OBC - Old Baseball Cards

Letter from Doug Smith to OBC, 06/02/2017

To the OBC Membership:

My name is Doug Smith. For the past twelve years I have been on the OBC inactive list, and I am seeking reinstatement to active involvement. Because I left OBC suddenly and under difficult circumstances, I want to share with you my past and present status.

I have long been an active collector of old baseball cards, and joined OBC in about 1994. I became an active member, actively sending and receiving cards and meeting up with the over 60 other members as I traveled. I was elected OBC's first treasurer, and served in that position for about seven years.

Here's the bad news: I was traveling a lot for my job, and spent a lot of down time in hotel rooms. I discovered pornography and began trading it by email with others who were interested. It became an addiction. I looked at pictures that were more and more deviant, including pictures of children. I knew what I was doing was wrong and tried to stop, but I could not. On February 22, 2005, I was arrested for possessing and exchanging child pornography. My involvement with OBC ended at that moment.

I knew I needed to change my life, and spent 4 1/2 months at a private residential addiction treatment center for sex addiction, where I became active in twelve step programs. I spent 7 years in federal prison, where I helped organize recovery programs for those convicted of internet sex crimes.

I was released from prison on December 27, 2012, and continue on probation. I have become very active, locally and nationally, in twelve step programs for recovery from sex addiction. My life is very different than it was before. My wife Judy and I have been married for almost 50 years. I am actively involved in the lives of my three children and seven grandchildren. After twelve years, I recently received permission to use the internet again. My computer is monitored, and I am not allowed unsupervised contact with children including internet contact.

I also continue to collect old baseball cards. I loved my involvement with OBC, and hope you will welcome me back.

Sincerely,

Doug Smith
fardownthescale@gmail.com