By The Numbers

By: James Brown

Everyone knows there are certain things that simply do not go together: oil and water, fire and ice, nerds and jocks. However, an interesting trend is developing in cross-cultural enjoyment. More jocks than ever have been working Sudoku puzzles as a way of empowering and perfecting their critical thinking skills. While it seems unusual to see a mathematic puzzle in a baseball dugout something even more unusual is in the stands. Scores of nerds (engineers, accountants, computer geeks) now fill baseball's box seats. The reason for the attraction to poindexters everywhere may be that baseball, more than any other sport, celebrates and glorifies numbers.

The records

One of the things that keeps baseball fans coming back, tuning in and going to the stadium is to watch records be made and broken. It's interesting to know the top record holders in each category and watch their achievement pursued. Look up a baseball record sheet on the Web and you may be spending a long time running down list of everything from most hits by a left-hander in a single-season to the highest number of steals from a pitcher. Watching somebody approach and take a record is an exciting visceral experience, as we hold out hope to see a record challenged. Currently, baseball fans are fixated on whether or not Barry bonds can beat Hank Aaron's 755 homerun mark. Nerds, who love memorizing and categorizing numbers, find themselves right at home watching records stand and predicting their fall.

Statistics

Of course, you don't have to wait for a major record to be broken to get excited about numbers in baseball. Every single game, every single player, and every single pitch has been placed in categories for you. Listening to the baseball announcer is a lot like listening to a very excited math professor most of the time. They tell you batting percentages, pitching averages, field lengths and times at bat. Many baseball parks offer free scorecards to fans so that they can track the pitches and hits themselves. Statistics are attractive in baseball, because they help remind us that beyond the sport there is a science. Baseball is made of angles and force, physics and math. Now who wouldn't want to go out on a sunny afternoon and watch all that?

Money

Unfortunately, the things that make you can also be the things that break you. Another set of numbers has become prominent in baseball that doesn't add so much to the joy of the game. That would be salaries, trade-offs, endorsements and other things involved with money. While sports are fun to watch, somebody must pay the athletes to do it. And when money changes hands in amount that it does in baseball it's bound to have an effect on what goes on the field. When a batter is averaging .125 and he is getting paid $1.8 million to do it suddenly every missed pitch seems like a stab to the wallet as well as the heart.

Overall, baseball has been America's pastime for a long time and that it will probably continue long into the future. However, when you look around at the crowds of folks who attend the games don't be surprised to see people with laptops, glasses and polo shirts. The nerds are drawn to numbers and they are here to stay.

Article Source: http://www.bigfreearticles.com

Everyone knows there are certain things that simply do not go together: oil and water, fire and ice, nerds and jocks However, an interesting trend is developing in cross-cultural enjoyment

About the Author:
James Brown writes about Lids.com promo code, Fathead promotion code and Baseball Express coupon

Tags: sports, mlb discounts, football fanatics promotion code, nascar superstore coupon

Please Rate this Article

Comments

Share This Article - Quick and Easy Using This Button:

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Sports Articles Via RSS!

Read More Articles From - Home | Recreation and leisure | Sports

Gardening: 5 Fundamental Gardening Tips Every Gardener Must Know By: Len Q - What is it about a beautiful garden that can quiet or stir a fire in one's soul? Many people can't explain it, but whatever the reason, a well tended garden is something to behold. It's a truly fantastic hobby. It gives you time to contemplate life. And it'll even give you an outlet for whatever ill that binds you. Now that you're on your way, here are 5 fundamental gardening tips that you should know by heart. Commit them to memory. Just how successful you are at gardening will greatly depend on how much you will be able to apply these principles.
Tags: recreation and leisure, sports, gardening, garden tips, garden, gardeners, knife sharpening
History of Football Shirts By: Soophott Lert - During the Victorian period, and sometime in 1863 football emerged as a popular sport and so that is when the Football Association (FA) was formed. There was no specialized clothing at that time and players did not have a uniform or specific shirt they wore during the game. For some time since white was the cheapest and most widely available color that is what many players wore. Later on football players started to select and wear their own favorite colored caps and scarves so as to distinguish themselves from the opposing team.
Tags: recreation and leisure, sports, football kits, football shirts, soccer jerseys
Information about cadet karts chassis By: Steve9 RR Karting9 - Kart Chassis – A Good Kart Chassis Frame Accelerates your Victory People in the kart racing business are keen on their kart specifications because it’s the winning partner in their racing career. Driver and kart must be well suited to be able to compete in races without discomfort. Even the minutest detail such as drivers’ seat is important. From the engine power, kart chassis, go kart parts, and body frame, these must be thoroughly picked. There are experts who can easily help you chose if you are not very good in picking a good kart.
Tags: recreation and leisure, sports, go kart parts karting cadet kart go karting kart chassis cadet karts karting parts cadet karts for sale cadet kart chassis kids kart
Taking a Closer Look at Croatia By: Tom59 Tom59 - Taking a Closer Look at Croatia The shape of Croatia on the map often reminds us of a crescent or a horseshoe. Croatia is sandwiched between South-central Europe and Middle Europe and it is surrounded by Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the north it is surrounded by Hungary and Slovenia. Croatia is known for its diverse landscapes; it has steep mountains in Lika and Gorski Kotar which is densely wooded, it also has plains, hills and lakes.
Tags: recreation and leisure, sports, news, sharing, croatia, world, sports
Why You Should Consider A Golf Break In Normandy By: Morgan Clarke - When tired of the same old courses in the UK, many golfers look to destinations like Spain and Portugal for their fix of greens and fairways to “attack”, but this isn’t practical for a short golf break. Normandy is the answer: It’s local for British golfers, has a wide selection of smart courses, some splendid hotels and enough attractions to keep you busy even when you’re off the courses. The Location Nowadays it’s easier than ever before to get across to France for a visit. Normandy is particularly easy, with a vast choice of traditional and super-fast ferries and the 35 minute Eurotunnel crossing.
Tags: recreation and leisure, sports, golf breaks normandy, normandy golf holidays, golf in normandy
Washington's Athletic Director Finally Makes the Right Move - Fires Coach By: Ed Bagley - Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley Scott Woodward, the University of Washington's newly appointed permanent athletic director, has made it official that Tyrone Willingham will not be back for another season as the Huskies' head football coach. Willingham will stay on to coach the team's 5 remaining games and then leave with a $1 million buyout. Willingham was in his 4th year of a 5-year contract. His Huskies are currently 0-7 this season following a 33-7 slapping by Notre Dame last Saturday (10-25-08) on the Huskies' home turf.
Tags: recreation and leisure, sports, washington, huskies, scott woodward, ty willingham, mark dantonio
Northwest Christian in Lacey Becomes a Washington Powerhouse in Cross-Country By: Ed Bagley - Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley Northwest Christian High School is tucked between the evergreens in Lacey in an idyllic setting, but do not mistake this pleasant atmosphere for a lack of competitiveness in its cross-country runners. The Navigators arrive at the starting line ready to not only compete but to win. And win they did Saturday (11-8-08) during Washington State's 2008 Prep Cross-Country Championships at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco, taking home championship trophies in both the girls and boys B (small school) races. The girl Navigators topped Asotin by scoring 60 points to Asotin's 68.
Tags: recreation and leisure, sports, cross-country, prep, northwesst christian, lacey, powerhouse
College Football - In Just Two Years Nick Saban Has the Crimson Tide No. 1 in the Nation By: Ed Bagley - Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley Goodbye Texas. Hello Alabama. It is now the Crimson Tide that have become the No. 1 coveted target in the nation for big-time college football programs in America. The Texas Longhorns, who were No. 1, took on their 4th top-ranked team in consecutive weeks and came up short on the road Saturday (11-1-08) in Lubbock to No. 6 Texas Tech 39-33 on a scoring play that never should have happened with 1 second left. In a Texas-style shootout, the Longhorns trailed 19-0 and rallied to take a 33-32 lead on Vondrell McGee's 4-yard touchdown run with only 1:29 to play.
Tags: recreation and leisure, sports, alabama, crimson tide, nick saban, texas, florida
Cross-Country - Washington Women Win Pac 10 Title, Set Record Wtih First-Ever Perfect Score By: Ed Bagley - Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley It was show time on Halloween at the Springfield (OR) Country Club for the 2008 Pac 10 Conference Cross-Country Championships and the University of Washington women runners showed why the Huskies are the No. 1-ranked team in the country, winning with an unprecedented perfect score of 15. Freshman Kendra Schaaf broke the course record by 33 seconds and was followed by sophomore Mel Lawrence, freshman Christine Babcock, senior Anita Campbell, junior Katie Follett and senior Amada Miller. The perfect 1-2-3-4-5 finish for 15 points had never before been accomplished in women's or men's Pac 10 championships.
Tags: recreation and leisure, sports, cross-country, washington, pac 10 title, perfect score, kendra schaaf
Brantford Sports Teams By: Wes Fernley - It is no surprise that there are plenty of sports going on in Brantford, Ontario. As the hometown of hockey star and sports legend Wayne Gretzky, there is a strong association between sports and Brantford. It is also famed for hosting many sports tournaments every year, including the Annual Wayne Gretzky Tournament. Its local sports teams go beyond just hockey, however. Brantford Hockey Teams Hockey is, of course, a major part of sports life in Brantford and throughout all of Canada. The Brantford Blast are Brantford's Major League Hockey Team.
Tags: recreation and leisure, sports, brantford, ontario, canada, sports, team