Scorebooks

When I was little, growing up where rural north Georgia met the Atlanta suburbs, we obviously didn't get to see as much baseball as we can see today. There was no ESPN or Fox Sports. WSB (NBC at that time) television, Atlanta, would periodically telecast a Braves game on Friday night. On Saturday, we were able to watch Major League Baseball's game of the week. Saturday was when we got to see an occasional American League team play. Mostly, we followed our beloved Braves by listening to WSB (750 AM) radio. My brother Tim and I slept together, and we would listen to the Braves in bed. During the summer, we would sometimes sneak into the family car, turn the key to Alternator, and listen to the Braves. I don't remember attending my first Braves game, but they came to Atlanta from Milwaukee when I was about seven. It was at a Braves game that I was introduced to the 'scorebook,' and it was a thrill to buy a program so I could keep score during the game. When Ted Turner launched 'Channel 17,' which became WTBS, and opened the door for more Braves television, my Mema bought me a scorebook. I loved to watch the games on television, and 'keep the book.' That's why, today, I'm fascinated by the statistics in baseball, why I still keep the book when I coach, and why I coach based on statistic trends. <^>< 2010