In recording a game on score-sheet No. 1 we proceed as follows:—Under the heading of “Batsmen” we place the names of the batting nine, and under the heading of “Fielders” we place the names of the opposing nine. These names are recorded on the two score-sheets of the score-book; the names of the two nines thus appearing on the book twice, once as batsmen and once as fielders. Over the heading “Batsmen” we record the time of commencing the game, and this is done only on the page of the nine who first go to the bat; the figures of the hour of closing the game being recorded over the heading “Fielders,” on the page of the nine who last go to the bat; and over the figures of the “innings” we record the name of the grounds the match was played on, and the date of the game.
Each fielder is numbered from 1 to 9, and in recording by whom players are put out these figures are used to indicate the name of the fielder. In recording the positions of the fielders we simply use the initials of the words of the position, thus C for “catcher,” P for “pitcher,” &c. Instead of using C for “centre field,” we use M for “middle field,” as C is used for “catcher.” The figures 1, 2, 3 are used to indicate the outs of each innings, and a dot thus (.) for each run. Dots only are used in recording the details of the batting on the left hand of the score-sheet, and also for recording the particulars of the fielding on the left. Thus, if the batsman secures his first base by a “clean hit”—that is, not by means of a wild throw, a dropped fly ball, or a palpably muffed ball—we place a dot in the square of the column of “times bases on hits” opposite the batsman’s name; and if instead he be put out on the fly, we place a dot in the square of the column headed “fly catches,” on the right, and opposite the fielder’s name. Now the above score only gives the data for estimating the skill of the batsman as far as his score of bases on hits, or on muffs, &c. is concerned, and of the skill of the fielder as far as the record of the totals of his work in the field is concerned. To complete the score, however, something more has to be done, and that is, to record how and by whom each batsman is put out; and how this is to be done we now proceed to show.
The scorer must first make himself familiar with the following abbreviations of words used to indicate the various movements and actions of the fielders, and these abbreviations will be found very easy to commit to memory. They are as follows:—
| A | Put out at | first base. |
| B | „ | second base. |
| C | „ | third base. |
| H | „ | home base. |
| F | Put out on | fly catch. |
| K | „ | three strikes. |
| R O | Put out | between bases. |
| L F | „ | on foul fly. |
| L D | „ | on foul bound. |
| T F | „ | on tip fly. |
| T D | „ | on tip bound. |
| H R | „ | for home run. |
As before stated, the figures 1, 2, 3 are used for recording the outs, and dots for runs; with small figures thus, 1st, 2d, 3d, to indicate being left on the bases.
The key to the above abbreviations is as follows. The first three letters of the alphabet indicate the first three bases, and we use the initial letters of the words Home, Fly, Run Out, and Tip, and the last letter of the words Struck, Foul, and Bound. Thus L stands for foul and F for fly, and both together for “foul fly.” The above system will be found to include everything necessary in recording the important details of a game, to the extent of showing the good plays made at the bat and in the field. In “reporting” the details of a match, however, we necessarily require a still more elaborate system, and our short-hand system for the use of reporters will be found in detail in our “Book of Reference,” published in New York.
In order to illustrate fully the working of the system of scoring above described, we will proceed to score an imaginary game as follows:—
Suppose the fielders in their places and the batsman in his, and the scorers ready to record the game. “Play” is called, and the time of beginning the game at once recorded. The first striker then hits a ball, which is caught on the fly by the left-fielder, who is the seventh striker, we will say, on the other side. On the square of the first innings opposite the name of the first striker you first write down the figure 1, indicating the first hand out, and above it write the figure 7 and the letter F, and your record will then appear thus: 7 F
1
