Douglas Brei
Encyclopedia
Douglas Brei is a former minor league sports executive who has recently garnered national attention as a sports historian in his hometown of Rochester, New York
, United States
.
Record Book, the Rochester Red Wings
media guide, and the Continental Basketball Association
Record Book. He has contributed to the Pro Football Encyclopedia, the PGA Tour
Media Guide, the Archives of the Giamatti Research Center at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Association for Professional Basketball Research, the American Soccer History Archives, the Canadian Football League Record Book, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Rochester Public Library, and the Rochester Museum and Science Center among others.
"He digs deep for sports nuggets and enjoys sharing them with the media and public," writes Bob Matthews, sports columnist for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. "It is a labor of love and he does it very well."
He recently contributed to Green Cathedrals: The Ultimate Celebration of all Major League and Negro League Ballparks by Philip J. Lowry (Walker & Co., 2006)
of the Negro National League had moved to Rochester for their final season (1948), a fact that had been erroneously omitted from every reference material for the ensuing 57 years. Brei's discovery and supporting evidence prompted the editors of the Baseball Encyclopedia to modify its 2006 edition to finally give Rochester its due as the last home to the fabled franchise. (See article link below: "Gem of Local Baseball History Found")
Rochester's 25,000th game: Brei made the headlines again in June, 2006 when he released his study on Rochester's pro sports franchises, revealing the fact that collectively Rochester's professional sports teams (dating back to 1877) were approaching the 25,000-game milestone. That historic game was played on June 16, 2006 when the hometown Red Wings hosted the Indianapolis Indians at Rochester's Frontier Field. (See article link below: "Rochester nears 25,000th pro sports event")
Rochester Colonels: In the summer of 2005, Brei provided documentation to convince the Continental Basketball Association to officially recognize the brief existence of the long-forgotten Rochester Colonels
. The Colonels had been a member of the league (then known as the EPBL) in 1958, but folded after playing in just 8 games. Shortly after the team's collapse, league governors decided to wipe the Colonels from the standings without note, and the franchise went 48 years without being included in the permanent record. Despite their short existence, the Colonels featured two future Basketball Hall-of-Famers, Arnie Risen
and Hubie Brown
. Forty years later, the team had gone largely forgotten, even by the most knowledgeable basketball experts and local sports fans. Through Brei's efforts in 2005, the Colonels were reinstated into the 2005-06 CBA Record Book. Brei also was able to procure formal recognition of the Colonels by the Association for Professional Basketball Research and the archives of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
.
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Historical contributions
Throughout the years, Brei's research has prompted corrections and modifications to the Baseball Encyclopedia, the International LeagueInternational League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
Record Book, the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
media guide, and the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
Record Book. He has contributed to the Pro Football Encyclopedia, the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
Media Guide, the Archives of the Giamatti Research Center at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Association for Professional Basketball Research, the American Soccer History Archives, the Canadian Football League Record Book, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Rochester Public Library, and the Rochester Museum and Science Center among others.
"He digs deep for sports nuggets and enjoys sharing them with the media and public," writes Bob Matthews, sports columnist for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. "It is a labor of love and he does it very well."
He recently contributed to Green Cathedrals: The Ultimate Celebration of all Major League and Negro League Ballparks by Philip J. Lowry (Walker & Co., 2006)
Recent historical research and discoveries
New York Black Yankees: In 2005, while working on a project documenting the histories of professional sports franchises in Rochester, NY, Brei discovered that the New York Black YankeesNew York Black Yankees
The New York Black Yankees was a professional baseball team based in New York City, Paterson, NJ, and Rochester, NY which played in the Negro National League from 1936 to 1948. The Black Yankees played in Paterson, New Jersey from 1933-1937 and then from 1939-1945. The 1938 season saw the Black...
of the Negro National League had moved to Rochester for their final season (1948), a fact that had been erroneously omitted from every reference material for the ensuing 57 years. Brei's discovery and supporting evidence prompted the editors of the Baseball Encyclopedia to modify its 2006 edition to finally give Rochester its due as the last home to the fabled franchise. (See article link below: "Gem of Local Baseball History Found")
Rochester's 25,000th game: Brei made the headlines again in June, 2006 when he released his study on Rochester's pro sports franchises, revealing the fact that collectively Rochester's professional sports teams (dating back to 1877) were approaching the 25,000-game milestone. That historic game was played on June 16, 2006 when the hometown Red Wings hosted the Indianapolis Indians at Rochester's Frontier Field. (See article link below: "Rochester nears 25,000th pro sports event")
Rochester Colonels: In the summer of 2005, Brei provided documentation to convince the Continental Basketball Association to officially recognize the brief existence of the long-forgotten Rochester Colonels
Rochester Colonels
The Rochester Colonels were a short-lived franchise in the Eastern Professional Basketball League in the 1958-59 season. The franchise played just eight games and lost them all, before folding on December 17, 1958...
. The Colonels had been a member of the league (then known as the EPBL) in 1958, but folded after playing in just 8 games. Shortly after the team's collapse, league governors decided to wipe the Colonels from the standings without note, and the franchise went 48 years without being included in the permanent record. Despite their short existence, the Colonels featured two future Basketball Hall-of-Famers, Arnie Risen
Arnie Risen
Arnold D. Risen is a retired American basketball player.A 6'9" center from the Ohio State University, he led the Buckeyes to two straight Final Four appearances....
and Hubie Brown
Hubie Brown
Hubert Jude "Hubie" Brown is a retired American basketball coach and a current television analyst. Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, the honors being separated by 26 years...
. Forty years later, the team had gone largely forgotten, even by the most knowledgeable basketball experts and local sports fans. Through Brei's efforts in 2005, the Colonels were reinstated into the 2005-06 CBA Record Book. Brei also was able to procure formal recognition of the Colonels by the Association for Professional Basketball Research and the archives of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Monroe County Proclamation
On May 9, 2006, Brei received a Proclamation from the Monroe County (NY) Legislature for his "professional and personal dedication to his community and for his hard work and dedication as an accomplished sports historian." He currently resides in Fairport, New YorkFairport, New York
Fairport is a village located in the town of Perinton which is part of Monroe County, New York. Fairport is a suburb east of Rochester. It is also known as the "Crown Jewel of the Erie Canal"...
.