As the Cincinnati Reds’ official scorer, Doug Feldmann continues writing baseball’s history
Former Algonquin resident Doug Feldmann has forgotten more baseball than most people will ever know.
Aside from the 13 books Feldman has written about baseball’s history, he’s also served as a scout for three Major League Baseball teams and worked as a freelance scorekeeper for MLB.com for 14 years. Yet even with all he’s observed, Feldmann is still constantly witnessing things he never has before.
“No two baseball games are the same,” Feldmann said. “You can see something new every time you go to the ballpark.”
And Feldmann has a better view than most. From the press box at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, he’s got a bird’s-eye view of the diamond. Just like many fans, Feldmann has his scorebook to keep track of the action. But in his professional capacity, determining how to credit a play becomes a lot more serious.
“Our rule of thumb is, ‘Could the average major leaguer at that position have made that play with ordinary effort?’” Feldmann said. “If it goes beyond ordinary effort, you lean towards hit. If your gut tells you, ‘He should have made that play,’ you go with error.”
Having a consistent rule of thumb is important for Feldmann, as it is for all official scorekeepers. Because while he’s observing the players, the players are also observing him. Feldmann’s decisions don’t come without controversy, especially considering many players have contract incentives based on their stats.
“They fight for what they feel is justice,” Feldmann said. “If they don’t feel an error is justified … most won’t hesitate to stand up for themselves and say ‘Hey, this should be looked at again.’”
Luckily for both Feldmann and the players, scorekeepers have plenty of opportunities to check their work before the official scorebook is finalized. The main goal is to ensure the play on the field is accurately reflected in the scorebook. And while that does occasionally require double-checking, Feldmann said the extra effort is worth it.
“We can look at replays. We have 24 hours to change our minds on a call if we wish,” Feldmann said. “Everybody involved just wants to get the call right, and that’s why we have 24 hours to look at it again.”
Feldmann has become quite adept at looking back in his other role as an author. Most of his books are about historically beloved seasons from teams like the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. Feldmann says his writing is inspired by his childhood experiences of how teams can “envelop a territory” and become the main rooting interest for an entire region.
“As a youngster, it kind of impressed me how a team such as the Cardinals or the Cubs can take over and be part of the cultural environment of an area,” Feldmann said. “Baseball, more than any other sport, I think, resonates with that historical aspect of America … and it’s always representative of the community that holds a certain team.”
Feldmann’s scorekeeping, much like his writing, also helps to create and maintain baseball history. The official scores he tallies will be looked at by fans and writers decades down the line, much as he’s looked at official scores from decades in the past.
For Feldmann, keeping score accurately is a serious business.
“I want to make sure that I preserve my tiny little corner of baseball history,” Feldmann said. “I want to make sure that’s accurately preserved for anybody who wants to go back and enjoy it or learn from it down the road.”