Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-14
CHANCE RECORD SYSTEM
STATISTlCIAN ADVOCATES
CREDlTlNG VALUE OF HITS
Wauid Introduce Another Column In
Records to show Worth OF Each Swat
as Compared With Runs Scored.

nator claims will insure the player
due credit. not only for the quantity
but also the quality OF his binslcs, is
advocated by +. G.. Lane in Il recent
issue of the Baseball Magazine. The
writer does not urge the abolition OF
the present system. but he does claim
that the player cannot receive "a fair
standing undo the system now in use
and insists upon tho addition of another
column Of figures in the records.
The present method of obtaining
batting averages involves but a single
act OF division. The number Of hits
a player has made during a season is
divided by the numbcr OF times he was
Ut bat and the result constitutes his
batting average. This division, for
purposes OF convenience. is usually
carried out to three places OF dccimals
from whence originates the term $50
hitter. 500 man" and the like. The
term zoo means merely that the batter
who made that average made a hit -
per cent of the times ne had AN OPP
port0nity to make Il hit. or in other
words. one-quartcr OF the time. The
term 800 hitter means that the batter
made "a hit 20 per cen; Of the time, or
III other words that he hit safely three
out of ten times that he appeared a,
the plate.
This system would DO Very we'll il all
mus we're OF equal Importance or il
all pla!e rs made relatively the same
nuuhp'r "i ~oouoi's' triples and home
runs. Eut such is not the case.
During tho summer OF 1916 careful
record was kent OF LOGO hits made
during siNty-thrce major league con-.
.cS's Every ''np III both major
lcseocs WAS rePrrsented in these
games which included a worlds series
:. 90 measure. Inc games
N"'o"s" '"c season ihciud-
ms an opening day contest. and one
OF the CLOSING dates "f the year. This
was aent 80 thai The games might DO
rs representative as possible. and APP
piSA'i'ate " TAR working average.
i"r wv" hitS comprised IS? singles.
- uo"oIcS' 'V triples and 20 home
I'M
INC Naiue u " single was computed
upon inc comparative number OF times
a player. making Il single. finally scored
P'"s me comparative number Of times
'.h ~ run" were scored through
:. "s''uh'ei,t"ht! OF the single. In
o'"et WORDS me ioiti NalU" OF a single
Was comprised OF the fraction Of Il run
W"ncii II he'ted the man YIN" made it
- 49, '""'n 70 tue traction of
a run which 1t Melted - other has.
These two fractions added
'ose'h'r AS compiled from the IS" hits
sSNe 4 genera! ralu" Of i5., per cent
VI ruh'
triples and homcrs we're ham
"'"n III precisely the sam" manner.
No", "s inc values thus derived are
ON! 'diu'S winch nave c'cr been
So'"'nto ana furthermore as th"y must
~ ADMITTED to be nj least approXi-
'"tstF correct. let us see how they
would affect tho batting Averages ~
certain w~eil-known players In 1915.
'na"' hea' Uniting f.rAder.
~ Ihasc was the real batting
nn - ~ '>at'ohA' League last sea-
a.. 49, rs ~ record VAS topped
'n"' or holne, who did not take
cart ~ games sufficient 10 obtain first
"onurs. NOW chase went To bat, ac-
.oI"ihg 10 IN" records, 5+2 times and
go mus. Wild childlike SIM
pi'ei,H' me scorers divide one figure
~ ~ o.nor ana ten US with An air
~, 'uu.,''' ma Cha*o made a safe
ne Ma 'nirn OF the times
" a ch"h'e Y" hit and that his
'",t'ns aVcrage IS therefore ,33,.
,.roU. S"ur'nlhs further through The
ui"s' We una inns eAh!larat!ng in
thasc made isi hits, - Of
"vLt "oHbies' - were triples and
49, nome runs Let us assign 10
onr " %'ues We ortained in
single i,s ,. "''oW!hS |" each
,a. 'osPeciiNc value OF i5.1
.r zen OF a run 20 each double $50
nna 80 81 d run, ana so ON. We will
49,, !" '"at ChaSe's !s4 hits
$500 80 "ctor"'hs to our general sys-
80. ",e'"S's' lVb.32 runs. Now
~. wen, I" Dat 90 times. Divide
49, = : ana We md that Chasc's
;i,rn =. a...ni S"'ttiVeness for every
..n. - 'ppeAFe" AT bat was 1850 per
d '"h,
mix MI, r*;oiIE ~ me metric system,
~ |h''-" !rt- results from allowing
noaa =, value has a
,oaa S'eaF' concise easily UNDER
49, "e present value means but
,ndic, : snou'" mean, because II
49, 80 .lete'! '"e comparative num-
." nits q player may make. our
80 '""!e"tes not only the com
comnar... 9! h'ts' but also their
comparative values. In other words
ma, 10y 'ne present system does
ana go N,.'"pt 10 90. IL gives each
"rn;oh "d,tcF precisely The credit
u'e IN" Oh mis- hitting.
our system as indicated
,r. NJ n""ie'""s other players in
i..os 'o,."' C,asn" we ma that Chase
49,, ' 4" INC man who rivals
hu, 80" ''oS'iE u one who Stands
rhc r,nan ~" "A'' Z"ch Wheat.
Ian. m.,Irn H'"r IS q Z whose
|'S '-'OtS nave broken m MAY q.