Why A Third Story weeks after All Stars Was Dead?

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The Secret Letter was the 3rd storyline that came out. Why was it necessary and what triggered it?

• All Stars was already considered dead as of November 1st even if the C& D letter had false storyline attached
• Director Schaub subsituted Real Cause #2 "Caustic" a few days later, but that didn't alter the status of All-Stars - it was dead.
• The Secret Letter Story came out two weeks later on November 14th.
• Director Schaub's conversations didn't offer a hint of reconciliation until after the 14th.
• Why cook up a new story and pretend that the 3rd Story along with the 3rd Real Cause had anything to do with the action of November 1st?
• We were never intended to see the Secret Stories. They were supposed to be locked away far from our eyes.

The Secret Letter Story #3 was a more elaborate story that, even if it was largely fiction, needs to be addressed directly.

There is a lot to unpack which we will do in sections.

Sorry. There is a lot of material here.

What does the Secret Letter Story say? 

• Are there exaggerations or misleading statements? 
• What is true?
• What appear to be personal views claimed as board actions?
• A statements, representations, or claims made in Secret Letter Story #3 verifiable?
• Its the story true or is it fiction?
• Is Real Cause #3 real? Or more bogus fluff?

We Thought It Was Over And Done the First Time - November 1st

All-Stars had already been killed and the  co-founders of Legion All-Stars had been banished from Legion baseball as of November 1st.  We thought it was a done deal.

We Thought All-Stars Was Dead the Second Time - November 19th

When the first story failed, the director immediately substituted his "Caustic" storyline of personal grievance. That was the real cause that killed All-Stars. The spectre of a possible All-Star reconciliation vanished November 19th. Dead again.

Out Of The Shadows Of Secrecy More Stories Emerged

While Randy was dangled the spectre of reconciliation with his "Caustic Charade", others in  his Crew had rushed to pull together a third and a completely new  story. It was formulated and delivered  November 14th, a full two weeks after All-Stars was terminated.

Why Not Use The Secret Stories In The First Place?

Take your best shot up front! Mom said - tell the truth first . You don't need to change your story after that.

Why wasn't zip codes used in the first time around?

1. Because the zip code thing wasn't even on the radar before November 1.
2. Because they knew full well, as certainly the director did know, that a zip-code proposal had been requested by the director. Generating a proposal is no crime. Any question would be a phone call away.
3. Because if zip code was a real cause, it would have been in the Cease and Desist letter and we would have seen it.
4. Because if zip code was used as a story in the C&D letter it would have been debunked just like the first story.

The only chance a zip code justification story could fly is if you sold it to an audience that: 

A) That would not know any better, or  

B) An audience that would not care, or 

C) An audience like other board members would to take the word of their board officers without so much as a question.

 D) All of the above.

They Got Spooked - The Price of Choosing Isolation

You know, there is danger when one chooses isolation rather than communication. 

Ask any spouse. Silence is a bad thing. It will always raise hotility levels. It will always lead to misunderstandings. It may also lead to paranoia - fear of things that will never happen.

From the outside where we sat, it looked like Schaub and his team had "gone to the mattresses" (a Mafia term). Director Schaub cut off communications and  went absentee on us on September 25th. We got the cold shoulder and a  'Wall of Silence'.  Great leadership, indeed. Actually blisteringly awful leadership, but that's just an opinion.

Spooked: The Bosses Feared The All Star Guys Would Continue Independently

They got spooked at the end of November's first week. 

• What if Barron and Perry decide to continue the all-star series without us?
• What if they go ahead on their own with zip code team experiment?
• Good lord. The all-star guys have the systems and the contacts. They have other sponsors and they know how to manage financially.
• Oh my gawd, they could even compete with us. They might compete with Legion baseball.
• We have to act.
• We have to cut them off from any and all possible sources of..... Legion money!
• What will we say? We gotta do something!

Well, Boys. You Coulda Saved Yourselves The Trouble

• You could have picked up a phone and saved yourself the trouble.
• You could have read the written response to the Cease and Desist letter.
• You could have asked for a copy of the all-star founders Real IDs and checked their birthdates - ain't either of them going to travel the state just to poke a finger in your eyes, deserved or otherwise.

So off on your horses you went like a Don Quixote ready to fight the windmills.

Baseball Heroes: We Protect Your Legion Treasure Chests!

The Secret Letter was about money. They wanted to keep the All-Star guys from raising money from any and all potential Legion sources. That meant hit the Legion posts. Save them from being plundered. Stop the Rogue All Star guys from getting Legion money to, get this, compete with Legion baseball.

• Wow. Rabbit Holes and Conspiracy theories really do exist here at home. Even in Legion baseball. What wasted energy.
• Hint: All Sars was not dependent on Legion sources of funding. We used Legion sponsorships to keep Legion player costs to a minimum - to benefit Legion families

A Few Legion Funding Facts Out On The Table

• Fact - Only four posts had been past All-Star sponsors.  All were publicly  identified on our website. Just call them and tell them to lock us out.
• Fact - Total 2024 post contributions equalled the All-Star umpire budget.
• Fact - All-Stars was not financially dependent on Legion sponsorship dollars. 
• Fact - Of the four posts that had sponsored All-Stars, two were managed by board members and one was influenced by a board member. No need to send a letter to those guys! 
• Fact - There was  just one other post sponsor to consider. Maybe a phone call would have done the trick? A text message? A postcard maybe?

A full-scale mailing to all post commanders would sure seem excessive. 

• Would it be risky to mail the entire Legion post community with  what one might call "highly questionable" materials that may just contain some false and misleading statement?
• To us, the Secret Letter Story appears to be a fictional accounting with personal views presented as actual board activity.

Oh well. Not our problem.

Did Post Commanders Need Such A New And Involved Story?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

The Secret Letter targeted the 531 Post commanders in Minnesota. 

• Would they care or are they involved in any significant way with baseball?
• Would they know or even care about Legion All-Stars or its history or its demise?
• Why would any post commander care about why the baseball board killed the All-Star  program?
• Why would they care or care to know of something called "zip code" teams?
• Was a wanted poster sent out with pictures to each post to better help them 

Maybe Legion Baseball Leadership was  proudly acting to protect all of the American Legion from certan attack by the enemy.

Legion Board Members Were Also A Target Audience

• None of us knows what went on between the so-called leaders and board members.
• What we do know is that several board members have given versions of the Secret Stories as what they understand to be the actual cause and justification for ending All-Stars.
• To The Board Member: Read carefully. Look at documents and dates. You bought a line of b****.

1. All-Stars had been fully aligned with the baseball board and its mission for the previous four years.
2. All-Stars had been a good program that showcased and benefitted Legion kids. Right on author of Story #3!
3. Despite the positive endorsement of the letter writer, it was the "leadership" of the baseball board that made a decision to end All-Stars.
4. They decided to end All-Stars because of Zip Codes - a completely different subject. 
5. Note: The letter does not detail the logic or the linkage between an All-Star program that was humming along in "alignment" with the board and the zipcode idea that would appear to most folks as two completely separate topics and programs. 
6. Then -  "during a recent Minnesota American Legion Board of Directors meeting" - There were three baseball board meetings held during fall 2024:  September 18 (Zoom), September 21 (in-person), October 9 (Zoom). Which of these formal meetinmgs was referred to? There are minutes for all three of the board meetings.
7. Then "a founding member of the MN Legion Prospect Series presented ideas for expanding the All Star Series into the regular season by creating “Zip Code” teams." 
8. Note: this letter refers to "presented ideas". It does not say: made a recommendation. It does not say made a proposal. It did not say 'as creating a 2025 program'. It says (Barron) "presented ideas". True. He did on September 21st - at The Board Meeting.
9. OK. There is a new "linkage" being stated: The All-Star Series (a post-season weekend event)  wanted to expand into the regular season with "zip code teams". That is pretty tricky stuff.  Barron presenmted " four separate and inpeendent Ideas" to the board. All Stars and Zip Codes are two completely different concepts and ideas are thrown in as if they were the same. 
10. Then - The Letter states: "After careful consideration, the Board rejected this proposal." This "rejection" mjust be assumed to have occurred  "during a recent Minnesota American Legion Board of Directors meeting".
11. Wait. What "proposal" was rejected? The author first described that anm "idea" was presented. Then the "Idea" was called a "concept". OK. Maybe those two would be close enough. Now when did that "founder of All Stars" publish and present an actual "proposal" to the bopatrd that could be discussed and rejected? Words mean what they say. "Idea" and proposal" are completely different in meaning and context - as the Letter's author knows. Perhaps the author expects the audience not to notice or understand his manipulation of words.
12. Why was "the proposal" rejected? The Letter states:  "First, the concept of “Zip Code” teams would violate several established Minnesota American Legion Baseball rules." Certainly there would have been considerable discussion of several Minnesota rules at that Board of Director's meeting.  The actualk rules would have page numbers and rule numbers where the "several established rules" could be found. Certainly this thourough discussion took place at that Board of Director's meeting ahead of the board vote to reject.
13. Why else was it rejected? The Letter states: "Second, the idea would place undue strain on our regular season teams for the benefit of a select few."   Certainly there must been considerable discussion concerning running lineups and determining strain that would extend across the entire state. Factors and circumstances would certainly vary considerably among the 360 Legion teams in the state.  Certainly a comprehensive discussion took place at that Board of Director's meeting ahead of the decision to reject the zipcode idea/concept Wait. No - they rejected aProposal.
14. The zip code "concept" would be "undermining the integrity of the program as a whole." That topic of integrity of the entire program must certainly have taken up some time at the Board of Directors meeting. What does that actually mean - "undermining the intergrity" of all of Legion baseball? Wow. Did the borad members reach that broad conclusion? At the Board of Directors Meeting  as referred b y the author? It seems like an A to Z discussion as the board of directors were seemingly extremely diligent in their process and wide ranging in their deliberations..
15. The Secret Letter painted quite the picture of a very busy board of directors meeting diligently considered every aspect of what was first described as an "idea". They gave "careful consideration". Really?
16. So the Board rejected zip code teams. Normal procedure would be a vote of the board of directors presumably at the Board of Director's meeting. 
17. Comment: The Secret Letter's description is of a very complete and formal process. The normal course of taking as topic to decision involves: 1. Gaining a spot on the agenda; 2. Introducing the topic; 3. Distrubutimg materials if a "proposal" was onvolved. AN "idea" would be just a verbal desc riuption.  4. Opening up the floor for discussion (in this case it seemed quite comprehensive); 5. Someone makes a motion; 6. A vote is taken; 7. A decision is reached; 8. The maker of the proposal is notified. The entire official process would be recorded in the official minutes of the board meeting by the Secretary - in this case Tim Engstrom.
18. Once again: the letter states: "After careful consideration, the Board rejected this proposal" . Had anyone seen an actual proposal that Barron created and submitted to the board? Something submitted that could be acted on?
19. Secret Story #3 stated that the Board of Directors rejected the zip code "proposal". Great. Where was that vote recorded?  Who was in attendance? WHat was the actual vote count? Where and how was that decision memorialized? Who, how and to whom was the decision to reject communicated? If the process description was accurate, it would certainly be someone's responsibility to write it down. It would be somone's task and responsibility to communicate the acceptance or rejection. The Secret Letter provides no indication of any communication to anyone about anything. 

 Let's examine the Secret Letter in sections.  There is a lot up unpack.What does it say? 

• Are there exaggerations or misleading statements? 
• What is true?
• What appear to be personal views claimed as board actions?
• A statements, representations, or claims made in Secret Letter Story #3 verifiable?
• Its the story true or is it fiction?
• Is Real Cause #3 real? Or more bogus fluff?

Section 1 - Credit Taken For Decision To Kill All Stars

• We did not find any record of any board discussion or any board action regarding All-Stars in the official minutes of the fall baseball board meetings.
• There was nothing to indicate that, after the October 9th board meeting ended, that any meeting of the baseball board was held.
• Conclusion: The baseball board did not discuss and did not act to cancel All Stars at a meeting of the board of directions
• You will not find any claim of responsibilty or any annoucement of the decision to end All-Stars  on the baseball website or an email from the board or state director. 
• The decision makers have never come forward. To the folks in Legion Land - they have chosen invisibility. They dont want anyone to know outside the board room.  Secrecy and the Code of Silence rule..
• There have been no public statements whatsoever.
• It is as if the Cloak of Invisibility has wrapped the Legoin Baseball Board. Oh Hogwarts.

 Secret Letter Story Told Who Dunnit - The Confession 

The Secret Letter revealed Who Dunnit. Yes it did. To, of all people, the 531 Minnesota Legion Post commanders. What an oddity. The people least likely to know or least likely to care were given the information that people who might want to know or might care were denied.

The November 14th Secret Letter States

"In recent weeks, the leadership of Minnesota American Legion Baseball made the difficult decision to discontinue its support for the All Star Series, which has been held at the end of the season for the past four years."

• There you have it. Unmistakable.  The Leaders did it. 
• Not the Baseball Board of Directors - the Leadership
• They put their hand in the air and claimed credit for the killing of All-Stars.
• The Leadership of Minnesota American Legion Baseball
• They made "the difficult decision". It took them weeks. It was agony. 
• That is an admission and confession. And we believe it to be true.

Proudly Identified But Staying In The Shadows

 So you now know  Who Dunnit. Sort of know, anyway.

• It is clear that the author wants the reader to know who called the shots. The writer gave the credit to just a few people and not the entire baseball board.  
• With the fall meetings over. The Leadership few took control. When it was decision and action time, only "the leadership" called the shots. That narrows down the field.
• Yet - They still wanted to stay anonymous. To stay in the shadows.
• Nonetheless, the "leadership" took sole credit for making the decisions and taking action. And we believe that claim. Other board members have corroberated the claim - so long as we keep their names out of it. 

Who Are They?  Who Are the "Leadership"?

Their secret is revealed! They are also called -  The "Executive Board"

Here is the Leadership: 

• Randy Schaub - State Director - Danube MN -   randypschaub23@gmail.com 
• Jeff "Slick" Miller  - Vice Director -  Ottertail MN -  Slick013162@gmail.com 
• Brandon Raymo - Vice Director - Montevideo MN -  braymo22@gmail.com 
• Tim Engstrom - Secretary -Bloomington -  tengstrom@mnlegion.org 

They claimed credit for the decisions and actions. 

They took matters into their own hands. 

We have no reason to dispute their claim. 

If we have missed someone that is "leadership", let us know and we can give you proper credit. 

We are jumping ahead in the Secret Letter to see what the author came up with for their third 'real cause" for their actions.  It may seem a bit like moving the cart before the horse.  Hang in there. It will make sense.

We will; use the terms "idea" and "concept" interchangably just as did the author of the Secret Letter Story. They are close enough.

The Smoking Gun of The Secret Letter Story November 14th 

"Despite the rejection of this idea (zip code teams) at the Board meeting, it has come to our attention that the concept of “Legion Gold” and “Legion Zone” teams is still being promoted across the state as a potential addition to the 2025 season."

• The REJECTION of this CONCEPT  at THE BOARD MEETING  
• The CONCEPT  - an IDEA
• Was still being PROMOTED across the state
• As a POTENTIAL addition For 2025

WAIT. WHAT? DID WE READ THAT RIGHT? Because:

• SOMEONE SHARED AN IDEA THAT WAS A POTENTIAL AT THE TIME?
• ABOUT SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO ALL-STARS?
• AND THE 'LEADERS' HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO ACT AND KILL THE PROGRAM?

The Leadership killed an All-Star program because an idea was shared weeks earlier about a possible beta test of something completely different and separate from All-Stars. That seprate idea was to be the subject of a proposal that the State Director had requested.  Just mind-blowing logic. Its a fake justification.

Conclusion - The assertion that sharing an idea, or a concept, or a potential of something is a rational justifiction for using the nuclear option to kill a completely different program is beyond belief. It is a False causal claim.

"Promoting"? Another False Statement

The Leadership discovered "promoting". The reference is to the informational email sent out to a handful of coaches at the conclusion of the Proposal For Randy effort nearly a month before this November 14th Secret Letter Story. And the Secret Story is two weeks after Story #1 claimed fraud.

Coaches that were contacted to see if they wanted to participate in a possible 2025 beta test between October 5th and the 18th. This group would be the basis for providing a proposal to the State Director as requested. The short list of already interested coaches contained the names that were presented to the entire biord on September 21st.

The assertion that anyone was promoting anything, whether any fictional activity had ever occurred as described, it completely false - once again.

If anyone had an issue of any sort - just pick up the phone!

Conclusion: the justifications offered were false and misleading.

'Rejection Of This Idea and Proposal At The Board Meeting'

Secret Letter Story portrayed a serious and official process. Everything described supposedly happened 'at a recent meeting of the board of directors". When? Where are the minutes and records?

The Secret Letter mixes descriptions.

•  A "proposal" was first rejected early in the Secret Letter. 
• At the end a "idea" was rejected. 

Which Was It? Did It Ever Happen?

• Who has ever heard of an "idea" coming up for a vote at a board meeting? A busy board does not interrupt its agenda, drop everything and launch into an extensive discussion or take action. Certainly NOT for a "idea". 
• Go check the Meeting Minutes. You wont find any mention of a rejection of an idea or a concept.
• How about a "proposal"? A board might act on a proposal. We never provided a proposal. Who created a proposal for one of Barron's ideas? Does anyone have a copy? There is a process invloving proposals- get in the agenda, distribute copies of a proposal. Answer questions. A motion is made for or against. Discussion is held. The question is called. A vote taken and a decision made. Then the results get communicated to the proposal maker. 
• Go check the Meeting Minutes. You wont find any mention of a rejection of a proposal.

Decision To Reject... Reject What?  Real Or Fake - Get the Story Straight

• The Secret Letter can't keep its terminology consistent.   The truth is always simple and consistent. 
• There is no record of any discussion or any decision or any activity in the official minutes of the only board meetings known to have existed - September 21st and October 9th.
• We think statements made are false and misleading

When? At What Meeting

1. When? Where? Board meetings took place September 21st and October 9th. There is no record of any special board meeting after October 9th. 
2. There is no mention of zip code anythings in official meetings of the "recent board meetings" of fall 2024. 

Personal Views & Wishful Thinking? 

The writer's  personal views or recollections or extraneous comments from meetings held weeks earlier would not constitute official business. 

The Third Attempt At A "Real Cause" Requiring The Cancellation of All Stars

We have to ask - Where Are The High Crimes To Justify Execution?

1. Who takes drastic action over an "idea" that was a "potential"?
2. What sense does that make?
3. Why would anyone kill an All Star program over an 'idea' of a possible 'potential'?
4. And who would kill an all star program  for an idea about something totally from All-stars different that had not even been  proposed?

Conclusion

• There was no 'smoking gun' in the Secret Story.
• They did not kill All-Stars because of an idea that was a potential.
• It would be embarassing if that were the case. 

Secret Story #3 is a scam full of false and misleading statements

 Story #1 - "They Hijacked Our Legion Brand" alleged that the founders and the All-Star program were frauds from the very start. Story #3 said differently.

All-Stars Was Successful and Aligned With Legion Baseball

The Secret Letter began by introducing the topic of All Stars to the Post Commanders. 

The writer highlighted positive 'alignment' of the All-Star program with Legion baseball:

"This event (Legion All-Stars)was organized by the MN Legion Prospect Series, a dedicated group of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to showcase talented players and celebrate the summer season of American Legion Baseball. When the All Star Series was first introduced, its mission and vision were aligned with those of Minnesota American Legion Baseball. The series successfully highlighted the skills of the players while celebrating the sseason as a whole. Over time, the event expanded to include multiple teams and players from both the metro and outstate areas."

It took five years and thousands of hours from All Star's many volunteers for an actual board member, in this case a "Leader", to finally issue a positive statement about the Legion All Star program. Gosh, it was as if they copied some descriptive words right from our website. 

It wasnt a compliment. The words of the author rang as an epitaph.

Note Some References:

Words often matter. One must pay attention to what is said. And what is not said. What is  stated and that which is implied.

"When  'First Organized' - its mission and vision were aligned with Minnesota Legion Baseball.'

• From Day 1, Legion All-Stars' mission and vision had never wavered. We focused on developing opportunities for Legion players, Legion coaches, and Legion families. We delivered on our mission. 
• All Stars 2025 promised to share the same vision and mission.
• So what was the"mission and vision" of Minnesota Legion Baseball "when All-Stars was first organized"?
• As the mission and vision of All Stars had not changed, then it would be the mission and vision of the Minnesota Legion Baseball that had changed, assuming such mission or vision statements actually existed then or exist now.
• But neither Minnesota Legion Baseball nor the board of directors actually made the decisions, or took the actions, or wrote the numerous changing stories.
• So we must be talking of the mission and vision of those that called themselves the "Leadership" who did all of the above.
• What then was the Leadership's mission and vision when "first organized"? How did your mission and vision change? What is it now? Please explain Randy &  Slick & Brandon. You are the Leadership. Inquiring minds want to know

Come On, Y'all.

• All-Stars didnt change visions or missions. 
• The Vision and Mission alignment problem is in the Baseball board and particularly its officers. 
• We believe the State Director's statements characterizing "personal agendas" as driving several board members. We believe those poersonal agendas drove the officers - the "Leadership". Not Vision or Mission.

 Story #3  Contradicted Story #1

• The entire premise of Story 1 was the claim that the All-Star program and its founders were frauds and stole Legion branding from the start. Well there is no chance that All Stars could have been  "in alignment' whatsoever.
• Secret Story #3 said  All-Stars was in alignment with mission and vision of Minnesota Legion baseball - hence the baseball board.
• That is the opposite of fraud. 
• You can't have it both ways. Leadership just confirmed what we told you - Story #1 was a fake. 

Story #1: We See A Minnesota American Legion Problem 

An entirely fake story, and a knowingly fake story, was put out by the Minnesota American Legion - its employee and its letterhead

No All Stars did not want tio expand anything beyond its weekend. It wanted to expand the weekend to include more Legion players.

In Came The Zip Codes - A Smokescreen To Justify Killing All Stars 

- Zip Codes Could be a Trial - All STars Was Its Own Program.

After praising All-Stars , the Secret Story then moved to build a story about a completely different topic. It was an called the 'zip code teams'.  The author wanted to link All-Stars to Zip Codes. That was a little piece of trickery. The author was a bit of a sly one it seems. 

The Secret Letter Said

"during a recent Minnesota American Legion Board of Directors meeting, a founding member of the MN Legion Prospect Series presented ideas for expanding the All Star Series into the regular season by creating “Zip Code” teams."

Expansion Linkage to Zip Codes Was False and Misleading

There - that's the link. And it is just plain false. 

• Barron never presented any idea to expand All Stars (the Prospect Series) beyond its weekend event, period.
• The presentation asked for Board support for All-Stars which was done at the front of the presentaion of September 21st.
• The 'idea' of zip codes was one of four ideas presented at the end of the report. It was mentioned as a completely separate idea for a test or an experiment to be operated by participating Legion coaches.
• No expansion of the Prospect Series beyond an all-star weekend was ever contemplated, nor intended, nor recommended.

Conclusion

The Prospect Series or Legion All-Stars was not expanding or seeking to expand. The linkage or assertion is false and misleading.

The Secret Letter States

"During a recent Minnesota American Legion Board of Directors meeting

Official Business Conducted At An Official Board Meeting -  But When Exactly?

The Secret Story clearly details a diligent process involving the full board of directors that occuured at an official board of directors meeting. No, the process was not one of the "Leadership" few. This was the entire board. 

When Did The Board Activity Happen? 

There were three rounds for the fall  Board of Directors meetings. Each meeting was  covered by minutes that we have displayed. The dates: 

1. September 18th by Zoom
2. September 21st at the Chanhassen Legion Post
3. October 9th by Zoom

• No one has claimed to have been invited, attended, or participated in a Board of Directors meeting beyond the above dates.
• Secretary Engstrom supplied the offical meeting minutes on October 21st that he represented to be full and complete.
• No Special Meeting of the board was called between Engstrom's delivery of the minutes October 21st and the Cease and Desist letter of November 1st, barely a week later.

About Board Meetings - They Are Official With Records and Procedures are Required

Board meetings might seem casual. But they are official and are to be conducted in a business like manner. Meetings follow Roberst Rules of Order. Some requirements include:

• Board meetings have agendas and schedules. Time is limited at meetings. Randy Schaub facilitates the agenda and schedules. As Director, he keeps meetings moving along and on schedule.  
• Secretary Tim Engstrom is charged with scribing detailed meeting minutes to  memorialize all aspects of each board meeting including: attendance, topics, comments of members, meeting materials, handouts, speaker summaries, motions and their dispostion, votes are recorded. In other words, baseball board meetings are virtually transcribed. It is required.

Was it At  the  September 21st Board Of Directors Meeting.? 

Did any or all of the "careful" and seemingly comprehensive discussion and consideration take place September 21st? No. It didn't.

• Check out the Fall meeting minutes. That meeting had a jam packed agenda. They were busy as bees covering all sorts of topics including approving a motions for a lunch break and one for final adjournment. The minutes do not include any word related to "zip code teams". Not one word.

From the Official Board of Directors Meeting Minutes of September 21 2024

"Bruce Barron was present for a report on the American Legion Prospect Series. It started five years ago, went from 16 players to 130, from Red Haddox Field to University of Northwestern’s Reynolds Field. Rosetown Post 542 couldn’t provide a color guard. Tourney offered wearables to players, and they liked them. Revenue has been in 4,000 to 5,000 area. State committee provides $2,000. He would like $2,500. He talked about ties to the Minnesota Twins. He encouraged Legion Baseball to offer fall ball, said there is an interest. Discussion ensued."

• Note that the "zip code" idea did not even make the meeting minutes. Fall ball did. 
• "Discussion ensued" - There were just a few questions asked before Baron left the room. 

Scratch September 21st from the possible "recent board meeting' list. 

Official minutes are clearly absent of any board activity or board action that was described in the Secret Letter. 

Was October 9th The "Recent" Meeting of the Board of Directors?

1. The Secret Letter boasts of a robust and comprehensive review of topics with decisions made in or at an actual board meeting. 
2. The Secret Letter does not state that the author made or heard off the record comments on a meeting break or when he was out with a couple of members for lunch. 
3. The activity described was portrayed as official. Official activity and discussion must be archived in minutes for the record.
4. Nothing described by the author shows in the the minutes of the October 9th board meeting. 

• There was no "zip code" agenda item. 
• There was no discussion or determination on rules. 
• There was no assessment or conclusion about lineup stress and the need for the board to manage local lineup matters. 
• No proposal was introduced concerning any idea that Barron had mentioned. There was no discussion of a proposal. There was no motion or vote on such a fictional proposal. Nothing was approved or rejected.

Official minutes are clearly absent of any board activity or board action that was described in the Secret Letter. Nope - October 9th is out. This could not be "the recent Board of Directors Meeting.

So When Was The Careful Consideration At A Recent Board Meeting?

October 9th was the last and most recent meeting of the Baseball Board of Directors in 2024.  No other baseball board of directors meeting was called, according to our board sources, during the remainder of October. 

The Claim Of Official Action At A Board Meeting Appears To Be Fiction

The claim of serious or official  baseball board discussions and determinations appears to  fictional. There is no record of activity that must be recorded. 

Any board member and certainly every leader would be well acquainted with the processes required of board meetings and with the taking of minutes. 

 The assertion of board activity at an actual board meeting made in the Secret Letter appears to be false and misleading.

Leadership Relied On The Board's Actions

The Secret Letter claimed that "leadership" relied on all of the claimed board activity, board actions, and board determinations. This was the basis for "leadership" to sieze control from the board of directors and impose their own decisions. 

Conclusions

• The  lack of any verification suggests we are viewing personal views and opinions wrapped as official board activity at an official board meeting.
• We think the assertion of activity at a recent board meeting is more likely just cooked up fiction. 
• There is just no verification of any such activity "at a recent board meeting".

The Secret Letter Says:

"After careful consideration, the Board rejected this proposal for several reasons. First, the concept of “Zip Code” teams would violate several established Minnesota American Legion Baseball rules. Second, the idea would place undue strain on our regular season teams for the benefit of a select few players, undermining the integrity of the program as a whole."

Violation of Rules - Come On Leadership - You Know Better

The Secret Story author(s) were around when All-Stars was introduced and approved.

• A board member made the claim that rules prevented all-star teams and programs. 
• The member contacted the National Baseball Director.  
• He found out that not only were there no rules preventing an all-star team, but the National Director was enthusiastically in favor of all-star programs and competition. 
• Such 'multi-community' teams are "exhibition" teams. There are no rules preventing coaches and players from more than one community to combine to play exhibition or scrimmage games.
• Teams that would compete in playoffs would of course need to comply to established Legion formats.

Been Down This Road Before

• The "against the rules" claim against All-Stars simply died. It was false. All-Stars went forward. No rules were violated.  There were no exhibition team rules then. There are no exhibition team rules now.
• A local multi-community team (called zip code teams here) is simply an exhibition team that may play in exhibition games.
• The National Baseball Director specifically ruled on that classification.
• Maybe the writer has his own personal views that he wants to impose on all players and coaches.

Show Us The Rules

There is nothing in the Minnesota Legion Baseball rule book that concerns or affects  exhibition teams or practice teams or scimmage teams. Find the rules!

• The 2025 Minnesota Rule book is available above. Several long established Minnesota rules would most certainly be found in the rule book.
• Please cite the 'several established applicable rules' regarding exhibition or all-star teams. Note the page number and rule number.
• There were no special exhibition team rules published in the National or Minnesota rule books in 2024 or 2025.

We All Know Better

• The Leadership knows better. There are no rules to violate.
• The claim that several established rules would be violated is  just plain false. It is misleading. 
• Maybe unsuspecting post commanders would not know the rules. 
• Did the Leadership close down All-Stars (exhibition teams) for 'violating several established Minnesota rule's? Of course not.  
• Did the Leadership close down All-Stars because Leadership claimed a different concept "zip code" teams 'violated several established Minnesota rule's? Who knows.
• An All Star team had players from 15 different communities. A zip code team might have from 1-5 communities. That is a scary world of optins when the Leadership can only understand - "one school one team" with anyhting else being a threat that must be fought off.

Conclusions

• The Secret Story's claims about zip code concept violating Minnesota rules are just plain false. And Leadership should know that better than anyone.
• Perhaps this "rules violation" claim was simply manufactured to fool unsuspecting Legion Post commandersg.

Claim #2 - The "Concept" Would Stress Team Lineup Management

The next claim was that the board of directors determined that the 'concept' was rejected because it would place  "undue strain on our regular season teams". 

Once again, there is no evidence that the baseball board discussed or made any determination regarding  this "stress" claim. We know there are several differing viewpoints on that baseball board such that discussion would have been vigorous.

We believe the unverified claim is a personal judgement and not a 'board action or determination'. The guy is entitled to his opinion. It might be a bit arrogant for this person to project his view on all of Legion baseball.

One Size Does Not Fit All

There are over 1,000 coaches and 360 teams in Minnesota Legion baseball. The coaches know how to manage their lineups and their rosters. Micro managing 1,000 coaches and 360 teams with the blanket statement of one individual or a few individuals on a baseball board is arrogant, at best. 

There are many issues that could cause lineup strain - Weather, injuries. bad behavior, club conflicts, parents, too many games, too few games, lack of competition, over powering competition, travel schedules, being part of the 60% of D2 Senior teams that never play at a sub-state tournament site, graduation parties etc. There is stress everywhere!

Already Sharing Weekend Players But With Non-Legion Programs

Coaches are stressed and challenged to attract players and to make sure that the layers have the best opportunities to develop as baseball players. 

• Local team coaches are the best able if not the only ones able to make decisions and determinations as to what is best for their program and best for their players.
• Different teams have different issues and challenges.
• The ultimate concept of zip-codes gave each local coach the decision whether they wanted to participate in such a program or not. If one saw opportunity and another saw lineup stress, one could choose to participate while the other coach would not participate. 
• This blanket proclamation, while typical of some on the baseball board, makes no sense in the real world.
• One size does not fit all.
• The idea gave an option. Nothing more. 

The Audacity of The Author - Father Knows Best

In an autocratic system, such as we now have in Minnesota, some people enjoy telling others what to do. Everyone must conform to the man's views. Trying to dictate lineup and program management from the chair of a boardroom would be little more than a cram down. Who knows best? Its the coach. Not some guy on some board.

What About Coaches That Wanted to Participate In The Experiment?

• Excelsior/Minnetonka - Who knows better? The author or the coach?   Does the author of the Secret Story really pretend to know what is in the best interest of the Excelsior/Minnetonka Legion program? Seriously? They want more challenges and opportunities for their younger developing players that are spread over five teams. The coach/general manager expressed concerns that younger guys often play behind older players so too often the younger developing guys just don't get enough innings.  He shared concerns that the Junior level has weakened  competitively such that there is a need to jack up the competitive level to attract and keep more young guys in the Legion program. The 'zip code" concept offered them an opportunity to better challenge and support their younger developing players. Who would know best for Excelsior? The Board? The three "Leaders" from Ottertail and Danube and Montevideo who have no contact with the local program?

• St. Michael - Who knows better? The author or the coach?   Does the author of the Secret Story really pretend to know what is in the best interest of the St. Michael Legion program? Does the Secret Letter writer think he or they know better how to manage rosters and stresses of lineups than the exceptional coaching staff of St. Michael? The board entrusted these guys to develop and run the giant D1 Senior state tournament for 2025. But some remote board member or the current 'leadership" regime should better manage lineups and stresses and not the coaches? Central control requires a certain arrogance, doesn't it.

• Dassel Cokato - Who knows better? The author or the coaches?   This community has exceptional people running their program and their teams. Clubs  have moved strongly into the area with at least nice kids playing some form of club ball. Providing a Legion option would allow parents to save a bunch of money while players could play on the additional weekends against higher level players of their age groups. Plus it would be fun to put together squads from surrounding communities that also have small to medium sized programs.  Point To Note: Dassel dropped out of Legion playoffs this year. Why?

These represent three of the programs that wanted to be a part of a test program for 2025. Not all coaches and teams would find a fit with the local zip code concept. There would be teams that would not participate.s.

Conclusion - The Concept Would Stress Lineups -  Its Misleading & False

• Common Sense: Obviously some lineups and coaches might be stressed while other coaches would find new opportunities to relieve other lineup streses.
• Ther is no evidence that the board held any official discussions or made an conclusive determinations at any board meeting.
• The Secret Story claim the Board made anyregarding the issue of 'line up stress" appears to be false and misleading. 

Claim #3 - The Board of Directors Rejected A Proposal

We believe this claim is false and misleading.

1. We never submitted a proposal of a zip code experiment or any other topic.
2. A proposal is ver  different than an idea or a concept or even a recommendation. Our proposal would be drafted, put on the agenda, copies distributed, and presented. Some one moves to approve or the reject. Discussion ensues. Its motion to vote, second,and vote.. That is what a proposal entails.
3. An 'idea" or a "concept" is as simple as a mention. There is nothing to approve or reject.
4. There is no record of any proposal being presented to the baseball board.
5. Who did? Where is it? Can we see a copy?
6. What is in the supposed 'zip code' proposal?
7.  Who put it on the agenda and when?
8. What discussion took place? Who made the motion to bring it to a vote?
9. What was the vote?
10. Where is the record of this claimed "rejection of a proposal" activity?

Conclusions on Claim #3 - The Board of Directors Rejected A Proposal

• The claim is unverified. We just do not believe this ever happened. 
• No one votes on an idea. 
• We do not think anyone produced a proposal. 
• We do not think a proposal was on any agenda. 
•  We do not think a proposal was considered by the board of directors.
• We do not believe a vote was taken.
• No one we have spoken to participated in a vote of the Board of Director.
• No one communicated any determination.

If an idea or a concepot or even a bogus proposal vote had taken place, and it had been rejected, then we would have gladly dropped any efforts to get a proposal for Randy. Why waste our time on a wild goose chase?

The Bottom Line: The 'rejected a proposal' claim appears to be false and misleading.

Other Items - Size Matters - It Would Be Too Small

We can dispute the assertion about small numbers of players that might be involved.

We have heard perhaps this writer is the same guy that made the same statement about All Stars. 

• If all-stars had continued, we would have introduced  a second tournament to accomopdatre the enorous interest generated in 2024. As many as 25 teams may have participated in 2025. That is larger than the Tier 1A Division. Over 1,500 people would have amassed for the weekend events. Too small for Mr. Leadership?
• Approximately 8% of eligible players were nominated for 2024 All-Stars. Too small?
• The "Leadership" decided its priority was paying  for hotel rooms for players at 2025 state tournaments. The appropriation will affect an estimated 5 1/2% of the player pool for the first night stay and 3% of players for the second night. The financial liability assumed by the Legion Board is $50,000. For a handful of kids.
• The zip code concept, if it succeeded, could affect five to ten players a community. If half the communities participated, zip codes could affect up to nearly 2,000.
• Too small a potential? 
• Or too closed minded a view?

Conclusion to The Claims of Board Activity

Oh There were a ton of action items listed in just that little "Claims of Board Actions" paragraph .

• The baseball board was busy as could be with scheduled agenda items as you can see in the Minutes of Secretary Tim Engstrom.
• Not one of the action items the Secret Letter Story detailed that occurred at "a recent board of directors meeting" showed up in the official records - the meeting minutes. 
• We have no reason to believe the Secretary was so derelict in his dutiesthat he would have missed so many topics and so many discussions and determinations. 
• The entire Secret Story about Board activity looks to be phony. It looks like an after-All Stars-was-already-killed manufactured rendition of personal views and a few off the record remarks or private conversations. It came two weeks after All-Stars was kiled
• We do not believe a word of it.
• Statements made appear false and misleading.
• No wonder we were left of the distribution list.

The tales told in  Secret Story #3 are fictional, and that's being kind.

So why was a Third Story really needed?

• Why would a new story,  two weeks after All-Stars had been killed, claim to be the REAL justification and the REAL cause? 
• That action was already history. 
• There were two active stories already in circulation each claiming to be the actual cause?
• Who did you need to sell it to?

The Target Audiences

1. All Minnesota Legion post commanders and adjutants - 531 posts - 1,061 people.
2. Minnesota Legion District commanders and adjutants - 20 people
3. Minnesota American Legion Officials - Unknown
4. Other Baseball Board of Directors who didn't make the decisions or were not in the inner discussion circle

One Purpose:

The Secret Story  was created to make a pre-emtive strike to ambush the All-Star guys to damage imaginary efforts to keep the Legion All-Star program alive. Legion Baseball Leadership wanted to make sure they killed All-Stars dead.

Another Purpose:

To offer a seemingly some sort of better story plausible story to others on the baseball board. They wanted to put blame on Barron and Perry. "It was them!" We the Leaders acted  to protect the integrity of the American Legion and of American Legion baseball from folks they considered to be enemies of the Schaub-Miller-Raymo regime - those evil  All-Star guys.  

Conclusion: The Secret Story #3 Is A Phony

Did the baseball board take all sorts of official action at some 'recent board of directors meeting"? Naw. It didn;t happen or there would have been a record. Actually there woiuld be several records including email notifications of any special meetings. If there are such records - then produce them. 

Off hand comments on breaks and personal views do not make official action. The Secret Story absolutely described official action. There are no records at any official board meeting of one stitch of what is claimed. 

• Were any of the supposed "findings" really made by the baseball board? No official record - no official action. Just unsubstatiated claims that we don't believe.
• Was there "careful considertion" which would certainly entail discussion and debate? No official record - no official action. Just unsubstatiated claims that we don't believe.
• Did they take extraordinary action just on an "idea"? What about the other three "ideas" then? Boards don't drop regular business to take on an "idea". Hogwash.
• Did someone write and submit and actual "proposal" as claimed by "leadership"?
• Did the baseball board reject trhat proposal? Or did they reject and idea? The Letter could not keep that part of the story straight.
• Did the Leadership make the serious decision to end All-Stars as they proudly claimed right off the bat in the opening of the Swecret Letter Story?
• Or did the entire board make the decision?

All of that would be on the record. None of it is on the record.

Could TheSecret Story Have Been The Cause of the All Star Decision?

• No. Simply no.
• There was no visible activity relating to any zip code concept or idea prior to November 1st as the author well knows. 
• Director Schaub didn't have anything on his radar when he approved the Cease and Desist letter November 1st.
• He didn't have zip codes on his radar when he switch storylines to "Caustic" at the end of the first week of November.
• Schaub mentioned then dropped 'zip codes' the second week in November. He kept the storyline secret. How curious. 
• Secret Story #3 - The Idea of a Potential was cooked up at least a week after the Cease and Desist letter of November 1st. After-the-fact.

And What A Weak Justification Claim - The Great Transgression

The decision was made because an email had gone out three weeks earlier that mentioned an "idea" that was a "potential". Yes. That is the bottom line justification claim. It is hard to view such logic  as more than a rationalization and a cooked up excuse. Surely these adult "leadership" men have something more serious than the flimsy "Idea of a Potential". 

How about lying? Would that have been an offense worthy of dismissal from Legion baseball?

. But they never claimed the Al-Star guys lied or mis-represented anything for that matter. But someone certainly did.

Secret Story #3 is a piece of fiction - in our opinion. No wonder it was kept secret from us.