Home Site Info Straight past 2000 without even blinking

Straight past 2000 without even blinking

by Matt Smith

On Monday I published the latest installment in my ‘Weekly Hit Ground Ball’ column completely oblivious to the fact that in doing so I had reached a landmark.

It was the 2000th post on the BaseballGB website.

Not for the first time – and certainly not for the last – Joe Gray’s attention to detail came to the fore and left me wondering quite how I had missed it. When I logged into the website the number was staring straight at me. By then the post counter had ticked its way to 2001 courtesy of Joe’s excellent article about the Croydon Pirates’ 2005 European Cup adventure – not quite a space odyssey, I think, although we’ll have to wait for the second part of the story to find out – and I’m not sure how I hadn’t noticed we were closing in on the big round figure.

Rather than put it down to a woeful lack of insight, I’ve decided instead to bring ‘fate’ into the equation as a convenient way to excuse myself.

I’m the sort of person who likes to quietly get on with things. I spend many hours, perhaps a few too many for my own good, in quiet contentment watching baseball and writing about what sparks my imagination – alongside other interests – and I enjoy it immensely. As the lead writer at the website it would probably help if I was more inclined to make a song and dance about things – things like our 2000th post, for example – as a way to promote what we do, but for better or worse that’s just not how I am.

If I had seen the post counter at 1,990 I may have felt under an obligation to plan out the 2000th post, feeling that it would be the right thing to do. Instead, I just carried on writing in my usual way and I’m glad that’s how it worked out.

Those 2000 posts have been written over a period of 7 years, roughly three-quarters by myself. with Joe and Mark George adding over 430 excellent contributions and several other writers chipping in along the way.

For some websites, taking 7 years to publish 2000 posts would seem a bit tardy, but the emphasis here has always been less on quick, short news posts – there are many other websites and blogs that do that really well – and more on writing something a bit more substantial.

Creating 7 solid years of posts, averaging out at 285 per year, doesn’t seem like a bad effort. Despite my ponderous promotion skills, even I’m prepared to commit to type that this shows we’re a dedicated bunch.

From post 1 to post 2003 and counting , the basic idea has remained the same: ‘what can us British baseball fans write about – and in what way – that adds something a bit different to the great mix of baseball writing out there?’.  And that’s the way it will stay, whether we’re covering British baseball – from the current season to documenting the sport’s rich and varied history – or taking a British-eyed view on MLB.

Here’s to the next 2000 posts? Well, why not.

Although it’s probably best not to rely on me to know about it when we’re closing in on 4,000.

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5 comments

Joe Gray March 21, 2013 - 8:09 pm

Hi Matt,

I’ve definitely been guilty of the occasional rushed post, but I don’t think you ever have. That’s what makes the figure of 2000 (and, I’m glad to say, counting) all the more impressive. As you’ve often said to me, you’d rather have a day with no post than put something up a little carelessly just for the sake of it. That the site, under this ethos, has still averaged 285 posts a year is remarkable — it just goes to show what a good concept you have, and how many great idea you personally have to write about.

Keep up the phenomenal work!

Joe

Reply
Matt Smith March 21, 2013 - 8:27 pm

Thanks Joe. It certainly helps having the likes of Mark and yourself sharing the writing and making my website-running efforts seem much more worthwhile.

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Mark George March 22, 2013 - 9:12 am

A great achievement – well done Matt. It takes a dedicated soul to keep the site going for so long. Proud to be a part of it and looking forward to adding more articles this year.

Reply
Jamie Crompton April 4, 2013 - 11:07 pm

Congrats. You are on course for hall of fame numbers. If you stay healthy, 4,257 career posts is definitely achievable…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_with_2,000_hits

Reply
Matt Smith April 6, 2013 - 9:19 am

Thanks Jamie. 4257 seems a long way off right now but I’m sure it’s achievable!

Reply

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