The legacy of baseball in American homes
Scoring
One of the great things about baseball is its obsession with statistics and numbers. Another great thing is the little pencil that comes with the game’s program. No, these pencils are not just for keeping score for miniature golf—another great summer activity—they are there to fill out the game’s scorecard.
Scoring a baseball game has almost become a lost art, something that people from generations long before ours only seem to do. That is because the younger generations do not have an appreciation for the beauty and satisfaction of scoring a game yourself.
There are multiple different ways to score a baseball game, and no one method is more correct than another. The purpose of scoring the game is to have a record, which you can easily interpret, of what happened for each play, so do what works best for you. The following information is a breakdown of some of the general rules. This is by no means a comprehensive way of scoring, just a beginner’s guide.
Each of the nine positions on a baseball diamond is assigned a number (1-pitcher, 2-catcher, 3-first base, 4- second base, 5-third base, 6-shortstop, 7-left field, 8- center field, 9-right field). The purpose of the numbers is to create a shorthand for filling out the small boxes on the score card. The rows on a score card represent the players, and the columns are for the innings that are played.
If a batter gets a hit, a diagonal line is drawn, as if the batter is running from home plate to first. If that hit is a double, then the diagonal line that was drawn "from home to first" will further be drawn from first to second, and so on if that hit is a triple. If a home run is hit, a diamond is drawn. Some people choose to color in the diamond, others do not. If a batter who reaches base scores a run, then a dot is made in the box.
When an out occurs, the position numbers of the fielders come into play. For example, if the batter grounds out to the third baseman, the out is recorded 5- 3, as the third baseman (5) threw the ball to the first baseman (3) to record the out.
If the hitter hits a fly ball to the center fielder, then the out is recorded 8-F. If the ball hit was a line drive, then it would be 8-L. If a batter hits a pop-up to the shortstop, then the out would be marked 6-P. If the hitter fouls out to a catcher, then the out would be 2-F. This "F" stands for "foul out" and not for "fly out" like the one mentioned earlier. If the second baseman records an error, then the scorer would write E-4.
Finally, there is the strikeout. If the batter strikes out by swinging and missing, the scorer will write a "K." If the batter strikes out by not swinging at a strike, a backwards "K" is marked. Some other abbreviates that are used are HBP (hit by pitch), BB (base on balls, or walk), SF (sacrifice fly) and SB (stolen base). Many baseball stadiums will post how to score each play as it happens on electronic scoreboards around the field.
—Matt Saylor Sports Editor
BY KIMBERLY KANE AND MATT SAYLOR
Arts & Entertainment Editor and Sports Editor
The smell of hot dogs and freshly cut grass. The sounds of "Hey, Beer Man" and the crack of the bat. The taste of popcorn and peanuts. The joys of victor and the agony of defeat. Spring has sprung, summer is around the corner and baseball is back.
There is no sport that is better associated with summer than baseball. Sure, baseball also has spring training and the Fall Classic, but it is summer where the sport makes its hay. Ice hockey and basketball finally end in June, about a month after they should, and with football having only its various mini-camps and training camp, baseball has the spotlight all to itself from the early stages of June to the end of August.
So, with your family and friends, be sure to make some time to go to a ball game or two (or 70) this summer. The Bucknellian’s quick-andeasy guide to baseball will be sure to show you the way to a ballpark near you.
Mascots
In the past few decades, baseball has become one of the most entertaining sports both on and off the field. Team mascots bring hilarity and entertainment to the fans and keep them occupied between innings.
The Phillie Phanatic is one of the most wellknown mascots in all of sports. A green, furry, unknown creature from the Galapagos Islands, the Phanatic embodies the zealous nature of Philadelphia fans. Debuted on April 25, 1978, the Phanatic was originally played by Dave Raymond. Tom Burgoyne took over for Raymond in 1993 and is the current man inside the suit.
The Phanatic wreaks havoc at games, tickling fans with his tongue and dousing unsuspecting spectators with popcorn. He also has an infamous rivalry with Dodgers manager Tommy LaSorda. This year the Phanatic was painted red as part of the Phillies’ "Paint the Town Red" promotional event, but he has since returned to his green hue.
The San Diego Chicken preceded the Phanatic, debuting in 1974. The Chicken entertained crowds and is still well known in the sporting world. But he Chicken is not the Padres’ official mascot; that honor goes to the Swinging Friar, a character introduced as early as 1958.
Other mascots include the Boston Red Sox’s Wally the Green Monster and the New York Mets’ Mr. Met. Although some baseball purists claim that the mascots distract from the game, it is hard to keep a straight face when a mascot rides by on its ATV. Young and old fans alike can laugh at the innocent antics of baseball mascots.
History of Baseball
The origins of baseball are often disputed. The sport seems to have roots in various folk games in England. According to Wikipedia.org, baseball was first mentioned in 1791 in Pittsfield, Mass., where the game was banned within 80 yards of the town hall.
According to About.com, Alexander Joy Cartwright is the inventor of the modern baseball field. The New York Knickerbocker Base Ball Club had the first set of regulations. The sport struggled in the early 1860s due to the Civil War, but once the battles were over, baseball became more popular than ever.
In the 1870s, professional baseball took off. The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs was formed in 1875 and paid the players. The National League formed after several other attempts to organize associations flopped.
Dozens of other leagues formed, but the National League held control of major cities and was one of the most dominant leagues. One of the National League’s solid competitors was the American League, started in 1901.
According to www.baseball1.com, the Federal League tried to compete in 1914 and sued, claiming the American and National Leagues had a monopoly over the sport. In 1922, the Supreme Court ruled that baseball was exempt from anti-trust legislation.
This ruling brought baseball into the 1920s, where it flourished. After the Black Sox scandal of 1919, there were major reforms. Babe Ruth, one of the most powerful and famous homerun hitters in history, brought economic success to the sport.
Along with gambling, racial segregation constituted a dark spot in the history of baseball. African Americans were not allowed to play in the major leagues until 1947, when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Robinson was actually one of an unknown number of black players in the league, but it was not until the 1960s that baseball became truly integrated. The players’ union was strengthened in the 1960s, giving protection to players of all races.
