Fm: Charlie Barnasta [mailto:charliebee@mlb.com]
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2007, 11:42 PM [PST]
To: Bud Selig [mailto:budselig@mlb.com]
Subj: JR Day

Buddy..

The numbers are not good. We’ve run them twice, and there’s no two ways about it: Our memorail [sic] day in honor of Jackie was a bust.

Our anonymous contacts in polling community have come through loud and clear: In nearly every category, Af-Am appreciation for our game is tanking or stagnant.

There were a few bits of good news. Name recognition of Jackie is at a recent high. And most people who knew his name could identify the sport he played. Yeah, it’s sad that’s even a question on the poll.

But overall Af-Am attitudes towards baseball? Down. You know what poll position got the most negative response? “I consider baseball a ‘Black sport.'” They said most people laughed before answering. One person gave a 2. The rest… all 1’s.

And consider this (and I tell you, this made me mad,) less than 40% of the Af-Am population can name the last WS winner! Less than 20% can name last year’s NL MVP! Granted, the sample includes women and some children, but still, that number is scray.[sic] When the interviewers pushed them, most said Barry Bonds. I gotta say, that made me mad and disappointed. After all that Jackie went through for them, and they can’t bother to know who Ryan Howard is. (One of our best Af-Ams, I don;t need to remind you!) What can I say, it offends me… I can’t help it.

Buddy, I’m not gonna lie to you. This is a bullet in the balls, no two ways. This is not where we want to be in a Post-Imus Environment. I think we have one shot to get them back… one more chance before we lose them forever.

I think that there’s only one way to demonstrate to the Af-Ams that we’re serious about the Af-Am heritage of our sport. I think the only option left is an ad hoc plan that some of us around here in Marketing have taken to calling Total Jackie.

It’s a comprehensive system of strategies and promotions designed to maximize Jackie’s (and our) penetration into the market. We’d have to wait “˜til next year to roll out most of them, though the situation may be dire enough that we can deploy one or two now, assuming we act no later than tomorrow.

TOTAL JACKIE dictates that we saturate the flow with Simple Symbolic Gestures (or as we call them, Simbolics (TM)). For example, in addition to and on top of standard (i.e, this year’s) program…

–Every team “hires” (honorary) an underprivileged Af-Am batboy. The kids get to wear #42 for the entire JRM weekend.

–In selected stadiums, selected Af-Am players (wearing #42 natch) take the field in opening ceremony that includes breaking through symbolic multi-hued banner–the COLOR BARRIER–to take his position.

–All ballparks observe a 42-second moment of silence after the 42nd pitch of the game (by the home team… though policy might also be observed for visiting team as well, esp. if it’s the Dodgers, or a team with many popular Af-Am players).

–Every five/ten years from now on, one major Af-Am star will legally change his name to “Jackie Robinson”. (This one could be a go for tomorrow. KGJr has already said yes.)

-Visualize Row #42… in every stadium… totally filled with Af-Am guys!

The key is: Keep emphasizing simple, effective visual/viral strategies like these. Meanwhile, we simultaneously pursue other cross-platform opportunities. We’ve already scheduled a meeting with EA Sports to discuss the feasibility of proposed “Jackie Robinson Baseball 1947” video game/simulation, where you get to play as baseball’s greatest hero… “Sure, you and Pee Wee Reese can turn the double play for the Dodgers with our unique gaming engine…but can you keep your cool when enduring racist taunts from the stands?” We’ve already locked up top voice talent, including John Ratzenberger, Cree Summer, and Michael Richards (uncredited) as Dixie Walker.

And I admit I’m very excited about a possibility one of our partners brought to us… If the cards break right, we could be looking at a major retitle, i.e, (hope you’re sitting down!) The Jackie Robinson Chevrolet Home Plate. An incredible opportunity to bring Chevy trucks to every MLB team (& selected MLB staff), while at the same time bringing the Power of Chevy (TM) to grow our inner cities. It’s incredibly inspirational and I can’t wait to have Steve pitch you.

But I want you to know that the team and I are 100% behind Total Jackie and ready to make this happen. Because I believe in the Af-Am community. I believe we can get them back. I know it won’t be easy. But hey, you think about all that Jackie went through, and it puts it all in perspective, right? I believe in Jackie, and I’m ready to bring about Total Jackie in his honor. That’s what Jackie means to me, and you know that he does, Buddy.

Try to get some sleep, I know it won’t be easy. But honestly, for all the shitty numbers, I believe that somewhere out there Jackie is smiling. I believe in my heart we did good. I made it to LA in time and Christ if I didn’t get a little choked up seeing those #42s. And Thome… total hero. There’s a guy who can break down barriers for you.

Keep hope alive, Buddy. We shall overcome.
Charlie

Charlie Barnasta was fired from his position as Director of Special Events and Promotions for Major League Baseball seven hours after composing this e-mail.