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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 22, 2004)
Math plays odds with peanuts and Crackerjacks Ken Ross aims to make probability a relevant baseball concept in his book, A Mathematician at the Ballpark' ALLISON PARKER FREELANCE REPORTER Although his daughters prefer the Mariners, “Deep down I’m a tradi tionalist who prefers most of the National League teams,” said Ken Ross, author of “A Mathematician At the Ballpark: Odds and Probabili ties for Baseball Fans.” Ross, a former University math professor of 35 years, spoke at the University Bookstore Thursday about his latest book. “A Mathematician At the Ballpark” is for a wide audience from “eager 12-year-olds” to their grandparents, Ross said. The book was an exciting release, said Brian Juenemann, the event or ganizer at the University Bookstore. Juenemann must pick one to two University professors each academic term for whom to sponsor an event or book reading. “I try to promote less academic books” in order to create more stu dent interest than a textbook format might, Juenemann said. Ross’ book came out just as base $H§ IPmdd m //T) / f ’FI JIC3 if . nkh V y^tSFI U/ u ReqvUaly $14.00 Close To Campus! Hours: M-F 9am- 8pm Sat 9am-7pm Sun 11 am-5pm 116 Oakway Center, Eugene, OR Phone: 541.344.6399 running works * running works * running works * running works Join ur for our Grand Opening Celebration! SPEAKERS! ENTERTAINMENT! PRIZES! ★ Joe Henderson appears Saturday, Oct. 23 from 1-2pm. He is one of our most prolific authors and respected voices on running during the past 40 years. ★ Annette Peters appears Sunday, Oct. 24 from 1-2pm. She is the former American Record Holder, world-class & Olympic runner. EUGENI RUNNING CUMPANY 91S020 S€7 PROGRAM Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Live in Japan for a year or more and participate in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program! Every year the Japanese Government invites people from around the world to participate in this unique program, to serve as Assistant Language Teachers or Coordinators for International Relations. Currently, there are over 6,200 participants in the Program from 40 different countries. Benefits include round trip airfare, salary, paid vacation, subsidized housing, and a professional work environment. Applicants Must: Hay.e.U.,5, QitiftnsMp Or hold citizenship of one of the other 39 participating countries. You must also apply in your home country. .HflM.aJMgior’s..D,£flLee..D.yJ.ulY.m No Japanese language ability required for the Assistant Language Teacher position. The Consulate-General of Japan in Portland, Oregon will be at University of Oregon for an informational orientation on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program on the following day: DATE: 10/25/04 TIME: 3:00-4:30 BUILDING: Erb Memorial Union (EMU) For an application or more information call 1-800-info-jet or the Consulate-General of Japan in Portland at (503) 221-1811, or visit our website at http://www.embjapan.org ball season began this year, which spiked Juenemann’s interest when picking his choice for the term. With na tionwide in terest in the playoffs, it seems Ross couldn’t have picked a better time to speak about baseball at the Univer sity campus. The book concentrates on base ball and probability — two of Ross’ biggest interests. “Doing probability with odds would be like doing mul tiplication with Roman numerals,” Ross said. That is where his book comes in. Given that odds only make sense in gambling settings, Ross hopes to bring probability and odds together and make them more relevant as mathematical objects. Ross said he put most of his ener gy into making the book “accessible and friendly.” “My purpose was definitely to communicate with baseball fans about the language and ideas of odds and probabili ty,” Ross said, al though it has also ap pealed to colleagues and students who use Ross’ book in various math classes. . Ross first began combining the all-American sport of baseball with his mathematical career in 2000, when he held a freshman seminar called “Statistics and Mathematics of Baseball.” Ross’ class not only had an emphasis on methods from the theory of statistics, but it also studied batting averages, streaks and other records in baseball history. It wasn’t until Ross taught this course that he began finding “all kinds of books and articles on the subject.” Ross earned his B.S. and M S. at the University of Utah then received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington two years later. After teaching for 35 years, he retired from the University of Oregon in the spring of 2000. The Pacific Northwest Section of the Mathematical Association of America honored Ross with the fourth sectional Certificate for Meri torious Service. He also serves as chair of the Cams Monographs Edi torial Board and was chair of the President’s Task Force on the NCTM Standards. He has co-authored both volumes of “Abstract Harmonic Analysis,” re cently reprinted by Springer-Verlag. “A Mathematician at the Ballpark” was published by Pi Press. Allison Parker is a freelance reporter for the Daily Emerald “Doing probability with odds would be like doing multiplication with Roman numerals. ” Ken Ross | former University math professor Journalist: Many Israelis support Bush Continued from page 8A because he has recognized that holding on to Gaza is counterpro ductive,” he said. As he discussed the disengage ment plan, Wohlgelernter reminded the audience of the “human cost” for displaced Israeli families. He also outlined the financial cost, now estimated to be between $1.5 billion and $2 billion dollars. He did not comment on the cost to Palestinians of a continuing Israeli presence. “He did not look at the conflict from a Palestinian point of view, nor did I expect him to,” said Shlomo Libeskind, a professor of mathemat ics who attended the talk. Near the end of the evening, Wohlgelernter turned to the ques tion of the influence of the U.S. elec tion on Israeli affairs. While he said the internal politics of Israel were more important than any Washing ton influence, he also commented on the Israeli public opinion of the election. “A majority of Israelis believe Bush is the greatest leader in U.S. history,” Wohlgelernter said. He at tributed this strong support to Bush’s continuing support of Sharon and his refusal to meet with Yassir Arafat, a pariah even to liber al Israelis. Frank agrees that most Israelis support Bush. However, he believes a John Kerry presidency would hold more promise for the peace process. “1 hope he can take a more Clin tonesque approach,” said Frank. “It’s in Israel’s self-interest to have an administration that would take a more even-handed approach.” While Israeli politics remain un predictable and often confusing, au dience members at Wednesday’s talk remained cautiously optimistic. “The future of Israel I have no doubt about,'” said Libeskind. “It’s the future of peace that is uncer tain.” Thomas Munro is a freelance reporter for the Daily Emerald Order by Number Show Your Student ID ledium Pizza! $7.99 - One fuletlitnn 12" Hb|]|iiii[j Rza $10.99 - Two Medium 12" Hopping Rzzss Will ai Rm Tlin 'Nttisiy® or HnnKossI Crm Limteil OdiwyArai. QdiwyClisfUES ^i|ly. Offer Expert* OMtntbt? 22, 2114 $8.99 - One Large 14" 1-Topping Rzza $12.99 - Two Laige 14" 1-Topping Pizzas Will m Rin Tliu ‘NCrisiy® a HmiHusal Chd UiniEil Odkery Arm. Ddi^ydinnes i^i|iy. 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