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Boston Baseball Magazine
Boston Baseball Magazine is a publication about the Boston Red Sox that includes statistics, player descriptions, rosters, as well as articles written by Boston Herald journalists. Boston Baseball’s mission is to offer a great publication at a very small price for passionate Red Sox fans. The magazine is published monthly throughout the duration of the baseball season, April-September. There are additional issues when the Red Sox make the postseason.

History
Boston Baseball Magazine was initially called “Baseball Underground” when it was created in 1990 by Michael Rutstein. Rutstein is still the editor and creator of the magazine to this day. When it was initially created, Baseball Underground was simply a small, black and white newsletter. Over the years, this publication has developed from this newsletter into a full-color magazine made with articles from credible writers. Since 1990, Boston Baseball has sold over 2.4 million programs.

Publication
The first writing in the magazine is the Editor’s Note, written by editor and founder, Michael Rutstein. The Editor’s Note is an opinionated, yet friendly article written in letter format that is designed to further connect with the reader. Throughout the magazine there are many lengthy articles written by people affiliated with the Boston Herald. These articles are also opinionated and most often have to do with the Red Sox. The magazine also includes a few pages of player biographies of everyone on the Red Sox roster. Additionally there are reports on the minor league baseball teams affiliated with the Red Sox. Magazines purchased at the ballpark often contain a bumper sticker and an insert with the updated statistics of the Red Sox and their opponent.

Means of Distribution
Boston Baseball Magazine is sold outside Fenway Park before Red Sox home games or one can subscribe to the magazine and receive it through the mail. The process of selling the programs at the baseball games begins long before the start of the game. The headquarters of this operation is quite simply a corner of a parking garage just outside Fenway Park which includes a desk, a small table, a closet, some trash bins, and boxes full of merchandise. Upon arrival, Rutstein and some of the hawkers organize the programs, statistics, and bumper stickers for each individual hawker to bring to a predetermined spot around the ballpark. Once the hawkers are in their spots, it is up to them to sell as many programs as they can. There is also a “runner” that restocks each hawker with the appropriate amount of programs, bumper stickers, and change throughout the day. The selling of the magazines usually begins two hours prior to game time and ends a short amount of time after the start of the game. On average, about eight hundred magazines are sold at each Red Sox home game, depending on the weather, time, opponent, and other factors pertaining to the game.

Awards
Best Ballpark Publication by the American Federation of Sports Publishers Best of Show by the American Federation of Sports Publishers Best Design by the American Federation of Sports Publishers