Play Ball

Growing up in Portland, the City of Roses fielded a Triple-A baseball team known as the Portland Beavers. We'd all go the games at Multnomah Stadium in the summer when we were kids. The Beavers were a minor league team that groomed future players in the Cleveland Indians organization.

As a teenager, I worked concessions at Beaver games, shagging peanuts for fans. We had the opportunity to see such future stars as Lou Pinella, Luis Tiant, Tommie Agee, Duke Sims and "Sudden" Sam McDowell as they worked their way into the big leagues.

Moving to Eugene, we often went to Eugene Emeralds games at Civic Stadium. On warm summer nights, the iconic scene was straight out of Field of Dreams, a baseball wonderland. Eventually the old stadium couldn't accommodate the team anymore. Eventually, the structure burned down in a fire.

The Eugene Emeralds had moved to the University of Oregon's PK Park. The team played its games there as a short-season Single-A club. Now, the Ems have been upgraded to a long-season Single-A team, so they won't be able to play in PK Park anymore because of conflicts with the UO baseball team.

The team's owners are looking for a new venue and after considering a number of options, have started to focus on the Lane County Fairgrounds as a possible venue for a new stadium. Some funding has already been secured, and many residents are on board. A few, however, are not.

Inspired by the prospect of a new stadium for the Eugene Emeralds, I wrote a letter to the editor to the Eugene Register-Guard after reading a news story where a few neighbors near the Lane County Fairgrounds voiced their concerns. The R-G then published the letter.

To the editor:

"As a resident of the Jefferson Westside neighborhood, I believe a new baseball stadium at the fairgrounds would be a win-win for the neighborhood and Eugene-Springfield.

 

The site has been underutilized of late and the Eugene Emeralds would provide a positive economic impact while keeping the Ems in Lane County. Sure, a few neighbors will complain about noise or lack of parking, but the fairgrounds already provide facilities for 'events.'

 

The Lane Events Center, home of the fair and other year-round events, festivals and trade shows, features a variety of halls, an ice arena, and livestock building that can entertain almost any type of event. The fairgrounds already provide plenty of parking spaces.

 

Those who would say the baseball facility won’t work in the middle of any neighborhood only need look so far as the old Civic Stadium, which happened to be in the middle of a neighborhood.

 

The Eugene Emeralds organization seems willing to bend over backwards to listen to feedback from neighbors. I say we play ball with Allan Benavides and make a new stadium a reality at the Lane County Fairgrounds."

We'll see what happens in the coming months as the organization continues to build consensus with neighbors and seeks more funding in order to make a new stadium a reality. One thing's for sure, if they build it, people will come.

Nuances Of Networking

Having just participated in the West Coast Connection sponsored by the UO chapter of PRSSA, I recalled the value of networking in finding employment in the field of public relations, communications and marketing. The operational part of the word "network," of course, is "work."

Common interests and mutual connections are usually a good place to start. Joining PRSSA and later, PRSA helps. LinkedIn is imperative, and for this group, Twitter as well. But don’t forget, these media are simply tools to get you to the next level: a face-to-face interview.

Most recently, it's been difficult to meet face-to-face with potential employers, but Zoom provides a stop-gap approach until the pandemic fades. The internet features plenty of data on the background of individuals to connect with before you even meet someone.

What about mentorships? Sure, absolutely. Mentorships can be helpful. But don’t be a pest. Some mentorships need to grow organically. Mentors need time to get to know you so that they understand your career goals, your work ethic, your experiences and your strengths.

Whatever the forum, be sure to be your genuine self. It’s okay to act human on social media, but always be professional. Having a personality will help develop your personal brand. Don’t throw caution to the wind, but it’s safe to say you can show your personal interests.

Now, three great quotes relating to networking:

"One of the most powerful networking practices is to provide immediate value to a new connection. This means the moment you identify a way to help someone, take action." -- Lewis Howes

"When you know people, and those people know what you do, success knows how to find you." -- Kelly Hoey

"Authenticity is who you are -- your honest reactions, your natural energy." -- Michelle Lederman.

Finally, for those who will graduate soon, I will recall a quote from Mark Twain, who said: “Never let your schooling interfere with your education.” Graduation is closure, but not conclusion. The act of learning never stops.  It’s just the way you are learning changes.

Swan Song

After four years as Public Relations Director at McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield, Oregon in the early 1980s, I was hired by Eugene Water & Electric Board, where I would work in public relations for the next 24 years.

But I loved my time at the hospital, and as editor of the employee newsletter, I wrote my last issue and said good-bye. The headline read: "News Capsule Editor Says Arrivaderci; It's Been Great." 

"This a note of thanks to all the folks who are part of the McKenzie-Willamette Hospital family. You've all been great to work with in my time here. Since this is my last edition of News Capsule, I'd like to leave you with a few thoughts."

"Continue to support and nominate your fellow employees for Employee of the Month. They work hard and deserved the recognition. And continue to submit items to the News Capsule. Remember that a key to a productive and enjoyable working environment is communication."

"And finally, thank you all  for your goodwill and patience. You've been a great crew to work with and I will miss you. Please continue to suggest items of interest to the News Capsule. Thanks again. Sincerely, John Mitchell."

This article was followed by two of my favorite features of the News Capsule: Blooper Brigade and Quote of the Week.

Blooper Brigade

The hunt is still on for the person who wrote this headline: "Deer Kill 130,000." (Well, maybe it was time Bambi got even!)

You might think this headline writer went a bit off course: "Indian Ocean Talks." (No doubt some deep secrets were revealed.)

Quote of the Week

"One of the great maladies of our time is the way sophistication seems to be valued over common sense." -- Norman Cousins.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

What are the chances? On December 11, 1952, I was born in St. Vincent's Hospital in Portland, Oregon. On the same calendar day 69 years later, granddaughter Carlotta Eline Miller was born in McKenzie-Willamette Hospital, where I once worked.

So we will celebrate our birthdays on the same day as Sagittarians.

Generally-speaking, Sagittarians value independence and the ability to do what they want. They are adventurers, risk-takers, and have a sharp business and sports mentality. Sagittarius natives are known for their emotional intelligence, which helps them relate with others.

Buy, hey, nobody's perfect. With their big-picture, aspirational perspectives, Sagittarians can be blunt, careless and lack follow-through. But like me, Carly will be a fair-minded optimist and a lover of freedom with a zest for adventure. Spontaneous and fun, she'll have a keen sense of humor, make friends easily and connect well with others. 

Vaccination Hesitation

It has come to this: in the U.S., society is so divisive and untrusting, that we may never see an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it's a crying shame. "I'm not going to listen to what the government says," says one contrarian. From there, the excuses range from the sublime to the ridiculous.

"I'm not a sheep." "I'd rather die than comply." "I don't really hang around people anyway." "I call the shots." "I'm not a lab rat." And on and on. The fact is that vaccine hesitancy remains a stubborn obstacle in defeating the pandemic. Public service announcements, even bribes, simply aren't working.

Unfortunately, the political polarization has created a reaction of division and anger, which has fueled widespread refusal to take the life-saving vaccines. Other countries, particularly China and Russia, see the inability of the U.S. to bring the pandemic under control as a sign of weakness.

Sad fact: vaccine hesitancy is a direct result of divisive politics in this country. People now believe they are on their own and responsible only for themselves. This means an important source of vaccine hesitancy is loss of the idea of a common good. To beat the pandemic, attitudes must change.

Retro Revolution

Talk about strange bedfellows. When PRSA Oregon opposed a new governance proposal in 2017 to eliminate district representation on the national board, one of PRSA's fiercest opponents, Jack O'Dwyer, jumped on to the bandwagon. O'Dwyer has had a axe to grind with PRSA for years.

Some background: O'Dwyer, a longtime critic of PRSA, shared transcripts from the 1993 PRSA annual conference to criticize the speaker's ethics for promoting the use of advertising spent to influence editorials at major newspapers. The speaker subsequently sued O'Dwyer for copyright infringement.

In 1994, things really got ugly. When members wanted a copy of any PR-related document, including O'Dwyer's, they would call and it would be mailed to them for a fee. Jack got hot, claiming his own case of copyright infringement. O"Dwyer has been at odds with PRSA ever since.

So imagine our surprise when several of the PRSA Oregon leadership assembly delegates were quoted In O'Dwyer's as saying "hell, no" to proposals of the society's national board. Jack had even called several of us on our home phones for a quote. All refused. Then, it got worse.

"GonzoPR has cracked the PRSA Oregon website: In the city known for the Boston Tea Party and 'no taxation without representation,' PRSA will decide whether it should be a 'top down' or 'bottoms up' organization. Should leadership become highly centralized or grassroots?"

The by-law amendment to end district representation on the board failed, thanks to a diligent campaign by membership, and no thanks to Jack.

But just to be associated with someone who was so unsympathetic and hostile to an organization we hold in such high regard was, in a word, embarrassing.

Conference Interrupted

For the second year in a row, the Public Relations Society of America International Conference, scheduled this time in Orlando, Florida, reverted to virtual sessions because of COVID concerns. The pandemic has forced many conferences across the U.S. to go virtual or simply cancel.

The only instance of PRSA/PRSSA canceling its annual gathering was in 2005, when the event scheduled in Miami Beach, (held at the Hotel Fontainebleau, no less) was derailed when Hurricane Wilma battered Miami and South Florida for days before subsiding.

The Hotel Fontainebleau, of course, was featured in the movie Scarface starring Al Pacino in the title role. Despite the fact that the PRSA conference had been scrubbed, the PRSSA event was rescheduled a month later and I would have the opportunity to attend the student conference.

Unfortunately, because it preceded Christmas, air travel was brutal. It was by far the most lengthy, complicated flight I had ever witnessed. After leaving Eugene, my United flight lagged on the tarmac in Denver, causing me to miss my connecting flight to Miami. It would be a very long day.

Instead, I was placed on an American Airlines flight to Orlando, then Miami. I arrived at the Hotel Fontainebleau at 2 a.m. without my luggage, tired and bedraggled. Hastening to the lobby bar for a drink, the bartender says: "your shirt sucks." I was taken aback.

I apologized for my disheveled condition as the bartender served me a rum and Coke. He said, "no, it's the message on your shirt," a University of Oregon logo. "Huh?" I asked. "You see, I'm an Oregon State University Beaver." We both laughed. "No hard feelings," he noted. "My name is Carl."

We became friends after learning we both attended the same high school in Portland. That week, he would detail the sordid underbelly of Miami Beach, a hotbed of crime, drug trafficking and shady characters. Meanwhile, I spent most of the week at the conference without my baggage.

Conference highlights included meeting Betsy Plank, a woman pioneer in the field of public relations, and otherwise spending time with the executive team of the UO chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, exploring Miami Beach and visiting "Mango's Tropical Cafe," a risqué bar.