June 20, 2020; start time 11:05 AM am EDT; adjournment 11:48 AM, EDT

Twenty-seventh Meeting of the Board

Present:						Missing:
	David Smith, president				None	
	Tom Ruane, vice-president	
	Trent McCotter, secretary
	Tom Thress, treasurer
	Scott Fischthal, director
	Luke Kraemer, director
	Tom Shieber, director

Motions:

Sponsor		Purpose					Result
Thress		Adoption of agenda			7-0-0-0

Smith 		Approval of minutes			7-0-0-0

Ruane		Adoption of Nominating Committee report	7-0-0-0

Smith		Election of Treasurer (Thress)		7-0-0-0

Smith		Election of Director (Kramer)		7-0-0-0

Ruane		Adoption of Treasurer's Report		7-0-0-0

Kramer		Adoption of Secretary's Report		7-0-0-0

Kramer		Adoption of President's Report		7-0-0-0

Kraemer		Adjourn					7-0-0-0

Old Business:

Smith discussed email conversations he had with Jim Gates in Fall 2019 about making electronic scans of the Hall of Fame's daily sheets available online for the public to view and download. Gates was opposed to placing the scans on Retrosheet's website but expressed interest in placing them on the Hall of Fame's website. In March 2020, Gates emailed Smith and said the Hall of Fame had been working on a way to make the scans available online but work would be delayed because the coronavirus outbreak had resulted in the Hall of Fame being shut down. Gates said he would reach out to Smith once it reopened.

Shieber noted that the Hall of Fame has just begun steps to reopen. He will talk to the Hall of Fame's digitization person, Kelli Bogan, and then they can talk to Gates. Smith will send a sample season to Shieber for testing and demonstration purposes.

Several people noted that if the scans are placed online for public access, there will need to be an introduction accompanying the files, so researchers realize that sheets are often out of order and contain errors.

New Business:

Thress expressed an interest in adding the Negro Leagues to the Retrosheet website, as has been done for the American League, National League, Federal League, American Association, Players League, and National Association. Thress requested information about the order of operations for adding an entire league. For example, must roster files and schedules be completed before any attempt to add game-by-game statistics? Thress has discussed basics with Kevin Johnson at Seamheads, which has compiled some full-season statistics for the Negro Leagues.

Ruane asked about the status of the Negro League Project, which he recalled being discussed 25 years ago at a SABR convention. Smith indicated that, to his knowledge, the Project had not accomplished much.

Thress will continue to pursue information about what is needed to begin this project and where to find such information. He will report back.