# MLB Scoring: A Backwards "K"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-scoring-a-backwards-k/637159>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [October 9, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-scoring-a-backwards-k/637159 "2012-10-09T01:29:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-scoring-a-backwards-k/637159/1 "2012-10-09T01:29:26Z")

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I know a “K” means strikeout, but I just noticed TBS sometimes uses a backwards K instead of a normal “K”. Does anyone know what the backward “K” might mean? (This appears in the upper left of your TV screen in lieu of the count for a brief moment after a strikeout.)

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**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-scoring-a-backwards-k/637159/2 "2012-10-09T01:31:37Z")

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Strikeout looking.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-scoring-a-backwards-k/637159/3 "2012-10-12T10:32:22Z")

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> [@aktep](#):
>
> Strikeout looking.

And just in case you don’t know what that means and don’t feel like googling it, that’s a when the umpire calls a strikeout when the batter doesn’t swing when the ball is in the strike zone on the last strike.

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**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-scoring-a-backwards-k/637159/4 "2012-10-12T10:34:22Z")

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I have heard it is because MLB doesn’t want to spell out KKK on the scoreboard.

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**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2012, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-scoring-a-backwards-k/637159/5 "2012-10-12T10:54:44Z")

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> [@Gagundathar](#):
>
> I have heard it is because MLB doesn’t want to spell out KKK on the scoreboard.

Too bad that’s what’s up there after three swinging strikeouts then! (Easily disproven)