Official scorer facts for kids

This is where the official scorer works during a baseball game in Taiwan.

In a game of baseball, an official scorer is a special person chosen by the league. Their main job is to watch the game very closely and write down everything that happens. They create the official record of the game. This record is then sent to the league offices.

What Does an Official Scorer Do?

The official scorer has two main jobs during a baseball game. First, they record all the facts. This means writing down what happens during every plate appearance. They also note how runners move around the bases.

Making Important Decisions

The second big part of their job is making judgment calls. These decisions do not change how the game is played or who wins. But they are very important for keeping accurate records.

What Kinds of Calls Do They Make?

Official scorers decide on several key things:

• Errors: Did a player make a mistake that helped the other team?
• Unearned Runs: Did a run score because of an error, not because the other team played well?
• Fielder's choice: When a batter reaches base because the defense chose to try and get another runner out instead.
• Hits: Was a ball hit safely a true hit, or did a fielder just miss it?
• Wild pitches: Did the pitcher throw a ball so badly that the catcher couldn't stop it?

All these decisions are written down in the game's official record.

Why is the Official Scorer Important?

The detailed record kept by the official scorer is super important. It helps create all the stats for each player and team. These stats help us understand how well players are doing. They also show how teams are performing throughout the season.

Understanding the Box Score

Have you ever seen a box score after a game? It's a summary of everything the official scorer wrote down. It shows who got hits, who scored runs, and many other details. It's like a quick report card for the game!

Images for kids

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  Henry Chadwick

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  Jerry Adair

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  Ned Yost