Baseball Digest Information

Baseball Digest was created by Herbert F. Simons, a sportswriter for the Chicago Daily Times, in 1942. Simons first published the magazine in August 1942. In 1969, the magazine was bought by current Publisher Norman Jacobs. ProScouting LLC acquired significant interest in 2012 and the company running it today was formed: Grandstand Publishing LLC. It is the oldest and longest-running baseball magazine in the world. Mr. Jacobs was interviewed by national magazine consultant Samir Husni in 2012. Part of that interview, as well as a video, is below: Samir Husni: Baseball Digest is a legend. It's going to be 70-years-old this coming September. Tell us a little bit about the history of the magazine, and what the plan for the future is. What do you tell folks who say, "Baseball Digest, is it still being published?" Norm Jacobs: Well, back in 1969 I had sold my publishing company, at that time we were publishing business and trade magazines. I looked around to find some kind of publishing property to buy and develop. Lo and behold, I found in my hometown of Highland Park, not more than a mile from me, Baseball Digest Magazine published in someone's home. I, personally, had not been to a baseball game in twenty years. But it did excite me that this magazine was for sale because the publisher had passed away. It excited me because it only had about 10,000 in circulation and even I figured with all the millions of baseball fans in the country, this title should be much more than that.