Update 1-30-2026
Big News! We have left the building. Finally!
Apparently, we have all been watching Moneyball, The Natural, Eight Men Out, Field of Dreams, discussing the new members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and reading whatever we could find. Some of you became so desperate that you read this weekly column/blog in record numbers.
I am reading Homestand by Will Bardenwerper. ( a gift from my bud, Ronnie Clay) It is the story of a town (Batavia, New York) that lost its team in the 2021 minor league purge. It is about a baseball team and a small town, but more about the “community” created by a “town team.” There was a time when every zip code had one.
Some teams had players paid to play, and other semi-pro teams were composed of locals who loved the game they had played as children. The ball game was the excuse, but relationships (players and fans) were the result. Many of you are aware of what your community has lost without a “town team.”
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Have you found Chase Hartsell?
If not, you should check him out. Arkansas is known for its storytellers. The title “storyteller” conjures up a mental picture of an old guy telling half-truths on a bench in some Arkansas courthouse square. Chase is a 20-something who was, and is, part of the outstanding sports media program at Ouachita Baptist University, and he is a remarkable leader in the next generation of storytellers.
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Questions answered:
Three of the most asked…
How much income do you receive from your weekly column/blog?
How many people read your Backroads and Ballplayers Weekly?
If your blog/column address is jyeager.substack.com, what is Substack?
Number 1 is easy. ZERO. My books have been amazingly successful. I no longer need to recoup the expenses of self-publishing a book. My mission is to save the lost stories of Arkansas’ baseball history and offer them free: jyeager.substack.com and Only in Arkansas.
Number 2 varies. I offer a free subscription where subscribers receive the post in their email. I also post a link on a Facebook page for those of you who don’t like the intrusiveness of items that come in your email. Those folks have to save the link and remember to go to my page regularly.
This was a big week: Substack: 506, Facebook: 1,692 (191 “likes” etc.)
Number 3. What is Substack?
Substack is a publishing platform that lets writers, podcasters, and other creators build a direct relationship with their audience by offering content (newsletters, audio, video, etc.) through email and a dedicated website, often using a subscription model for monetization. I choose to offer my posts for free.
Direct-to-Reader: Content is delivered to subscribers’ inboxes, or can be accessed directly at the author’s Substack page.
Subscription-Based: Creators can offer content for free or charge for premium access. Creators share income with Substack.
Ad-Free Experience: Focuses on content, not ads. I plug things I like rather than ads.
Multi-Format: Substack supports text, audio (podcasts), video, and discussions.
Community Building: Substack includes engagement tools. (messages, chat, comment) and does not charge for using the platform.
Content Ownership: Creators own their content and subscriber lists.
How it Works
Writers set up a free account, choosing their niche
Creators record content, with options to make it free or paid.
Readers subscribe (for free or paid) to receive content directly.
Creators can offer free content, paying subscribers, (Substack takes share)
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So, Cabin Fever forced you to read old baseball stories?
I appreciate it, and thank you for your support. If you know someone who might like to join us, please share these posts.
Did you miss Backroads and Ballplayers #137?