Apr 23, 2015 2 min read

If you’ve ever listened closely to a broadcast of a golf match or a baseball, football or basketball game, you have probably heard a bewildering recitation of statistics, many of which contribute little to understanding or appreciation what is being watched.

A golfer prepares for a long putt; we are told that it will be exactly 46 feet, 3 inches. A running back gains 5 yards on a burst through the line and we are told that he averages 4.7 yards per carry on third downs and is rated second in that category in the National Football League.

Statistics have been a big part of baseball for an awfully long time, but apparently some folks believe there are just not enough of them. Earlier this week, when the St. Louis Cardinals played the Washington Nationals, Statcast, the latest in player-tracking technology, was launched. Now, when baseball stadiums are equipped with high-definition cameras and sensors, everything happening on the field of play will be quantifiable: the exit speed of a ball off a bat, the speed at which an outfielder runs for a fly ball, the trajectory of that ball and much more.

With so much attention paid to numbers, is there any time or interest left to simply appreciate athleticism and the artistry of movement on the field?

Imagine if this obsession with statistics were to infest, say, ballet. If “Swan Lake” were to be telecast with an analyst and play-by play announcer, they would be discussing how many minutes the prima ballerina was en pointe, the exact height of her feet and the length of her leap in a grand jeté, the number of consecutive fouetté turns as compared to other performances and those of principal dancers in other companies, and on and on.

There’s much beauty and thrill to experience in sports if we can get people to just shut up for awhile about the numbers.