CaUSTIC dOCUMENTS

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The All-Stars group was always committed to  kids and coaches and families. There were no improprieties.  People came from across the entire state. They had a great time. Legion baseball was displayed in a positive light. 

Abusing Legion? Dishonoring the American Legion? Abusing the baseball board or its officers? Nope. Not All Stars. And not the All-Star organizers.

We Felt It - Rising Hostility From One Direction - The Minnesota Legion Baseball Board of Directors

 As the program grew, so did the level of apparent hostility grow within the baseball board. In a "normal" world, success would be celebrated.  Could baseball board members feel threatened? Were personal issues like grudges, personal conflicts or frictions, personal turf, personal control, or other factors lurking in the shadows? You just don't know when folks won't communicate.

Story #1 Out - In Comes the Substitute

Well, that first dog wouldn’t hunt.  The "They Stole the Legion Brand" story was phony. It barely lasted a phone call. Schaub could not defend it.

So, on or about November 5th, Director Randy trotted out a new justification for their drastic actions. Schaub told  Mr. C. that some board members felt Barron and Perry were 'caustic'. Mostly Barron.  Schaub said he was offended, too. 

• Who was "caustic"? When? What words? What "caustic" justified their actions? 
• We do not know the specifics even today. But we do have some personal theories which are better left unpublished.

Schaub Told A Completely Different Story at the Beginning - September 24th

Director Schaub said his board members had been out of line - not Barron.

•  Barron’s in-person report to the Board was on September 19th. The first time anyone voiced the term ‘caustic’ and blamed Barron for personally offending anyone was after November 5th.
• State Director Schaub spoke with the former director on September 25th. He said it was  his board members that were so out of line with nasty comments and attacks when Barron left the room, that he went home and sent an email to every member. He  said he asked members to set aside personal agendas and be open to new ideas.

If there was a legitimate issue or any issue with Barron offending someone or someones with ‘caustic” comments, one would expect it would have surfaced immediately. But Schaub told the opposite story. He told of board member misconduct.

So Where Was Caustic?

• In the September 21st presentation?
• In the October 4th Memo?
• In private emails?

We dunno.

Discussions Began 

Phone conversations with Schaub and Mr. C began almost immediately following the delivery of the Cease and Desist letter which ran in the November 5th to 20th time frame.

• Fake Story #1 was quickly debunked and dropped from conversation.
• The new "Caustic" hurt feelings storywas substituted. 
• Mr. C pushed Mr. Schaub for the parties to reconcile. He pushed Randy to reverse course on All-Stars. 

Trying to Maybe Put It Back Together

Randy was pushed  to come to his senses. You don’t kill off programs that are good for kids and Legion baseball because a few adults have their nose out of joint. That remedy made no sense. Whose nose was injured anyway? Everything was so secretive. 

The State Director seemed to soften his position. Was it real or was it going to be the “amiable tell them what they want to hear” methodology ? Would it be genuine - or not?

• Randy was going to talk to his people. He agreed to speak to speak with the guys that were the drivers behind the actions.? Randy was going to attempt to mediate or so he said.
• About Monday November 18th,  vthe diretor said Randy said he and the board (or someone) needed an apology from Barron as an essential step to begin to get moving in a positive direction. 
• Barron  emailed an apology to Randy on the 18th: 
• Randy- I want to issue a true apology to you and the others that were offended by some previous remarks and tone. I certainly know from business to step back and take a few breaths when one is angry, especially when using email or text messages. I do understand I came off as caustic and probably condescending to you and others when I sent commentaries that clearly had some anger underneath. Everyone has passion for the program. And all of us, everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Bruce Barron
• Randy emailed his apology acceptance to Barron the next morning:
•  Bruce! Just speaking for myself, I accept your apology, and I hope we can work together to improve Legion baseball here and into the future. You know I valued your ideas and opinions, and the Legion Prospect Series has been a resounding success due to the hard work you and Mike and others have put into it. Thanks for the note! Randy

Randy’s note was appreciated. 

• We were told the director went to his people for their apology acceptance.
• Oops. Randy was just fine. But guys he identified his vice-directors Brandon Raymo and Jeff “Slick” Miller, would not accept an apology that was contained in an email.
• Raymo and Miller would only accept an apology in person. Really. OK. 
• Having a sit down meeting would probably be best. Barron and the vice-directors had little or no contact or relationship. Mayybe, just maybe, some good could come out of a sit down.  Adults resolve differences by meeting up.
• Barron replied that he would meet any time and anywhere. It could be one-on-one or one-on-a-crowd. You pick it Brandon. If you want to meet in Montevideo – let’s do Montevideo. If Miller wants to meet in Ottertail, let’s do it. Just say when and where.
• Randy reported back the next day. He spoke with Raymo and Miller who each refused to meet. They backed out. What is the message to take away from Schaub and Raymo and Miller?

What Were We Learning?

Did the the state director have no influence with his vice-directors? 

Were we being played? 

What is going on here? 

• Randy and who knew who else,  besides the  vice directors and the secretary,  felt they had to take unprecedented action that would disadvantage Legion kids and families to defend what exactly.
• What was it that they couldn't sit in a room about? 

Deception Revealed - Game Over

But wait! 

• This back and forth “let’s start to fix it” with Schaub turned out to be a total charade! 
• At the same time Randy was involved in discussions to possibly resolve issues, two completely  new stories with Real Cause #3 and Real Cause #4 had already been delivered with a secret letter. 
• A letter and two stories that we were never intended to see.
• The Secret Letter Stories had been sent November 14th.
• Mr. Schaub's request for an apology was on November 18th.

Had the State Director acting in good faith?

Several people had encouraged Barron to go before the baseball board to report on the progress of All-Stars but to also share information and concerns that had built over the four years of operations. 

Barron's Report

September 21st - You Could Feel Hostility

Anyone could sense the air of hostility and uncertainty when Barron entered the meeting room. We were aware of the background noise pushing a "they are outsiders" and "they can manage by thgemselves".  With that  "shun the outsider" lens attached, some board members viewed All-Stars as "their project" - "outsider turf".  You could cut the tension.

About a third of the group were slouched down in the chairs. Some arms were folded. Some maintaioned eye contact with the floor . A few seemed to glare. And several board members seemed welcoming and attentive.

Barron’s Comments on the Report of September 21st

I prepared a report that would share who we are, what we are doing, what we have discovered, and additional avenues that can and should be considered. The goal was to stimulate future discussion. I have given plenty of presentations to many different groups. I approached the baseball board members as equals. As ‘we are all working for the good of kids and the Legion brand.’

Report Outline:

1. We people – who we are and where we come from.
2. Our Process – what we do and how we do it. The Excellence process that has us tearing down everything we do. What worked. What did not. What could be better. That sort of active review that forms the basis for planning.
3. Brief All-Star review – grew fast and way beyond our capacity on just the second full year. We should consider some additional adjoining tournaments to meet demand. Stats and features were described. People were showing renewed excitement for Legion baseball with many new faces and organizations coming forward including the Minnesota Twins. People are exited to see Legion baseball offering more opportunities. Hopefully the board would see fit to once again sponsor All-Stars on equal footing with a state tournament. 
4. Shared concerns as every indication and every metric showed Legion losing the race for better talented sophomores and juniors. The Twins had shared their concerns for community baseball (as represented by Legion baseball) that the 2024 flow of talent toward private clubs (pay-to-play teams) was the greatest they have ever oberved. 

You shouldn't cite problems without offering some solutions. I offered four recommendations that could be funded by the state Legion or could be self-financing costing the board nothing.

1. Sponsor four fall baseball teams. The State Director had expressed to us interest in fall ball. There are plug-and-play leagues already established  in Minnesota. Many Legion players play for club teams in the fall leagues.  Why play not for a Legion team?
2. Sponsor a Legion Coaches Association or advisory group.  Legion coaches are the core of the program . They have energy and ideas. Us opld guys have only so much energy and band width. Include Legion coaches and it will pay dividends.
3. Described in detail the “zip code” approach for a 2025 beta test of 6 to 8 teams. This would be a limnited and optional program. Coaches have pushed ifdeas forward to better compete for players and to better develop their guys. The concept was not new or even original. A specific list was given of programs and coaches that want to spearhead a trial or beta test in 2025. Several questions were asked.
4. The  final recommendation was to create a board subcommittee for All Stars and whatever else might come along. We need expanmded communication and coordination.

The group did seem attentive. But the hostility was discerable. I almost stopped halfway into the presentation to ask: – What is the problem? You have the best and biggest all-star program in the country, and you look like I just ran over your dog. 

Out of respect, I stuck to the script. Looking back, maybe the confrontational approach might have gotten me kicked out of the room and a couple of months of drama would have been avoided .