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I think its a great idea and our club and region (MD area) would be very enthusiastic about putting some content in especially since we're trying to build this region up. Instead of mailing out hard copies and spending money on printing and postage, just do the newsletter in a PDF file or publisher so people can download it and print it so it looks like an actual physical newsletter when printed. Then if a club requests hard copies, charge them individually for printing and postage. That's our 2 cents. Bruce Leith, Eclipse BBC of Elkton, Elkton, Maryland Web Site Newsletter is OK with me. I do think those that do not have email should get a hardcopy. Mark Miller, Champion City Reapers Base Ball Club The Woodstock Actives would be in favor of this Electronic Newsletter. In this day and age it is a effective way of getting messages out to a large group of people in a very cost effective manner. On behalf of the Actives our response is YES. TANK, Communications Guy Woodstock Actives I think the on-line newsletter is a terrific idea. All of the teams I am in communication with have eMail and web sites and all of our members have eMail. If the newsletter can be made into a 150 dpi PDF people can download and print theirs and non-eMail members can be mailed printed copies. Ray 'Shutta' Shaw, Newtown Sandy Hook Base Ball Club We would enjoy receiving a newsletter. Half of our gentlemen don't have e-mail, though, so I would probably have to send a hard copy to them. If the VBBA decides to create a print version for those not electronically connected, we would appreciate copies of those as well. We look forward to the results of this proposal. Joan Eckermann, Spiegel Grove Squires Hard Copy of Newsletters. I suspect that there will always be a need for a hard copy of the Newsletter. On the computer side I have spent the past 10 years trying to reduce the size of an address list. I have made great inroads but I still have a small group who a) refuse to enter the computer age, b) do not wish to have "non-work" stuff appear on their work computer, or c) they are just too far out in the hinterland to get good computer access. (In New Mexico there are folks who have difficulty getting telephone service.). On the Public Relations side I am with another non-profit where we regularly print 100 extra newsletters. These are on the table on open house days, and any time anyone expresses an interest in our operation they get the recruiting flier and a copy of the newsletter to carry away. It serves as a cheap follow up on a first contact. Individual clubs could easily have copies printed for spectators at their events. Having a hard copy in hand adds a bit of credibility to the organization. For the VBBA Clubs it would show the first time spectator that the organization is much more than just the local club. Ken Dusenberry I would endorse the e-newsletter and suggest that those teams without an email certainly must have a team member who would serve as the distributor of the e-newsletter to his teamates. Ron Wood, Ludington Mariners I am writing in response to the question about the newsletter. I think the newsletter should go on-line. However, in addition to the issue of those without email addresses or Internet access I think there may be other problems with having only an electronic copy available. I think it is more convenient to have a paper copy handy. It may be more likely to get read if it is in hand or near by. It isn't always convenient to go to the computer to read. I think there is more of a convenience to have a physical copy. Personally I have a long commute and I like to bring material along with me to read on the train. Others may prefer to read in bed, on the porch or wherever it is comfortable. I find myself more likely to grab a book or newspaper to read when I have the time instead of powering on the computer. It is easy to see something on-line and bookmarkit to read later and then not return to it right away or not at all. There is also a convenience of passing along the newsletter to family, friends and prospective vintage ball players. Having a physical copy in hand may compel someone to read it sooner rather than later. If it is only on-line it may fall in to the category "out of sight, out of mind". There is also an historic and preservation advantage to have a physical copy available. We rely on historic research when building our clubs and interpreting rules. A lot of this historic information can be found on microfilmed newspapers, old pamphlets, scorecards, photographs and other items found at the library or as yard sale and Ebay finds. A paper copy stands a better chance of surviving than an electronic copy. Electronic preservation costs more, is more time consuming and requires constant attention. Who is to say that 100-150 years from now people will not be interested in studying baseball in the late 20th and early 21st century including vintage baseball? Chances are we will leave behind evidence to be discovered by a baseball history enthusiast. Kyle DeCicco-Carey My vote is to have an online page with clubs submitting content and to not create a hard copy. Dave B Online sounds fine. It saves postage, and paper. Jayme Johnson We are entering our second season as a VBBA member. We feel that an online newsletter would definitely be sufficient. Why incur the additional expense to send hard copies to teams when email can reach so many more people in a much more timely manner. Peter T Duda, NH Granite VBBC I think your plan for a VBBA news page at the web site is a good one. The electronic newsletter could share information faster and, perhaps, allow easier participation from members, as well as, save the cost of a printed and mailed newsletter. The only drawback I can see is physically archiving the information posted on the web. Being a group involved in "historic preservation," it would be important to maintain an historic record of our organization's news. In terms of non-email members, I would personally poll those nine people to see if they could become linked via e-mail due to a shift in VBBA communications strategy. Not to preclude anyone from participating, but I wouldn't go to the expense of a printed newsletter for nine people. Jim I have no problem with the online format, but I personally would prefer a hard copy of the newsletter. I take my e-mail at work and try not to play on the internet there. I would be willing to pay for the hard copy. Bill Dieckmann A lot of things to consider. First, over the computer it's nonpersonal, and easily overlooked. Second, hardcopy costs money. At a website, it would reduce all these costs. However, it has been said that our (the VBBA) major expense is the issuance of the newsletter, and in fact, its recent non-issuance was the reason for waiving dues this year. Would a website-located newsletter therefore eliminate the need for VBBA dues? I personally don't think a no-dues policy would serve us well, and might even be detrimental to the organization. Is there an alternate need for use of our funds? If so, then this proposal might be beneficial. Otherwise, we need to look at many other factors before deciding. Ed "Pigtail" Elmore Replying for the Chicago Salmon Vintage Base Ball Team. Yes, we would periodically add to an online newsletter. We have a website team members can post photos and links on our website already and we'd be happy to add to the VBBA newsletter if asked. Elizabeth "Boss Lady" Carlson Email is ubiquitous and readily available for anyone. My vote is to cut any/all hardcopy expenses and do the newsletter entirely via the vbba.org web site. Bill Firstenberger That method would be just fine for the Muffin Club as currently all of our members have access to the web. Don Andersen I think an online newsletter would be just fine. The notice of when new things are available is a good idea. Looking forward to the convention in April. Mary Jane Schmitt I think an electronic version of the newsletter is great (sure beats no newsletter thats for sure). The local ski club I belong to has used e-newsletter for the last few years and it has reduced expenses tremendously. We produce it in pdf and send it to the members and post a copy on the website (also an archive of previous months as well). I would just go with electronic versions for now unless someone has absolutely no email (hard to believe). Charging for hard copy doesn't seem out of line. Hopefully you can get all member clubs to designate someone to submit items regularly (I'm confident that we will) Kevin "Hickory" Pritchard, Ohio Village Muffins I think an online version of the VBBA newsletter is a good and acceptable idea. It allows information to be quickly posted rather than waiting for the newsletter to be printed, stuffed/labeled, and then mailed and it certainly will save money with an online version to avoid printing and postage costs. Regarding the nine clubs without email - certainly someone on their club has access to email. Ideally, the email version could be in a format suitable that if a club wanted to print copies to distribute at their matches, they could simply do it off their own printers and copy machines. In order to honor those clubs that pay memberships, the online version should be available at a link for members. When a new version is available, an email can be sent to members with a link to the newsletter. I would also like to see back issues on line with an index to help those trying to research the various topics of vintage base ball. Pat I think the idea of a "newsletter" page on the web site is a good one. A hard copy should be printed, not more than twice a year so those without e-mail can know what is going on. I always like a printed document to look at. Call me old fashioned. Thanks for the opportunity for input. Mark "Ledger" Large, Ohio Village Muffins This reply provides a consensus opinion of the Executive Committee of the Cincinnati Vintage Base Ball Club. This Committee represents both the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings and the Cincinnati Buckeyes: We strongly support the concept of an "on-line" newsletter with the capability of providing articles/updates from member organizations (pending review) and the member clubs notifying their individual members when new information is available. We also support a fee for members that wish to receive a "hard copy" of the newsletter. I'm fine with having it just online. Vito Sanfilippo, Rockland County Athletics Great idea to once again start up the Newsletter. For me (yes I am out of the old school) I like to receive hard copy of Newsletters, but I also know that this would be an added expense and also almost everyone in the world communicates via e-mail. So whatever is the best for the Communications Committee I would agee with and it will be interesting to see how others feel. Helen "EDPP" De Geatano? Online version of the VBBA Newsletter is a great idea, along with the ease of submitting a note or article. Also, sending a hard copy to those few without e-mail would be fine with me, at no charge. Ken Weaver The electronic news letter sounds like a great idea. Most organizations I belong to have made similar changes. We still have computer neophites who argue for the need of a paper newsletter, but they are few. We have not started charging for hard copies, but everyone has other options, such as the local public library. I don't think charging is out of line. Brian Sarvas - Lorain County Buckeyes |