The Joy of Keeping Score: How Scoring the Game Has Influenced and Enhanced the History of Baseball: Amazon.ca: Paul Dickson: Books

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From Amazon

There are two reasons to head out to the ballpark. One is to passively watch the game, the other is to actively see it, and you can't do the latter without a scorecard. In this slim gem of a volume, Paul Dickson clearly explains and translates the quirky documentation system, which looks like cuneiform to the uninitiated, for recording what happens on the ball field, and why true fans are so adamant about doing it. Filled with history, anecdotes, and rules, it also reproduces--to the joy of scorers everywhere--the official scorer's records for some of baseball's most significant moments, including Don Larson's perfecto and Babe Ruth's called shot. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Scorekeeping in baseball was inaugurated nationally in 1863 by Henry Chadwick, who also invented the box score. Dickson (Baseball's Greatest Quotations) here teaches the rudiments of scoring, including how the players are numbered, some of the obvious symbols (e.g., SB is a Stolen Base) and some of the less obvious (K is the universal mark for the Strikeout). He explains the nuances of scoring a ball game and how to read a box score, and profiles some of the celebrities who liked to score games (Dwight D. Eisenhower and Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, among others). We also see how it's done north of the border, from a Montreal Expos scorecard (a home run is un circuit); how the hot dog was invented; and how FDR introduced baseball lingo into politics. Dickson has written a testimonial to the joys of scoring that true ball fans will embrace. Photos.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

3.8 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Chock full, but a little scattered, Aug 16 2003

By

Bill Stevens (Richmond, IN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Joy of Keeping Score: How Scoring the Game Has Influenced and Enhanced the History of Baseball (Paperback)

This is probably the very best book out there about scoring, and aptly titled, because after I read this book I have become fascinated with scoring (maybe a little too much??). The author clearly loves the game and gives you lots of reasons to love it yourself.
The book's thoroughness is both its strength and weakness. There is only a small section that gives you a clear mandate on how to score. But the rest of the book is just plain chock full of suggestions and variations, from simple to being able to recreate the game pitch-by-pitch, but you have to read the whole book to get all of them. This also makes it hard to find something you remember from past readings. There is an index to help out, though.
Overall, a great book that truly embraces the joy of scoring, and has dozens of styles that you can choose to use when you score. He leaves it up to you to pick your own style.

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4.0 out of 5 stars If you want to learn to keep score, don't buy this one., May 2 2002

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Tracy Clark (Tacoma, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Joy of Keeping Score: How Scoring the Game Has Influenced and Enhanced the History of Baseball (Paperback)

Unfortunately, I purchased this book looking for detailed instructions on how to keep score. While there is a section for this, it's very brief and did not suit my needs. 4 stars however, for the informative history of scorekeeping. Very interesting and entertaining to read.

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3.0 out of 5 stars a nice bit of ephemera, Feb 21 2002

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Richard Hershberger (Maryland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Joy of Keeping Score: How Scoring the Game Has Influenced and Enhanced the History of Baseball (Paperback)

I agree with the reviews already written. This is a nice book and reasonably priced, but not fully satisfying. It is an outline for an outstanding book, but it is not itself outstanding. Use it as a mid-winter meditation on the game or lend it to friends who don't understand why you bring pencil and paper to the ballpark.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful little gem.
I rarely take the time to write reviews here but when I read something this enjoyable, I have to make time. Read more

Published on Jan 17 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars The evolution of baseball scoring
... I bought this book when I became my son's youth leagueasst. coach/scorekeeper. The advice that scorekeeping can become individualized to suit the needs of the scorekeeper and... Read more

Published on Aug 25 2000 by Russell Wright