Scorecap

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Scorecap is a notation system that displays a team's play-by-play as a single line of text. In essence, it takes the batting team's half of a traditional baseball scorebook and condenses it into a string of (mostly) familiar symbols. If you've ever kept score, you should be able to read a Scorecap without much trouble.

I developed Scorecap because I needed a quick way to visualize the course of a no-hitter or no-hit bid without having to consult the textual play-by-play. For that reason, Scorecap focuses on the result of each plate appearance, which is all that matters for no-hitter purposes. Additional information, such as base runner outs and runs scored, is included for context.

Whether you use Scorecap or not, every game listed at NHob that was played after 1900 includes links to Retrosheet and Baseball Reference, where you'll be able to view the box score and play-by-play to get a more detailed description of the events.

Key

Elements of Scorecap
Batter Outs 1  fly out, pop fly, or foul out 1  lineout 1  ground out or fielder's choice 1  bunt on ground, often a sacrifice 1  (no markup) unspecified ball caught on fly 0  unspecified fielder, markup on 0 indicates type of out ?  unspecified out, both type and fielder unknown K  strikeout XXX  three consecutive strikeouts in inning Base Runner Outs  '  runner out on bases +  runner or runners out on double play #  runners out on triple play o  runner hit by batted ball	Batters Reaching Base s  single d  double t  triple h  home run w  walk 𝒾  intentional walk x  hit by pitch e  error k  dropped third strike f  fielder's choice (no out or error made) c  catcher's interference ®  extra-inning ghost runner	Runs Scored 1 2 3 4   (subscript) runs scored on play Bustup Plays  yellow   first base runner  pink   first hit  orange   first hit and first base runner Other Symbols ■  pitching change •  end of inning ║ end of every third inning ╬  end of ninth inning

Details

• Batters reaching base are always indicated by small capitals, with one minor exception. Base hits are shown as s, d, t, and h (single, double, triple, and home run). Other common ways a batter can reach base are a walk (w), hit by pitch (x), or error (e). The exceptional symbol is for an intentional walk, which uses a script  𝒾 (see note 1). When a batter reaches base on an error, the fielder making the error is normally not shown. However, if the batter is the first base runner of the game, "e" is followed by a small numeral indicating the fielder that made the error; for example,  e5 . Note that it is possible that the error was committed by a fielder receiving a throw at first base rather than the player that fielded the batted ball. The remaining methods of reaching base are less common: a dropped third strike (k), catcher's interference (c), or a fielder's choice (f) where no runner is retired and no error is recorded. Finally, although not a batter, the extra-inning ghost runner (®), introduced in 2020, is included for reference.

• Batter outs are always indicated by a full-height character: K for a strikeout or a numeral indicating the player that fielded a batted ball. The method that the batter was retired, if it was recorded, is shown by one of the following: an overline (fly ball, foul fly, or pop fly), a red strike-through (line out), an underline (ground out), or a double underline (ground out on a bunt). Fielder's choices are included in this category if a base runner was put out. Note that there is no information about where the ball might have been thrown after it was fielded. When the type of out is known but the fielder is not recorded, the numeral 0 is used with the appropriate markup. If no details of an out are known, it is indicated by a question mark (?).

• Base runner outs are indicated by superscript symbols. As mentioned in the previous item, this does not include a base runner retired on a fielder's choice, where the batter essentially replaces the base runner. However it does include an out made by the batter after reaching first base. An apostrophe (') covers a single out, typically a runner caught stealing, picked off, or out trying to take an extra base on the immediately previous play. A plus sign (+) indicates a double play; the batter is almost always one of the outs. A hash mark (#) indicates a triple play (note 2). A raised circle (o) indicates a rarity—a runner hit by a batted ball (note 3).

• Runs scored are indicated by subscript numerals: 1 2 3 or 4. Usually the scoring occurred on the play covered by the previous symbol. Occasionally the scoring occurred on a separate play that did not involve the batter, such as a wild pitch, passed ball, or steal of home.

• Other symbols. Breaks between innings are generally indicated by a centered dot (•). Every third inning is followed by a double vertical bar (║). The end of the ninth inning is indicated by a crossbar (╬). Pitching changes are shown by a black square (■).

• Colors: In busted no-hitters and perfect games, background colors highlight the play that ended the bid: the first base runner (yellow) and the first base hit (pink), respectively. If the first base runner is the result of the first hit, the color is orange.

Examples

Here is the most famous perfect game, Don Larsen's gem in the 1956 World Series: 27 outs, 27 alphanumeric characters. Perfect game Scorecaps all have the same length and profile; only the symbols differ.

KK9•5K4•9K8║ 44K•984•44K║ 687•158•94K

Busted no-hitters offer much more variety. This is a game pitched by Rick Wise in 1975. At the start, six perfect innings. But in the seventh, we see the first base runners on an error and a walk. It isn't until two are out in the ninth that disaster strikes: first a walk, then a home run to break up the no-hitter. Another homer follows before Wise notches the final out.

983•K14•89K║ 583•397•369║  e6 3wK4•K98•K5w h 2h1wK

For true entertainment, check out this "sloppy" no-hit bid from 1956, by Johnny Klippstein et al. It has almost everything: a hits batsman, lots of walks, a run in the second inning without the benefit of a hit, a double play, three intentional walks, two pitching changes, extra innings—this is why I developed Scorecap. Now that you know how to read it, you can join in the fun!

58K• x ww71KK•9w3+║ 784•7w14•197║ w57𝒾wK•■589•■633 ╬ 6K d 6•2t𝒾𝒾s1

Nostalgia

If found this game in my scorebook from 1974!

video

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Note 1. Why did I use a script 𝒾? In a sans-serif font, the letter i is barely visible in the jumble of numbers and letters.

Note 2. Search here for Roger Moret's start.

Note 3. On several occasions, the first hit of the game occurred when a batted ball struck a base runner, but as far as MLB records are available, it has never happened after the fifth inning. What if it was the last out of the game?! Check out this college game from 2025: UNC celebrates a no-hitter that never happened!