As has been said often in these pages, there's a clear and present need for better math and science education in this nation. One obvious place for improvement in our math and science skills can be found among the hosts of and callers to the country's many sports talk radio programs.

Recently I was listening to a show on which the host contended that the Boston Red Sox's payroll had swelled to the point where Sox fans couldn't complain that the New York Yankees' even larger payroll gave the Yankees any advantage. A Boston caller disagreed, saying, "The Red Sox payroll is only $120 million, and the Yankees is $180 million. You know what percentage $120 million is of $180 million? Seventy-five percent." The host did not dissuade the caller. This display came from two grown men who spend an inordinate amount of their time calculating batting averages.

Comments