Scoring Symbols
This page may be overwhelming at first glance.
(And in subsequent glances as well!)
In the early stages concentrate on becoming familiar with just a few symbols.
For example, start with using K for all strike outs and ---- (dashes) for safe hits.
You can download a comprehensive Scoring Symbol Legend and refer to it later as necessary.
As well, a list of the symbols is provided in the front of the ABF Official Scorebook.
Are you already wondering why the K symbol is used for strike outs?
Don't try to figure it out. Be Zenful... accepting.... unquestioning...
At some point in your life, when you have lots of free time, Google it - there are some interesting stories.
For now, just use the K symbol for strike outs.
It is not necessary to use colours at the beginning stages of scoring.
Designated colours are used to facillitate reading the scorebook, much like the intent of the Red, Green and Amber colours
of the traffic signals are easily recognised without reference to their relative positions.
Colours help to identify particular plays quickly.
It is strongly recommended that colouring-in (shading) is kept to a minimum so that the emphasis is on recording the game accurately and not producing a pretty scoresheet.
The basic colours are:
- Green for hits and earned runs
- Red for fielding errors and unearned runs
- Blue for pitcher actions and sacrifice situations
- Orange for recording the number of outs, marking double/triple plays and ruling off the end of the innings
- Black for everything else
Safe Hits are indicated by dashes representing the value of the hit (1, 2, 3 bases or homerun) and a fielding number (#) where where the hit was fielded.
So a single dash followed by the number 7 as in ( -7 ) indicates a safe single to left field.
Or =8 indicates a double (2 bases) to centre field.
If a batter hits more than a single base hit, put the symbol in the first square
and draw a continuous line to the base achieved.
For example a 2 base hit to centre field would be scored like this:
Fielding errors and unearned runs are indicated in Red.
It is a "Decisive" error (Upper case) if the player should have been out on the play, otherwise it is an "extra base" error (lower case.)
Play symbols primarily involving the pitcher are in Blue.
Outs and end of innings are written with Orange pencil.
So are Double and Triple plays (where 2 or three outs are made on a single play)
Ask someone to show you where to place those funny symbols.
It's not hard once you see it done, but ....
this is one of the bits that can frighten little children and horses.
Finally, everything else is in Black pencil