Clipping:Uniform scoring; wild pitches and passed balls and bases on balls; Boston reporters
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| Date | Wednesday, January 7, 1885 |
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| Text | [a circular by Boston baseball reporters, signed by E. T. Stevens of the Herald; W. D. Sullivan of the Globe; E. H. Talbot of the Journal; B. L. Beal of the Journal; J. C. Morse of the Courier; and E. H. Farnsworth of the Post] It seems desirable that, in League cities at least, the newspapers which devote considerable space to base ball should publish scores on a uniform basis, all either crediting or omitting certain errors in the error column. According to League rules, passed balls and wild pitches are not charged against the players making them in the error column, but are printed in the summary following the tabulated score; they are also included by the secretary of the League in making up his averages, both of teams and of individuals. They are undoubtedly errors, since they are plays on which a runner makes one or more bases, while perfect play would have held him where he was. The principal [sic], and, it is believed, the only reason for the present manner of recording them is that the score may show distinctly fielding errors. The members of the Boston press, each on his own account, have for several years charged to the pitcher wild pitches and (with one exception) bases on balls, and to the catcher passed balls in the error column, also giving a credit to the pitcher in the assist column for every time that the batsman fails to hit the ball on the third strike, these statistics being given as well in the summary in order that the reader may see how many of the errors were so-called battery errors. At a meeting of the base ball scorers of this city, held recently, it was voted to adopt a uniform system of scoring, as follows: The assist column to include the number of times the batsmen fail to hit the third strike, credited to the pitcher; the error column to include the number of wild pitches and bases on balls, charged to the pitcher, and the number of passed balls charged to the catcher; the summary to include, under the caption of “struck out – By –“ (the name of the pitcher), the number of batsmen failing to hit the ball on the third strike off his delivery, and the wild pitches and passed balls. Objection has been made to the plan, that it apparently does injustice to the pitcher and catcher, in that they have many more chances for errors than any other players, but this objection will not hold when it is remembered that the comparisons of a season's work are classified, i.e., pitchers with pitchers, catchers with catchers, fielders with fielders, etc. Inasmuch as the League acknowledges these plays to be assists and errors, but for technical reasons omits them from the tabulated score, it is believed that united action by League newspapers will induce the officials of the League to amend that portion of the playing rules which relates to scoring so as to agree with the changes suggested. To that end a petition to the League has been drawn up, a copy of which is enclosed. Your earnest consideration of it is requested. If you concur in the views herein expressed please sign it and return to Mr. Talbot of the undersigned, and with like documents from other scorers it will be forwarded and presented to the League at its March meeting by President Soden, of the Boston Club, by whom the changes will be advocated before the meeting. [The petition follows.] |
| Source | Sporting Life |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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