Sports Reference Blog

Baseball-Reference Minor League Data Updates and Corrections

Posted by sean on November 1, 2016

Our historical performance data for professional leagues (affiliated minor leagues, independent minor leagues, fall/winter leagues, and other international leagues) is provided by and licensed from 24-7 Baseball and Chadwick Baseball Bureau. It incorporates the work of many stalwart baseball researchers, including Cliff Blau, Art Cantu, Frank Hamilton, Reed Howard, Kevin Johnson, Bob McConnell, Jack Morris, and Ray Nemec, as well as members of the Minor Leagues Committee of the Society for American Baseball Research. Perhaps most importantly, it builds upon the seminal work of Ed Washuta, who magnanimously provided the framework to make the whole thing possible.

As licensors of this data, Sports Reference LLC is not in a position to update and make corrections to the dataset ourselves. All proposed corrections are passed along to the Chadwick Baseball Bureau. Their focus is on making corrections for post-1960 data first and then pre-1960 data as time permits. This is largely due to the sheer scope of the project, but also for economic reasons. The economic value to us for information such as the 1929 California State League is minimal and likewise the market for licensing such data is effectively zero. We wish to have the most accurate datasets we can, but must operate within the economic constraints of what the market will bear.

We realize that this may mean that certain issues and errors may linger on the site for months or even years and apologize for all such errors.

You can use the Chadwick Bureau website to send corrections or changes to the data.

9 Responses to “Baseball-Reference Minor League Data Updates and Corrections”

  1. Chuck Hildebrandt Says:

    Is this why many older minor leagues do not have standing listed even though standings are easily available in other sources? Is it because you are prevented from, for lack of a better term, "undermining the veracity" of the licensed data?

  2. sean Says:

    What sources are you referring to Chuck? Examples?

  3. Jerry Jackson Says:

    I have noticed the same thing. I am in the process of making a list where information is there but has never put on this website.

  4. Kevin Says:

    Several SABR members compiled Minor League Standings. However, because split season standings were not included
    (only overall standings) and because not all of the sources were documented, I believe Chadwick Baseball Bureau felt it best to not include that information in the dataset.

  5. Jerry Jackson Says:

    Example: 1911 South Atlantic Lg. With some help from friends (along with then available ILL from the local library I finally got the correct w-l stats for the last two weeks of their season. Sometimes it does work out.

  6. Gary Crawford Ph.D. Says:

    Jasper Bono, 40s minor leaguer, batted right, throws right. Born 1924...he is still alive. He is my father in law.
    William Vasata Jr, 50s minor leaguer, passed away a year or two ago. He is my uncle.

  7. Mike Lynch Says:

    Thank you, Gary. We'll share your note with our data provider.

  8. John Rigler Says:

    How can I pass on info about my dad, a one armed minor league player. He is listed by name, Kes Rigler, but there is no other info. He played the outfield, threw with his one arm, the right arm, and batted from the right side. Would like to know how to pass on info so it would be added!? Thanks. My e-mail is [email protected]

  9. Mike Lynch Says:

    Hi Ken

    You can email us at [email protected] and we can pass it along to Chadwick for their review