takes to perform such an exercise can be excessive; while at other times it can take only an hour or two. Regardless, the records for the American Association's leading triples hitters has never been published. It serves the baseball research community as a testament to thorough and creative research while offering fans of regional baseball history a fundamental look a the leading players from a bygone era.

Sample 1: The Indianapolis Indians, page 1

 

While this blogsite does not permit me to publish whole files, anyone who is interested in obtaining a copy of a particular data file can write me with their request. Send an email to
pureout@msn.com
with your request. Thank you!

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