Book Error
 

High School Boys V tournament, two person crew. Partner is R and I, obviously, am U. When my partner and I came out at half time, both coaches and their respective scorekeepers were at the table. The official book, the home team book, and the visiting team book all three had a different score, and the official book did not match the scoreboard. After cussin' and discussin' I determined that the official book had to be the final word and that's what we went with. Neither coach was happy. Was that the right decision?

What other choice(s) do you feel you had?

can you explain further what all 3 books had and how they differed? did they all have the running score? was there anyone else at the table that could have helped? media people? Its easy to say that the official book is the only way to go, but as we well know, that is not always the RIGHT way to go....please add more details about the situation....

The discrepancy all came in the first quarter. I did notice that the scoreboard at the end of the first quarter matched the home team's book so my first thought was to go with the two that matched, but I recalled ALMOST immediately that it's the official book, not the scoreboard, that is the official score. It made no difference in the outcome of the game but it was painful for a few minutes.

Just to make sure I have a full description, did all four sources have different scores? The three books all had something different, and then the scoreboard had something different from that? And all three books were using the running score?

Very unusual...the official book is "official," but if you can determine with certainty that a bookkeeping error was made, you can have it changed. But if you have no way of determining which source is correct, then you are correct that the official book will stand. And it's the running score in the official book, not the individual scoring added up, that is truly the "official score."

At the end of the first quarter the scoreboard and the hometeam book both had 12-8, the visiting team book had 8-12 and the official book had 10-10. just by the way the game had gone I was surprised, at the end of the first quarter, that the home team was up. All three books could support the scores with the running score. The home team book was being kept by a frumpy high school kid, the visiting team book was being kept by Billy Bubba in a John Deere cap, The clock/scoreboard was being run by a teacher whom, until the night before, had never done it, and the official book was being kept by a midle aged woman who appeared alert and intelligent. That's what I had to go on.

Throwing all of your stereotypes and judgments about the score keepers aside, did you compare the points for each of the players in each book? I would think with only 20 points scored, it wouldnt take long to track down some sort of information that could help. I also am amazed that there wasnt a mom or dad in the stands who didnt notice that a score was or wasnt added, and didnt start screaming that the score was wrong....could you or your partner remember when the discrepancy may have occurred?

You're lucky chseagle wasn't there, he would have T'd all three at the table!:D

Wouldn't have happened as he would have conducted a good pre-game!

I had a situation in a game last weekend - A35 had 2 fouls and got a technical for an altercation with another player (so 3 total) in the first quarter. He came out at that for the rest of the half (this of which I was certain since my attena was up on both of the two players).

Third quarter starts and a few minutes in I come to the table and report a foul on A35 (keeping track in my head, I knew this was the 4th on the player).

I report and start walking away form the table when the horn sounds, they let me know its the player's 5th foul...

I go to table and A Coach is obviously upset and stating his player has been out a quarter and a half... but honestly I can't pin down where the mix-up occurred - there isn't even any other players in the 30's or with a 5 in their jersey... My partner and I also know we haven't called five on him...but thats what the book says

To make matters worse, it was a MLK Showcase game so thee was no home book and no visitor book - just one official book to go by.

So we go with the book and move on.

There is no way to handle this any differently is there? We can't just have a non-assigned team foul right?

What did the official book have as far as accumulated points by individual players and did it match the 2 other books?

Scorer's errors can be corrected at any time. I would think you could correct this, did the other team have a 35? If you knew for certain it was 4, I think you could have changed it.

Agreed, if you and your P are certain.

There was no play by play at the table for either situation I assume?

I gotta go with the middle aged woman who appeared alert and intelligent!! :D

Oh, and how convenient, she's the official book!

Although it's clearly NOT the only criterion, I think there's some value in at least considering where profiling/personalityreading/stereotyping might lead. Official book is the rule, and that person seems to be the most alert and intelligent, wise and observant, So we're just gonna go with it. She might have been chosen for that job because she IS bright and alert and wise.

It would be even better if she could have said "about 6 minutes to go in the half, I think the V book might have put a score on the wrong side of the spine" or something like that, but you can't have everything...