arcade – Hardball Retro

“Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds” honored with the 2025 Sporting News-SABR Baseball Research Award

Derek Bain — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 00:25:38 +0000

I am honored and humbled to be recognized, along with my co-author John Racanelli, as one of the winners of the 2025 Sporting News-SABR Baseball Research Award for our book, “Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds.” I’d like to offer a heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to our effort! Special thanks to Mark Wendling for nominating our book for the award, Nate Edwards for his contributions on the Japanese baseball video game chapter, and the game designers / programmers who graciously responded to our interview requests: Don Daglow, Eddie Dombrower, Lance Haffner, Mark Lesser, Tom Tippett and Glen Wolfram.

I also would like to congratulate Steve Steinberg, Lyle Spatz and Mitchell Nathanson for their award-winning books!

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“The 2025 Sporting News-SABR Baseball Research Awards, which honor outstanding research projects completed during the preceding calendar year that have significantly expanded our knowledge or understanding of baseball, have been awarded to:

Steve Steinberg and Lyle Spatz, Mike Donlin: A Rough and Rowdy Life from New York Baseball Idol to Stage and Screen (University of Nebraska Press)

Mitchell Nathanson, Under Jackie’s Shadow: Voices of Black Minor Leagues Baseball Left Behind (University of Nebraska Press)

Derek Bain and John Racanelli, Hardball Retro’s Compendium of
Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds (Self-published)”

Source: SABR – 2025 Sporting News-SABR Baseball Research Award winners announced

2025 Sporting News-SABR Baseball Research Award winners announced

A Saturday Night Baseball Chinwag with Authors Derek Bain and John Racanelli

Derek Bain — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 14:32:43 +0000

Here’s a 3+ hour discussion on the Beatles Eternally YouTube channel about our book, “Hardball Retro’s Compendium of Baseball Video Games and Electronic Handhelds”. We talked about a wide variety of baseball sims, console, handheld, arcade and card & dice baseball games along with the designers, programmers, managers and broadcasters involved with the development of those gems!

Many thanks to Beatles Eternally for organizing our chat and my co-author John Racanelli for joining us on short notice!

Check out the video here:

Survey for my book project – “History of Baseball Video Games”

Derek Bain — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 15:24:31 +0000

I created a survey for my latest book project – a history of baseball video games! This will encompass console, computer and arcade baseball games spanning more than 5 decades. I’m planning to include reviews, interviews, screenshots, box art and ratings from various sources.

https://forms.gle/MfQp46x5BKVS2pJz5

Please consider filling out this survey – I’m looking for your feedback for any and all baseball video games that you’ve played or owned.

Please scan the list of baseball video games on the form and ONLY enter an overall rating for each game that you have played or owned on a scale of 1 (worst) to 10 (best) and optionally provide a comment for those titles. Several games have a single entry for the original title along with sequels. You may only enter one rating per game title. However you can utilize the Comments section to enter specific ratings for the different versions in those instances. (for example, a rating of 6 for Bases Loaded and a rating of 7 for Bases Loaded 2). Comments that are thought-provoking or detailed have a higher likelihood of making it into the book!

Please DO NOT rate or comment any games that you have never played! If I’m missing a game, there are text and rating fields at the end of each section to capture this information. Games that exist in console, computer and/or arcade should have an entry in each of those sections, so don’t confuse the Hardball! (console) entry with Hardball! (computer).

Be sure to click NEXT at the end of the each section form and SUBMIT when you’re done (arcade baseball games is the last section!)

Completion of this form indicates permission and authorization for me to utilize your responses including name/nickname, ratings and comments in my upcoming baseball video game book project.

Thank you for participating! – Derek Bain

Twitch Livestreams and YouTube Playthroughs of Baseball Video Games

Derek Bain — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 16:40:19 +0000

I will be live-streaming baseball video games on Twitch and uploading the content to my YouTube channel. Follow my HardballRetro account on both platforms!

The initial focus will be on the classic computer baseball simulations that I have reviewed here, but I will also play current games (arcade, console and computer).

The walkthroughs will generally include how to select the teams, lineups, starting pitcher and ballpark (if applicable). In-game options and menus will be discussed along with how to make substitutions. Post-game will focus on box scores, stat compilation, and reviewing league leaders and standings.