Does the home book rule?

Honestly, when we're talking high school sports, and I'm at the game, I'm going with my own book.

A lot of the times -- as in 99.9 percent of the time -- it's just some high school kid keeping the book in between Twittering or something. If there's a discrepancy, I'm going with the book kept by the actual adult who is paying attention (ie, me).

If you're talking colleges or pros, where there is an actual adult who is actually paid a salary to be accurate, then of course you go with the official book.

But when I'm covering a high school game, my book IS the official book, as far as I'm concerned.

 

Damn right.

 

yup. you are the book of record at staffed prep games.

 

Always go with what I keep, unless I can actually trust the person keeping the book.

Had an instance a few years ago where a visiting pitcher had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning (high school, obviously). Home team kid hits a ball up the middle, shortstop and second baseman both running after the ball. SS gets his glove on the ball, but it gets past him and into the outfield.

Runner would have been safe even with a throw. I award the home team a hit on the play, thus breaking up the no-hit bid. Get a call next day from the guy keeping visiting team's book. It was the pitcher's dad complaining about how I took Little Johnny's first no-no from him.

Dad ruled the play an error, both coaches said it was clearly a hit, and that's what I reported. Heard the infamous 'you cost my kid a scholarship' line to boot.

 

If it's called in, go with the home book unless is a really glaring issue. Otherwise, let the coaches take care of their pissing matches themselves as far as how many hits or errors.

Like KY, I usually go with what I keep unless someone is a good score keeper, not just some kid jerking around. If I'm in the box, I may ask what they ruled it. Never had any complaints with what I've kept though.

 

Please tell me you're not equating the official scorekeeper for NBA and MLB games with Katilyn Brooke's mom doing stats for the Albino Academy softball team.

 

Guess what, went with the home book ... got a phone call. Parents are THE BEST!

 

Indeed. *My* stats are official.

 

Look... if they made 13 errors, the only people who give a shit about them are the parents. You'll be done with 'em the first day of the tournament.

So don't sweat the phone call, yo.

 

Um, it's not "Kaitlyn," it's "Katelynn." :

 

Doesn't matter, official is official. If there's an official scorekeeper at the game, and they call it a hit, it's a hit.

 

Some Guy and Mystery Meat have it right. You cannot equate a high school kid, parent or hanger-on keeping a book with someone doing stats at an NFL or NBA game. Of course if someone calls in a game, I have to go by what they say because I didn't see it.

I'll give an example of what I see. In a prep fastpitch softball game last week, this girl hits a can-of-corn fly ball right to the left fielder who simply drops the ball. The parent keeping the book called it a hit! It was an error in my story.