Baseball is a sport that weaves tales of excitement, strategy, and suspense. As fans, we often find ourselves on the edge of our seats, eagerly anticipating the unexpected twists and turns that make each game a unique experience. It’s a sport where the outcome is never a foregone conclusion, and the journey through nine innings is a rollercoaster of emotions.
In this world of crackling bats, immaculate pitches, and sensational catches, one fascinating aspect of the game stands out—the weird and crazy scoreboards that will surprise even the most fervent fans.
Like many baseball fans, my love for the game goes beyond just what happens on the field—I’m fascinated by every aspect, even the quirks that make baseball so unique.
These scoreboards, much like the sport itself, tell stories of peculiar moments, transforming the act of keeping score into an art canvas where surprises await at every turn. And each holds a valuable business lesson that I’m happy to share with you in this post.
Note: “Modern Era” typically refers to the period in baseball starting in 1901.
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1.
Rangers Score Most Runs by One Team (Modern Era)
Texas Rangers vs Baltimore Orioles
[Aug. 22, 2007]
The modern-day record for most runs scored in a game by one team belongs to the Rangers. This is actually the only time, since 1901, that a team has scored a total of at least 30 runs.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rangers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 30 |
| Orioles | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Business Lesson: Capitalize when momentum is on your side.
2.
Matt Cain Pitches Perfect Game
Houston Astros vs San Francisco Giants
[June 13, 2012]
Matt Cain had a brilliant career with the Giants. In his eighth year with the team, the three-time All-Star pitched a perfect game. I found the scoreboard for that particular game interesting because his team scored five times, and the numbers are either one two or three. Also, Cain got great offensive support from his team, with 15 hits, and it looks so cool beside the 10, the number of runs the team scored.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astros | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Giants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Business Lesson: Excellence in performance, lifted even further by strong teamwork, can lead to dominance.
3.
Red Sox Score Most Runs by One Team in One Inning (Modern Era)
Boston Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers
[June 18, 1953]
Have you ever seen such a large number for one inning on a scoreboard? The 17 is the record-breaking number accomplished by the Tigers in the middle of the 1953 season in a game against the Red Sox. They all occurred in the 7th inning.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Red Sox | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 23 |
Business Lesson: It only takes one moment or shift in thinking to turn things around for the better.
4.
Don Drysdale Pitches in Most Lopsided Shutout Ever
Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Diego Padres
[June 28th, 1969]
In the next-to-last pitching performance of his career, Drysdale shut out the Cubs, his only shut out that year. In that game, the Dodgers scored an impressive 19 runs.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodgers | 0 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Padres | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Business Lesson: Consistency and resilience are the keys to achieving dominance in any endeavor.
5.
Andy Hawkins Pitches No-Hitter Yet Loses
New York Yankees vs Chicago White Sox
[July 1, 1990]
One of the weirdest scoreboards you’ll ever see. The pitcher has a no-hitter, but loses the game. How often do you see a scoreboard where the winning team wins by four runs with no hits?
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yankees | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| White Sox | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
Business Lesson: Success isn’t just about personal performance; aligning with the right team and strategy is crucial in business.
6.
Brewers Score in Every Inning
Milwaukee Brewers vs Atlanta Braves
[August 12, 2016]
Scoring in every inning is a rarity—far less common than even a perfect game. In 2016, the Brewers managed to score in every inning they came up to bat against the Braves. [This occurred for eight innings, as the Brewers were the home team.]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brewers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
Business Lesson: Small wins add up over time.
7.
Dodgers and Red Sox Play in Longest World Series Ever in Time & Innings
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Boston Red Sox
[October 26, 2018]
46 players, including 18 pitchers, were used in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series between the Dodgers and Red sox. It was one for the ages and featured many thrilling moments. The scoreboard is sure a nice piece of eye candy.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Sox | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Dodgers | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Business Lesson: Endurance and adaptability are important for the inevitable challenges and struggles of business.
8.
Phillies and Cubs Score Most Total Runs in a Game (Modern Era)
Philadelphia Phillies vs Chicago Cubs
[Aug. 25, 1922]
The 1922 season witnessed an extraordinary match between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field In that game, a total of 49 runs were scored. Looking at the scoreboard you’ll hardly believe that such a game occurred.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillies | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 23 |
| Cubs | 1 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
Business Lesson: The business world can be a chaotic environment, but those who stay focused gain the upper hand.
9.
Colorado Rockies Score in Every Inning
Colorado Rockies vs Chicago Cubs
[May 5, 1999]
In a game against the Cubs at Wrigley, the Rockies scored in every inning they came up to bat. Unlike the Brewers, who would do so for eight innings in their own game against the Braves, the Rockies came up to bat nine times, as they were the visiting team. What’s amazing about this scoreboard is that the Rockies scored either one or two during each of the innings. The first four innings are all ones and the last three all twos. The fifth, sixth, and seventh innings make up the numeric palindrome 121 (i.e. the number reads the same forward and backward). Also, in each of the first four innings, one run was scored; the last three innings, two runs each. It sort of [if the hit column of 18 is removed] looks like a Fibonacci sequence.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockies | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| Cubs | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
Business Lesson: Companies that plan for the future do better than those only looking for quick profits.