How to Call In Scores and Statistics

Newspapers depend upon coaches, team statisticians or their representatives to call in scores of games not staffed by reporters. Here’s a guide to providing information to the Orange County edition of The Times.

* WHO TO CALL: The Times’ sports department, at (714) 966-5904 or (800) LA TIMES, ext. 65904.

* WHEN TO CALL: As soon as possible on the same day as the event.

* WHAT WE NEED: The necessary information varies with the sport. The more specifics you can offer, the more complete account of the game can appear in the paper. Have rosters for both teams with correct spelling of names. First and last names are needed for all players mentioned. Here’s some tips for specific sports:

* Badminton: The final score, what each player did in the match and the overall and league records of both teams.

* Baseball and softball: The final score, score by innings, and run, hit and error totals for each team. Pitching batteries and names and records of winning and losing pitchers. Names of players who had doubles, triples and/or home runs. Overall and league records of each team.

* Golf: The final score, the top five players’ scores from each team, the overall and league records of each team, the name of the golf course and its par.

* Swimming: The final score and overall and league records of each team. Names of winners of each event, plus their times, in the order the events were contested.

* Tennis: The final score, what each player did in the match and the overall and league records of each team.

* Track and field: The final score and overall and league records of all teams. Names of winners of each event, plus their times or distances, in the order the events were contested.

* Volleyball: Score of each game and overall and league records for each team. Names of kill leaders for each team and players with 13 or more kills.

* IMPORTANT: Please be patient, particularly on Thursday nights, because of the high number of events involved. The earlier you can call, the quicker your information can be taken. Questions? Feel free to call early in the day.

ABOUT STATISTICS

Baseball and softball statistics are supplied by county coaches and will be published in Prep Extra each Tuesday. Coaches must contact The Times’ Orange County sports department with cumulative statistics by calling (714) 966-5867 on Sunday, faxing (714) 966-5663 by noon Monday, or e-mailing to melanie.neff@latimes.com by noon Monday.