Science News: Mathematician at the Ballpark: Odds and Probabilities for Baseball Fans

MATHEMATICIAN AT THE BALLPARK: Odds and Probabilities for Baseball Fans

KEN ROSS

Students rarely relish statistics, but baseball fans can't get enough of them--earned run averages, batting averages, slugging percentage (a calculation that reflects the number of bases reached per hit), and home run tallies, to name just a few. Fans might be able to spout the stats, but most don't grasp the concepts behind the numbers. Ross, a former professor of a statistics at the university of Oregon, combines his expertise with his love for baseball to produce an engaging and accessible introduction to probability and statistics. He shows readers how to calculate the probabilities that a best-of-seven-game series will last for four, five, six, or seven games. He explains why a player's on-base percentage (whether by a hit or a walk) and slugging percentage are more reflective of petting power when considered together rather than individually. In a chapter called "What Would Pete Rose Do" Ross considers the concept of odds as it relates to professional gambling. For readers looking to experience baseball from a fascinating mathematical angle, this book is a home run. Pi Pr, 2004, 190 p., b&w illus., hardcover, $19.95.