Home Keeping score Launching the IBAF scoring modules

Launching the IBAF scoring modules

by Joe Gray

The scoring system recommended to official scorers in Great Britain is the one promoted by the International Baseball Federation. It is perhaps not the most visually elegant of systems, but its thoroughness and flexibility more than make up for that.

A large manual is available to cover every detail of this system, and this is fine for scorers wishing to learn about the system who already have some experience of keeping score. However, the level of detail in the manual may be quite daunting for total beginners, so to complement the manual I am launching a series of modules to assist scorers looking to get up to speed. These modules can be found here on the GBBSA website. Modules one and two have just been published.

Free-to-download scoresheets for the system can also be found on the GBBSA website (an A3 9-inning scoresheet and an A4 7-inning scoresheet are both available).

If you are interested in these modules, then there are two things you could do to help make them as useful as possible. The first is to let me know of any technical difficulties. The second is to suggest ideas for modules. Please leave comments below.

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3 comments

Matthew Crawshaw April 4, 2009 - 12:20 pm

My first season of scoring starts this month. I have been reading the IBAF rules in conjuction with Andres Wirkmaa’s book since Christmas.

Although I haven’t finsihed either publication, I decided ‘well the best way to learn is to have a go’, so I used the IBAF A3 scorecard when watching the Sox and Mets on MLTBTV last night.

I was able to keep up and score most plays, until I lost my picture and frantically switched over the gameday lol.

The only issue I got stuck with was a failed double play, the ump called it fielders choice regardless, but the pure quickness of the play, listening out for the commentator’s interpretation of the umps call, thumbing through the IBAF book for guidance and getting the notation down was extremly difficult for a beginner.

All good fun though and looking forward to getting some stats down for the Leicester Blue Sox when they open on 20 April.

Reply
Joe Gray April 4, 2009 - 12:33 pm

Hi Matthew,

I couldn’t agree more that the best way to learn is to put what you read into practice. The main thing to bear in mind when you are starting out is to avoid getting so worried about working out how to score a particular play that you get behind in an inning. Once you are behind, it is tricky to catch up. So instead, if this happens, make sure you’ve recorded where each runner got to on the play, if outs were made, and if any runs scored. You should be able to fill in the gaps at the end of the inning, or even after the game has finished.

Reply
Mike Dean May 25, 2018 - 12:47 am

Are the modules still around??
I’ve enjoyed your articles

Reply

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