Clipping:A critique of scoring rules; a suggestion to abolish the error column
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| Date | Saturday, February 8, 1879 |
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| Text | [from a long critique of current scoring rules] A pitcher would be charged with earned runs and base-hits against him by one scorer, while another would charge the field with the errors, thereby relieving the pitcher. In fact, this error business is so ill defined in its rules, and so improperly attended to, that it really becomes a question whether it would not be best to abolish the error column in the score altogether. The League system of scoring in 1877 was a farce in two or three of its rules, and it was but little better in 1878. Charging a pitcher with one fielding error for the delivery of nine unfair balls was one of its absurdities, and crediting the pitcher with a fielding assistance when the batsman was retired on strikes was another. Then, too, charging an infielder with an error for not holding a hot line-ball on the fly, and another for failing to pick up a red-hot ground-ball in time to throw out a runner on a base, were other mistakes. Another matter connected with scoring was the habit many reporters had of crowding their score with special detail-figures. If there was no preliminary report describing the play, it would be well enough; but with a column of description before the score, only a summary score is required to finish the report. We do not see the fairness of crediting the batsman with what is actually the result of errors by the fielding side. But we have not time or space in this issue to discuss the subject as fully as it deserves. That a revision of the rules of scoring is necessary there is no doubt. How to make the changes so as to do justice to the fielder is the problem. Plans for scoring the game so as to produce a clear, correct and impartial record for each player at the end of the season are now in order. It is the absence of such a record which has thus far been the obstacle in the way of a fair award of The Clipper prizes to the best fielders of the International Championship. |
| Source | New York Clipper |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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