Keeping Score in Baseball

While there are official rules for keeping score in baseball, each scorer also has their own personal touch as to how they may indicate certain pieces of information when keeping score of a game.

In keeping score for a baseball game there is a fair amount of information that must be recorded in a small space; therefore, symbols in the form of letters and numbers are used. Since thre are baseball terms that begin with the same letter like single and strike or ball and balk, a system to indicate which letter represents what words had to be developed.

The basic symbols used for scoring a baseball game are:

S = single

D = double

T = triple

HR = home run

W = walk

B = balk

HBP = hit by pitch

K = strike (all other letters in the word are taken)

E = error

R = run

I = interference

RBI = run(s) batted in

CS = caught stealing

PH = pinch hitter

DH = designated hitter

PO = picked off

DP = double play

In professional baseball evey pitch is recorded by the official scorer as is every action by that pitch on the field; but if you are keeping score for yourself because you like to do so or are concentrating on a specific player then the amount of information you record is up to you.

Each baseball position on the field is also given a number

1 = pitcher

2 = catcher

3 = first base

4 = second base

5 = third base

6 = short stop

7 = left field

8 = center field

9 = right field

With the number and symbols you can begin to keep track of what happens on a baseball field. The score sheet for a baseball game has two sides - one for each team. There is a place at the top for date, team, etc. Baseball has nine players on the field and nine players that bat - sometimes a batter known as the designated hitter (DH) will hit for the pitcher -; therefore, the score sheet has a spot for each player's name. Next to the name is a row of boxes that look like a baseball diamond - one for each of the nine innings normally played in a regulation baseball game plus a few extra in case of extra innings or in case a team bats around and a batter comes to the plate more than once in an inning.

Basic score keeping involves using the little baseball diamond next to a batter's name under the number for the inning to record what that batter does during his turn at bat in that inning. If a player stays in the whole game of a normal nine inning game he will bat a minimum of three times. for example, if the batter hits a single you can simply write an S

in the center of the diamond and draw a line on the part of the diamond that runs from home plate to first base. Using a bright colour that contrasts with the colours of the score sheet is recommended since it is easier to see. Many scorers use red. Whether you prefer pen or pencil is a personal preference. Once the hit has been scored if you wish to indicate exactly where the ball was hit then draw a line showing the movement of the ball. As the batter/runner advances draw lines to each base he reaches. If a batter hits a home run after drawing lines around the whole diamond then shade in the diamond so that it stands out. If; however, the batter hits a ball to the outfield that was caught you would mark this by writing F (for fly out) and a 7,8, or 9 depending on which player caught the ball. Same thing for the infield, if a batter hits a ball to the short stop who catches the ball and then threw the ball to the first baseman for the out then you would mark this with a 6-3 in the little diamond.

Scoring baseball is much like a baseball fan they range anywhere from the casual fan who just enjoys watching a game to the avid knowledgeable fan who knows rules and stats like the pros. Scoring a baseball game can be as simple as basic actions or as complicated as scoring every pitch and keeping track of every move by all the players. Scoring a game itself is not that difficult, learning and keeping track of all the symbols can be a bit hard and knowing exactly what rules may apply fora particular action like whether a batted ball should be scored a hit or an error and dies that batter get credit for a run or a steal. But those are decisions that are made by the official scorer and can then be simply written on your won score sheet.

For the novice baseball score keeper having a radio with the game on can be a big help for knowing what a pitch is or how a particular action was scored. The radio announcers are also skilled score keepers and can help you keep track of what's taking place on the field.

I learned to score games and did so all through college. I became the "official score keeper" for my section at the ball park. Other fans were always asking me what an opposing player had done in his previous at bat or even in another game of the series - especially if he struck out a lot.

Scoring a baseball game is not a big hassle, it merely adds to the enjoyment of the game.