<I>From the Detroit Free Press and an article the dying art and interest in scoring a game.</I>

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Scoring shorthand


There is no absolute right way to keep score. The degree of detail is up to the individual. Some might choose to only record the basic play while others record each pitch and make notations of the especially noteworthy plays.

But there is a basic shorthand that nearly everyone agrees upon:

• Every position is assigned a number. 1: pitcher, 2: catcher,

3: first base, 4: second base,

5: third base, 6: shortstop,

7: left field, 8: center field,

9: right field.

Single: S or a horizontal line

Double: D or two lines

Triple: T or three lines

Home run: HR or four lines

Sacrifice: SH or SAC

Walk: BB

Intentional walk: IBB

Hit by pitch: HP

Strikeout: K (backward K for called third strike)

Balk: BK

Fielder's choice: FC

Wild pitch: WP

Error: E

Sacrifice fly: SF

Foul fly: F

Force out: FO

Line drive: L

Bunt: B

Passed ball: PB

Stolen base: SB

Double play: DP

Unassisted: U or circle player's position number.


Keeping score


In the scorecard grid, each batter has one box per inning.

• If the hitter grounds out to shortstop, for example, write in "6-3," which shows the shortstop threw him out at first base. If the hitter flies out to left field, write a "7."

• If the batter gets a hit, write in the hit according to which base he reached. Each corner of the box represents a base, with the lower-right corner being first. If he singles, put a "-" in the lower right. If he doubles, write a "=" in the upper right, and so on. For a walk, use "BB" in the lower right. As the runner advances, mark the appropriate symbol in the appropriate corner.

• If a runner scores, put a circle at the bottom of the box, and inside the circle put the symbol of the play and/or the player that drove him in. For example, if the No. 5 hitter drives in two runs with a single, mark his single in the bottom right of his box and mark a circle with the number "5" in it in the boxes of the runners who score (Some people like to use uniform numbers here, so you can tell who did what, even after lineup changes).

• At the end of each inning, total the hits and runs for that inning only. At the end of the game you'll be able to add the innings total to get the game score.

Once you learn the shorthand codes and develop your own style, it is easy to score a game. But keep in mind, it requires concentration and even the most ardent scorekeeper can miss a play. For that, Phil Rizzuto, the former Yankee player and broadcaster, invented WW. That would be wasn't watching. </font>

I was all set to post Rizzoto's WW, I was certain it wouldn't be in your article!

As usual Mick you surprised me!

So I'll tell you the first time I heard Phil use WW: it was waaaaay back in the '70s and he was b'casting a laugher with Bill White (not sure who was blowing out who) on WPIX channel 11, who carried the Yankees for like 140 games (pre-cable, sigh). Bill White was the perfect foil for Rizzuto, listening to them was like listening to 2 older uncles speak of life. Anyways...someone comes to bat & White sez something like "Scooter, what does your scorecard say about his last at bat?" And Rizzutto sez "WW." White asks "WW??? What is that??" And Rizzuto answers "Wasn't watching."

I have never heard a man laugh so hard in my life as I heard Bill White laugh for the next 3 minutes.



[Edited by Dan_ref on Apr 25th, 2005 at 09:28 PM]