Evening journal., 1911-02-09
THAT SECRET
SERVICE SCORING
New York Writer Gives
Reasons Why Idea is
ImpraCtiCabIe
WOULD BE HARD
TO KEEP THE SECRETS

Sid Mercer writing in the New York
Globe says:
Ban Johnsons proposal to estab-
lish a secret service system of Off
cial scoring in the American League
as a result of the auto prize batting
scandal of last fall brings up for de-
bate a theory that is based on sound
principles. but which hardly appears
practical There are several reasons
why such a system would be prefer
able and two strong ones why the
official score should not be kept
under cover.
"One very good argument against
the secret service is that baseball is
a public institution, and those inter-
ested in il are entitled to know wheth-
er a base hit is a base hit or an error;
whether a steal is a steal or an error;
whether a wild pitch is a wild pitch
or "A passed ball, and many other sim
liar questions. These differences OF
opinion greatly aid in keeping up in
terest i'm the games. Another reason
why the secret scoring system is inn
practicable is that I'm nearly every
big league city except New York the
official scorer is supposed to furnish
a copy of the official figures TO every
daily publication that applies for them.
I'm New York the function of the
official scorer has been limited by Gus
tom to sending the official figures in
to league headquarters so that the
league secretaries can compile the Of
fetal averages. The newspapers hero
do not avail themselves of the official
score because of the desire to promote.
individuality; in other words, there is
disposition TO do things differently
from every other paper, and each base
ball reporter therefore complies his
own score. which seldom agrees with
the official score because of differ
ences of opinion with the official
scorer.
Hard to Keep This Secret.
Unless the official scoring is taken
cut of the hands of newspaper critics
and allotted to some person who is un-
known TO them, the season would not
be a month old until every baseball
writer would know the identity OF his
fellow craftsman who was sending in
the official figures. In a profession
where interests are so closely allied e
would be impossible to keep this mat
ter secret, and when one man knew
it, everybody would soon be apprised
of Il. The secret could be solved by tho
simple process Of elimination, if in no
other way.
Getting back to the first reason, it
is our humble opinion that the fans
are entitled to a full knowledge of
who is doing the scoring. Thousands
of arguments over plays are settled
annually by official scorers in every
major league city. The patrons of tho
game will resent a system of "scor-
ing for Sweeney and the league and
where officials are expected to fur
nish copies of the score their identities
cannot long remain mysteries.
Remedy.
Il have never thought the system Of
travelling scorers practical. as the
cost would be too great But il is the
opinion of a majority of the members
of the Baseball Writer'S Association,
which includes 130 of the best known
baseball critics in eleven big league
cities, that better, more uniform, and
fairer scoring would be produced If the
scorers in each city would be appoint
ed by the league president and paid
out of league funds instead OF depend
ing for his appointment and salary on
the club owner in his home city.
Favoritism. is bound to be encouraged
as long as the old system stands.
There are scorers who lack the nerve
to play fair at times when by so do
ing they would incur the enmity of the
club owner and be summarily re-
moved as official scorer of the club.
ADDITIONAL SP0RTS ON PACE a