Summer School

I know that summer is for barbeques, swimming, the beach, going to ball games, and the last thing on a youngster's mind is school and homework.  There will be no homework assigned but this lesson is based on baseball, where math is especially important.  There is a lot that can be learned from the game, and it doesn't feel like work at all. 

Lesson # 1:  Geography

Baseball is America's Pastime but it is actually played all over the world.  You will find that Major League players come from all over including Japan, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and many other locations where a scout might find the next young prospect.  Until the early 1950's there were no teams west of St. Louis.  In 1958 the Dodgers and Giants both moved from New York to California, and this started a trend to expand Major League Baseball to cities across the United States and even into Canada.  Today there are 30 teams in Major League Baseball spread across 17 states with 1 in Canada, and 1 in Washington D.C.  Can you name the 17 states where you can watch a game?

Lesson # 2:  Language

As I stated earlier baseball players come from many different countries.  To play in the Major Leagues a player truly needs to be one of the best in the world.   As a result, this can create a language barrier where communication on the field is essential to a team's success.  When a player comes from another country he usually has a translator with him for press confrences, however this does not help in the bottom of the ninth with the tying run on base, and the catcher from the Dominican Republic is trying to tell his Japanese hurler how to pitch to the next batter.  That is why, before they come to the United States they at least know baseball terms and they understand hand motions to be able to communicate on the field.  After that it is a real struggle for many foreign players to adapt to life away from the diamond. 

Lesson # 3:  History

Baseball is based on tradition and history, and part of American History is based on baseball.  The many different players, managers, coaches, teams, games, and how all of this has a place in making baseball America's Pastime.

Lesson # 4:  Math

Baseball is tracked, and the history of the game is based on stats.  It is statistics that are the measuring stick to be able to tell if a player will have a long career in professional baseball.  They determine who is an All-Star and who is a Hall of Famer, and it is all based on mathematical equations.  Some of the most important equations will be highlighted here.

Batting Average-- Number of Hits divided by Number of At Bats.
Note:  A walk or Sacrifice does not count as an at bat.

On-Base Percentage-- (Hits + Walks + Hit by a pitch) / (At Bats + Walks + Hit by a pitch + Sacrifice Flies)

Slugging Percentage--This stat determines how many extra base hits a hitter gets, and is used to determine power numbers.
Total Bases divided by At Bats

Earned Run Average--This determines how many earned runs a pitcher averages over 9 innings.
                                       (Earned Runs x 9) divided by innings pitched.

Winning Percentage--Wins divided by (Wins + Loses)

Magic Number-- The magic number is used to determine how close a team is from reaching the playoffs. 

Interesting Baseball Fact:  In 2001 Barry Bonds set the single season homerun record by belting 73 roundtrippers.  Knowing that the bases are 90 feet apart and there are 5,280 feet in a mile.  You can determine that Bonds ran an extra 4.97727 or 5 miles circling the bases after hitting those 73 record setting homeruns.