Each week during the month of September I am going to break down a job that is often overlooked by the fans but can play a big part in either their enjoyment of the game, or impacting what occurs in the game. Now I know that there are tons of jobs in baseball like this so let me give you some of the criteria I used to choose my five jobs and a list of jobs that could of made the list but didn’t.
Criteria
1. The job has to be such that it is largely ignored except for when that individual makes a mistake.
2. Has to be a job that people criticize more then they compliment. (Ya I know most jobs are this way but I think my list of five goes beyond the normal.)
3. It has to have at least some impact either on the game or the fan experience at the game.
4. Finally it has to be a job that when people first hear you do it are excited and think its cool, until you describe to them all that you have to do, and then they are just glad its not them.
Close but not close enough list
1. Ticket Taker- At every game but never gets to watch the game. Thats just torture.
2. Clubhouse manager- Working with the players sounds cool until you realize that this means cleaning their dirty clothes, feeding them, and missing most of the games because you are running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
3. Radio Announcer- Easy to criticize but they often get compliments for what they do.
4. Speed pitch operator- The first little kid to throw a ball is cute, the 100th little kid to throw the ball is just too much to handle.
5th Most Under Appreciated Job in Baseball
To begin the list of the most under appreciated jobs in baseball I give you the VIDEO BOARD / SCORE BOARD OPERATOR.
Having done both of these jobs in the past two years I can tell you that this job is not as easy as it seems. Most fans don’t realize the time and effort that goes into getting the boards ready. Stats have to be constantly updated every day, player photos have to be taken and edited for the video board, new animations have to be constantly created to entertain the fans, and then the game starts and you just have to hope it all works.
The average fan attending a game watches maybe half of the pitches but the video board / score board operator can’t miss a pitch. Missing one pitch can have fans yelling at you “the count is wrong”, the umpire turning around and staring at you because the count is wrong, or best yet having a crazy radio guy yell “ONE AND ONE.” Not a lot of love comes to the board operator.
The worst part of running the board maybe when the board itself chooses to no longer work for you. Now you have every fan in the stands thinking that the board operator is either slow for not updating it, or stupid for not fixing it. (Hey fans, the board operator knows when the board isn’t working just like you.)
So with all of that being said, fans please feel free to say I like that graphic, or good job with the board to your local board operator. They do a lot of work to help make each and every game enjoyable.
Thanks Josh… I feel honored.
-Josh
Hey you were pretty good this year with the video board, especially with the older then dirt computers you had to use.
Great job, Josh .. you have left your mark on society – for sure. Keep up the good work, it will be fun to see where it takes you in the future!!!
Josh, the production you put together for the game that was dedicated to the troops in July was professionally done and I was amazed at the amount of detail involved in acknowledging names, ranks and service history. Good going and what a great experience for a possible future career in sports!