IAABO Only ...
 

IAABO Handbook (page 55)
Foul Procedures
B. Reporting the foul
6. State the color of the jersey and the number of the player who fouled. Simultaneously, using one hand only, signal to indicate the number of the player who fouled.

Since I'm using one hand to show each individual digit of the player's number, I simultaneously state each individual digit of that number. That's the way we've been taught here in Connecticut, even when we were using NFHS mechanics, back in the good old days. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

What do NFHS mechanics say?

This doesn't really help, Billy, because as I mentioned earlier (and was pointed out by Bktballref), the player's number is NOT 1-3. The player's number is 13. The mechanic is NOT to state the number that you are currently holding up on one hand. You're supposed to state the player's number, that is, "thirteen".

Bad, Bad Connecticut
 

I agree. But, this is what we're taught here in Connecticut, and it's easier, in my opinion, to say each digit as you show each digit.

That's fine. But you tried to support it by quoting the mechanic manual, and I just wanted to point out that the manual doesn't really support it.

Actually he quoted the "IAABO Handbook" :rolleyes:




I am a "twenty-four" kind of guy. I'm just waiting for NFHS to go to TWO HANDED REPORTING. It would make things so much easier. JMO.

I somehow got roped into being the official scorer for a few high school games this past season.
I worked games with a variety of crews, and had referees who gave the number each way.

From my end, it was easier for me when the official would give the hand signal and say the number as in "Blue - 1 -4", rather than "Blue-14". It just seemed to keep me in rhythm better, but I have no idea why.

But hey, I am a coach, and we are confused easily (often by bright, shiny objects).

I'm a single-digit-at-a-time guy, no one has ever said one thing or another about it.

My preference is that you report the number..

When the announcer announces the number does he announce the player as number 1-3 or number thirteen?

I like speaking english and reporting the numer and not individual numbers.

I report numbers and have only had problems with one scorekeeper, of course so did my partner...

I am assuming you mean number. :D

Also how the announcer reports the number is not the issue here. We report to the table so they do not mess up what is reported or they understand what is reported. What the announcer says in the microphone is another issue as well. I am sure how well you are understood is the way you annunciate your words and your speech type. I just think when most people hear only apart of what you say and you have words that are similar in nature (like the "teen" words) people might get confused.

I am in IAABOland and we've been instructed to say the actual number. If there is a loud gym and you say "One-Four", there is a chance that only the "Four" will be heard and a mistake might occur in the scorebook. If you say "fourteen", it diminishes the likelihood of that occurrence.

Two years ago at a camp, a guest speaker (a D1 official) suggested in his presentation the use of saying the whole number instead of the individual digits. I liked his reasoning behind the mechanic so I switched from the latter to the former prior to the start of the next season. However, it took some practice in front of the mirror because the timing with one syllable numbers as opposed to two syllable digits. It felt awkward for a time, but now it's part of my foul reporting mechanic. I never had any one tell me that it had to be done one way or the other.

For what it is worth, in Texas, we are taught to verbally report, color, number (whole) and signal with one hand each digit, followed by the appropriate infraction signal. Since I have also kept score, I prefer to hear the "whole" number rather than digits and then I confirm what I hear with the digits signal. When I hear "1 - 3" instead of "13", my brain thinks 1 - 3, not 13. To me it simplifies it to hear the whole number and see digits. Just my 2 cents.

Report The Number
 

If you are to say the number our loud, then I can see the schools going with numbered uniforms like 16,17,18, and so forth. Since the hand signals are not that important. If this is the case then more schools could retire more jersey numbers.

I'm a whole number guy. Reporting is about communication and which communicates more easily, "one three" or "thirteen"? We all know thirteen, but "one three" takes just a little bit of mapping from what was said into a "real" number. I also think in a noisy gym, where they may not clearly hear all of what I say, "thirteen" is more likely to be recognized correctly than it's two digit alternative.

The hard part is disconnecting the signaling from the saying. I'll usually show the first digit as I'm saying the number, then after a suitable length of time has passed, I'll signal the second digit. But when I watch newbies try it, the fingers are inevitably connected to the syllables.

Just my $0.02

Which is different from Chuck, who's just a fraction.