WABI-TV upgrades coverage> Graphics, score box enhance state games

Bangor television station WABI (Channel 5) proved Saturday its willingness to continually upgrade its broadcasts of live sports with its coverage of two state baseball championship games.

WABI earned high marks for Saturday’s high school baseball telecasts, primarily for its eye-catching graphics and the employment of a new FOX Network-inspired box in the upper left corner of the TV screen.

The box showed the current pitch count, the number of outs, the score, the inning, and a diamond which showed how many runners were on base and where they were.

The starting lineup for each team was also provided on screen and each player’s name was highlighted as he was announced.

When each batter first came to the plate, his statistics (batting average, home runs, RBIs) were shown graphically along with the school mascot.

The only flub was a misspelling of a Sanford player’s last name in the opening lineup, but the announcers corrected the mistake.

The graphics were so good, a viewer could simply watch the telecast with the sound turned down and still know what was happening. As a matter of fact, the box outperformed the announcers a couple of times.

Longtime WABI radio personality George Hale handled play-by-play. He teamed up with newly retired University of Maine associate admissions director Al Hackett, who provided color commentary.

Hale and Hackett both did a competent job behind the mike, providing intriguing bits of trivia during breaks in the action.

Production was good, although a big play was missed early (see below). Scoring updates from the other games were provided throughout the game along with video clips from selected games.

All told, Saturday’s broadcast of Bangor’s fourth straight state title merited a solid A-minus (there’s always room for improvement).

Some of the game’s best and worst broadcast moments:

Best trivia: This goes to Hale for detailing the costs of running Mansfield Stadium, the site of the Class A and C state games. Hale said it costs $50,000 a year to operate – $25,000 is provided by the city and the rest comes from stadium sales, primarily concessions.

Gaffe of the game: Although WABI’s box had the correct count (0-2) before the pitch, Hale missed a third strike late in the game. “Cut on and missed. Strike?… And he is… What’s the count on him? He’s out of there, isn’t he?”

Best prediction and cliche: To Hackett for an often-used phrase that proved prophetic. “The team that makes the fewest mistakes, the fewest errors, is the team that’s going to win.”

Broadcast blunder: Sanford right fielder Jake Hackett made a running catch in the first inning, but while Hale described the play, the camera was trained on the center fielder. Viewers never saw the sensational catch.

Comic commendation: To Hackett for his quick response when Hale was talking about Bangor freshman Jeremy Karam and said, “He was hitting very effectively when he was in the ninth grade, Al.”

“He’s in the ninth grade now,” Hackett pointed out.

“I mean… when he was 9, maybe,” Hale responded.

Analysis award: Hackett wins again for saying Bangor’s Tommy Waterman was able to steal second early in the game when the throw apparently beat him to the bag because Sanford’s shortstop took the throw in front of the bag instead of at or behind it.