Author Description

Although sports statistics receive vast amounts of media attention, disciplined analysis of the data is rare and the analyses published by statisticians are typically scattered across journals and conferences. This book is the first in over twenty years to provide a comprehensive and accessible survey of statistics in sports. It contains separate chapters devoted to American football, baseball, basketball, cricket, soccer, golf, ice hockey, tennis, and track and field. Four additional chapters review outcome predictions, graphical techniques, tournament designs, and Bayesian applications across all sports. Each chapter has been written by a recognized statistical authority in that field and includes the history of statistics in that sport, a look at current statistical issues, and an evaluation of current statistical models. Themes throughout the book include player ratings, the existence of hot streaks and clutch play, prediction of record performances, and the effects of changes in rules, scoring and tournament structures. The book will interest any sports fan wishing to go beyond the data in newspapers and magazines, and will be an invaluable resource for statistics instructors looking for exciting material.