1. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPER CLINIC District 53 Administrator
Presented by
Tommy Ferguson
Jim Spering
District 53 Administrator 1

2. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
THE OFFICIAL SCORER
Official Scoring is the basis of all records in Baseball and Softball
Scoring is a means of compiling a record of what happens during the progress of a game. Anyone should be able to review your scorebook and get an accurate and clear picture of everything that happened in the game.
Accuracy is important, but you may make mistakes. If you find that you scored a play incorrectly in violation of the rules, correct your mistake before finalizing your totals. GETTING IT RIGHT should be the creed of every scorekeeper. 2

3. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
BASIC REASONS FOR HAVING LITTLE LEAGUE SCOREKEEPERS
1. Ensure that every player has played his / her required amount of time
*Regulation IV(i) – Mandatory Play Regulation
2. Ensure that the pitching eligibility is observed properly
*Regulation VI – Pitching Regulations & Limits
Record exact game situation in the event of a protested or suspended
game – Managers should review scorebook for accuracy before they leave the park
Record the final score of the game
Assist the umpire in providing a record of game proceedings
Assure all players are treated fairly in matters involving judgment 3

4. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
THINGS TO REMEMBER
Show up early to the game
Remind yourself, you are a volunteer providing the League a
service, doing the best you can…..HAVE FUN!
3. Always try and bring illegal substitutions (pitcher / player) to the
attention of the Plate Umpire before the next pitch to prevent protest from happening
4. If teams change sides before 3 outs, immediately notify the umpire
Never identify “batting out of order” to the umpires or anyone – this is the responsibility of the managers
You are keeping score in an official capacity for the league –
don’t show or express favoritism
Keep extra people out of the scorebooth 4

5. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
THINGS TO REMEMBER (cont.)
If you are not ready to proceed after a big play or multiple
changes, inform the Umpire that you need another minute
If you need clarification, ask the umpire between innings, or if
necessary, ask the umpire between betters. Never interrupt
live play
Never publicly disagree with the umpires or offer your own opinion
You should announce the pitch count after each ½ inning
Try to announce each player’s name when they come to bat, if possible
Be sensitive when recording errors
The OFFICIAL COUNT is kept by the Umpire 5

6. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
BEFORE THE GAME
Arrive at least ½ hour prior to game time
You will need the official Scorebook and Pitch Count Affidavit
You will need the Official Regulations & Playing Rules
You will also need: blue or black pen, pencil, red pencil, sharpener, eraser
Get line-up cards from Managers – DO NOT SEPARATE
Put team information in Official Scorebook – MUST BE READABLE
► Team Name / Date / Indicate Home or Visitor
► List all players Name / Number / Position by BATTING ORDER
► List all subs – full names with Numbers
★ NOTE – ALL PLAYERS MUST BE LISTED, even those who are not
participating in the game. If they are absent, make sure to list the
specific reason (e.g. ill, vacation, broken thumb, etc.) why they are
not attending the game and line through the player score boxes
Using the line-up card, make sure that the manager has:
► Accounted for each player on the team
► Accounted for each position (pitcher, catcher, etc.) on the field, and that no
players are in duplicate positions
Put your name on page as scorekeeper / note Umpire’s name
Post official game start time (when Umpire says “Play Ball”) 6

7. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
SAMPLE LINE-UP CARD 7

8. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
FIELD POSITIONS 8

9. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
SAMPLE SCORING SHEET 9

10. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
SAMPLE SCORING SHEET 10

11. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
SAMPLE SCORING SHEET
Uniform
Number #
Player
Pos 8
SID DREYER 3 24
MIKE KLEENY 6 35
SAM VORTEY 1 26
TOM DANIALS 9
Fielding
Position
Sub Name + inning entered
Sub Name + inning entered
Sub Name + inning entered
Sub Name + inning entered 11

12. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
HELPFUL HINTS
DURING THE GAME
Record balls and strikes for each Batter
Record plays made by the teams
Record changes by manager (through Umpire) in the scorebook
Record any pitching changes in the scorebook and in the pitch count record
BETWEEN INNINGS
Record the number of pitches in the pitch count record
Record any player changes given to you by the MANAGER
Add up the score through that inning 12

13. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
HELPFUL HINTS (Cont.)
AFTER THE GAME
Record the number of pitches the pitchers have pitched
Add up the score for each team and record it in the official scorebook
Have the HOMEPLATE UMPIRE sign the scorebook
Return the Official Score book to the proper place 13

14. Any Questions? DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
At this time we will look at some ways to correctly record game events 14

15. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
SCORING SYMBOLS
Assist – A Interference - INT
Balk – Bk Obstruction - Obs
Base on Balls – BB Passed Ball - PB
Bunt – Bt Putout - PO
Caught Stealing – CA (OS) Run Batted In - RBI
Designated Hitter – DH Sacrifice Bunt - Sac
Double – 2B Sacrifice Fly – SF (fSF if foul)
Error Fielding – E Single – 1B (S)
Error Throwing – Eth Stolen Base - SB
Fair Flyout – F Strikeout Called – KC (CK)
Fielder’s Choice – FC Strikeout Swinging – K (SK) (KS)
Foul Flyout – f Strikeout on Fouled Bunt Attempt - KBt
Hit by Pitch – HBP (HP) Triple – 3B (T)
Home Run – HR Unassisted - U
Infield Fly – IF Wild Pitch - WP
Intentional Walk – IBB (IW) 15

16. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
TYPICAL SCORING SHEET
Single
Double
Triple
Walk / Base on Balls
Home
Run
Hit By Pitch
Sacrifice
Strikes
Fielders Choice
RBI’s
Out
Balls 16

17. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
EXAMPLE TYPICAL PLAYS
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
Sid Dreyer 3 8 K 1
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC 24
Mike Kleeny 6
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
Sam Vortey 1 35
6-4 2
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC 26
Tom Danials 9
6-4-3 3
Player 8 Sid – Strike, ball, strike, ball, strike- strike out – first out.
End of Inning
Player 24 Mike – First pitch - hits a grounder past SS - gets on 1B - single
Player 35 Sam – Strike, ball, strike, ball, ball, ball – BB with Mike advancing to second
Player 26 Tom – Strike, ball, hits to SS for a double play. Player 3 is 2nd out on 6-4 and player 4 is 3rd out on DP
Don’t forget to mark the End of the Inning 17 17 17

18. Sid Dreyer Mike Kleeny Sam Vortey Tom Danials
DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
EXAMPLE – BATTING OUT OF TURN
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
Sid Dreyer 3 8
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC 24
Mike Kleeny 6
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
Sam Vortey 1 35
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC 26
Tom Danials 9
#8 Bats and gets a double
#24 is supposed to bat but #35 comes up to bat and gets a single,
scoring #8. #24 has been skipped
#26 comes to the plate as the next batter
Defensive manager requests Time Out
The scorekeeper shall not call the attention of the Umpire or any member
of either team to the fact that a player is batting out of turn 18 18 18

19. Sid Dreyer Mike Kleeny Sam Vortey Tom Danials Batting out of order
DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
EXAMPLE – BATTING OUT OF TURN
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
Sid Dreyer 3 8
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC 24
Mike Kleeny 6 1
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
Sam Vortey 35 1
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC
BB 1B 2B 3B HR HP SF FC 26
Tom Danials 9
Defensive Manager informs Plate Umpire that opposing team has batted
out of turn
Plate Umpire checks his line-up card and sends #8 back to Second Base
The run is removed
Indicate with a solid line that there was a Batting Out Of Order situation
#24 is out for not batting and the first out is recorded 19
#35 bats again as a new batter with no count 19 19

20. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
Pitcher Eligibility Tracking Form 20

21. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
Game Pitch Log 21

22. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
PLAYING RULES FOR SCOREKEEPER TO KNOW:
Regulation IV(i) – Mandatory Play Regulation
Regulation VI – Pitching Regulations & Limits
Rule 3.03 and 4.04 – Re-entry By A Starting Player (Substitution)
Rule 3.08 – Unannounced Substitution
Rule 4.09 – How A Team Scores
Rule 4.10 – Regulation Game
Rule 4.11 – Suspended Game 22

23. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
PLAYING RULES FOR SCOREKEEPERS TO KNOW (Cont.)
Rule 4.12 – Tie Game
Rule 4.19 – Protesting Games
Rule 6.07 – Batting Out Of Turn
(Suggest placing a copy of this rule in each scorebook)
Rule 7.13 – Base Runner Leaving Early
(See Rulebook examples) 23

24. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
Defensive Changes Other Than the Pitcher
Defensive changes usually occur at the beginning of a half inning. In this case, simply list the substitute in the score sheet below the person they replaced in the batting order and show their position number and the half inning where the change took place. For example, entering in the top of the third inning is symbolized by T-3 and entering in the bottom of the sixth is symbolized by B-6.
Draw a line between the last score box in which the player being removed played and the next score box where the new player is starting. #
Player
Pos 2 3 8
SID DREYER 3 24
MIKE KLEENY 6
T-3 #7 JIM SMITH 3 24

25. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
Defensive Changes Other Than the Pitcher
When a defensive change is made in the midst of the half inning, you will want to be more specific in listing the substitution if you are tracking assists, putouts and errors by individuals. In most instances proper credit will be assured if you list the number of outs in the half inning at the time of the substitution. For example, a player entering with two outs in the bottom of the fifth could be indicated by B-5 (2).
Draw a line between the last score box in which the player being removed played and the next score box where the new player is starting. #
Player
Pos 4 5 8
SID DREYER 3 24
MIKE KLEENY 6
T-3 #7 JIM SMITH
B-5 (2)’ #13 AMY EDWARDS 6 25

26. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
Defensive Changes Other Than the Pitcher
Position changes are annotated in the same way by listing the ½ inning where the position change took place.
Draw a line between the last score box in which the player being removed played and the next score box where the new player is starting. #
Player
Pos 1 2 35
SAM VORTEY 1 26
TOM DANIALS 9
T-2 #23 GREGG DOWNS 3 26

27. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
Recording Pitching Changes
In the lineup portion of the scoresheet, a new pitcher is entered just like any other defensive player. There is nothing special if the change is made at the beginning of a half inning.
When a substitution is made in the middle of a half inning, care needs to be taken that each pitcher’s statistics can be accounted for.
You should darken the border of the scoring box of the first batter a new pitcher faces – or use a red pencil. 27

28. DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC
Recording Pitching Changes
If a pitching change takes place in the middle of a batter’s at bat, after one or more pitches has been thrown to that batter by the previous pitcher, the red line should encompass the pitch count for the previous pitcher.
Make sure to add the new pitcher on the pitch count record and record all pitches by that pitcher on the new line, not the line of the previous pitcher. 28

29. HELP!! DISTRICT 53 SCOREKEEPING CLINIC Help is always near:
“WHAT’S THE SCORE” Pamphlet
Samples handed out in this class
Good Luck and HAVE FUN! 29