mike machnik suggested I might share the letter I wrote to the
decathalon club with the list....
here it is
 
charlie shub   University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
[log in to unmask]  -or-  cdash@colospgs (BITNET)
(719) 593 3492               (fax) 593-3369
 
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                                           14445 River Oaks Drive
                                           Colorado Springs, CO  80921
                                           March 6, 1995
 
Mr. Steve Peters or Ms. Patti Riha
Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation
c/o The Decathlon Club
1700 East 79th Street
Bloomington, MN 55425
 
 
Dear Mr. Peters or Ms. Riha:
 
It is my understanding that the announcement of the winner of the
Hobey Baker Award, heretofore freely available to the public, will
have an admission fee this year.  In the past, this event has been
sparsely attended by the public, and I can certainly understand your
wanting to have greater public involvement.  However, enclosing this
announcement in the "Fan Fair" setting where the "Fan Fair" charges
admission is not, in my opinion, a prudent move.
 
My 15 year old son will be attending his first ever collegiate ice
hockey championships with me, and we have planned a heavy schedule
including visiting his uncle and his aunt on the day of your award.
As you can see from my return address, we do not live near Providence,
and Jonathan has never been in that part of the country.  We had been
planning on doing some touring, spending some time with friends who
live in the area, attending the Hobey Baker presentation, and then
going out for a family dinner.  So, as you can see, not everybody
wants to attend the "Fan Fair" that you have included as a mandatory
wrapper for your important ceremony.
 
According to the Providence Journal the Fan Fair will be held at the
Rhode Island Convention Center (next door to the Civic Center) on
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for
kids.  It will feature interactive games, autograph sessions with
former NHL stars (none are named) and the first public presentation
of the Hobey Baker Award.  A Fan Fair organizer was quoted as saying
the emphasis of the fair is on family, not just hockey.  That is
obvious from some of the other events(?) being scheduled.  They
include trading card and pin vendors, batting cages (huh?) basketball
and football skills contests (double huh?) temporary tattoos and face
painting, miniature golf courses, dunk tanks and continuous entertain-
ment.  Other than the Hobey Baker ceremony it sounds to me like the
"Fan Fair" has little to do with college hockey at all.
 
It also sounds to me like this event certainly does not involve
the level of dignity associated with the Hobey Baker award
ceremonies in the past and will certainly cheapen your ceremony.
 
I urge you to either reconsider your decision or to make arrange-
ments for free passage to the awards ceremonies for those who
have no interest in the rest of the "Fan Fair".
 
                                                  Sincerely,
 
 
 
 
                                                  Charles M. Shub
 
 
 
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