How To Score A Major League Baseball Game

The game of baseball is enjoyed most when you can understand what the sportscasters are saying and you follow the game using a baseball scorebook.

Baseball Scorekeeping is a way to document and record the details of a baseball game. Each game has an official scorer responsible for recording the events of the game. The Official Scorer makes judgment calls about how to interpret certain circumstances as they relate to the rules (hits vs. errors, etc), but does not have an influence on the final score or the winner and loser. The official scorer must have an in-depth knowledge of the game of baseball and also be intimate with the league rules.

It is recommended that each team assign a coach to be the scorekeeper for the team. His score has no affect on the official game score. His records are used to serve the team in many ways. They help the coach:

1. To keep track of which players have played, and who is available.
2. To keep the batting order accurate
3. To keep individual and team statistics throughout the season
4. To use as a tool for strategic advantage

When Did Baseball Scorekeeping Begin?
It is believed that the foundations of baseball scorekeeping were developed in the late 1800’s by Henry Chadwick. His goal was to come up with statistics of hits, outs, etc. to evaluate which players helped or hurt a team’s chance of winning a game.

Baseball Scorekeeping Systems
There is no definitive system for baseball scoring but the basics are universal. This guide provides the symbols, abbreviations and notations needed to score a baseball game, including youth leagues. More important it will show you how to interpret the scorekeeping results of any game.

With the advent of computers and statistic organizations, such as the Elias Sports Bureau, baseball scorekeeping has taken on a life of it’s own.

Recording a Plate Appearance
Baseball games are scored one turn at bat (Plate Appearance) at a time. The information entered should reflect everything that affected the player in that inning.

Not only is the player’s activity at the plate recorded, but his entire life on the bases in the inning.

Learning how to score baseball is easy and fun. If you are already know how to score the game, you can learn how to score even the most advanced situations in all of baseball