I'm In Sports Illustrated

[Dyenimator]

So what? So the decline of scorekeeping merely suggests the decline of the American family. "My father taught me how to keep score when I was seven," says Matt Armelagos, 19, of Allen Park, Mich., from his windy perch in section 212 of Comerica Park. "And I'll teach my children." But Armelagos is, quite literally, alone. He is the only person in the upper grandstand at last Friday's Tigers-Diamondbacks game keeping score. "Everyone else is here to drink beer and party," he says. "I'm here to watch baseball, and keeping score helps me focus on the game."


Wow.

[jrun]

Congratulations.

But come back to us when you're in something running related like Runnersworld, Track & Field News, or even on the front page of say....Dyestat.

Just joking, man. Frame it.

[gesser]

So what? So the decline of scorekeeping merely suggests the decline of the American family. "My father taught me how to keep score when I was seven," says Matt Armelagos, 19, of Allen Park, Mich., from his windy perch in section 212 of Comerica Park. "And I'll teach my children." But Armelagos is, quite literally, alone. He is the only person in the upper grandstand at last Friday's Tigers-Diamondbacks game keeping score. "Everyone else is here to drink beer and party," he says. "I'm here to watch baseball, and keeping score helps me focus on the game."


Wow.

That's awesome. My dad taught me to keep score when I was about 7 too. And I will like to teach my kids.

When I go to games now, I usually just sit and watch with my friends or brother or dad...whoevers with me. I don't eat anything. Gotta keep the focus on the game. I hate the guys who go every half inning and get their two beer limit too. I'll buy a water if it's hot out.

Congrats. That's a good quote.


What story is this in? Is this in the one with Giambi on the cover?

[Dyenimator]

Yeah, Giambi's on the cover.

page 17

[Filipe]

That's pretty awesome, Matt.

[TJPatriot]

First, congrats.

Second, there are people who don't know how to keep score?

[flukerun]

Thats so cool. Did you know you that you were going to be in it for sure, or did they say maybe you will be in it?

[mzungu]

keeping score at baseball games is something i could never understand because there's a huge scoreboard that tells you at all times what the score is, how many hits each team has, and how many errors have been committed. now, keeping running statistics for individuals at basketball games used to make sense because they weren't posted, but now that would make sense just for stats other than fouls and points.

[Jwaksman]

It's so that when you look back at it 10 years later you can re-visualize the entire game.

[KenA55]

It's so that when you look back at it 10 years later you can re-visualize the entire game.

Exactly. You'd be surprised how many people who play the game don't know how to score a baseball game. The scorebook, done properly, will tell you exactly how every out got accomplished right down to the fielding position numbers involved, what the count was when every ball got put in play, and which runs were earned or not and exactly who picked up exactly how many rbi's. The little box representing each hitter's plate appearance is tooled for all of that. Girls, if you want to hang with the baseball team in the dugout in the spring and summer, learn to keep the book meticulously and you'll have a reserved spot on the bench. Same goes for you guys who are sweet on that speedy utility softball infielder.

[Jwaksman]

Yeah, I always go to several Mets games every year, and I've kept score at every game (well, almost every game) since 1990. I can now go into my closet and find Mets programs with Wally Backman on the cover and re-visualize the whole game.



I don't know about you guys, but I can't think about a much better summer afternoon than a day at the ballpark. Basketball has its moments, and football is made for tv, but baseball is the best game to see in person.


I've been to a couple Jets games, to the US Tennis Open many times, to a bunch of Knicks and Nets games, and to the NCAA basketball tournament several times, but my two favorite sporting experiences were baseball. One was last year, when I was at the 3rd game of the Yankees/Mets series, when the Mets pulled off the sweep. And the second was my first ever baseball game, in 1989, when Rob Dibble hit Gary Templeton and the benches cleared.

[KenA55]

when Rob Dibble hit Gary Templeton and the benches cleared.

So how do you score that? I'm visualizing converging lines from all fielding positions and both dugouts meeting in an apex near the hill.

Ok, so now we know why your roomies were always urging you to come out of the closet.
:D

[Jwaksman]

Ha, I'm not sure how I scored that.


As for your second comment.... not sure I get that...

[jrun]

First, congrats.

Second, there are people who don't know how to keep score?

What kind of scorekeeping are you referring?

[KenA55]

I can now go into my closet and find Mets programs with Wally Backman on the cover and re-visualize the whole game.

^^^

Presumably not a 2-1/2+ hour event replay though, hopefully.

[gesser]

What kind of scorekeeping are you referring?

I assume he's talking about the scorecard in programs.