S/O is this hot? Baseball games in this heat.

[Only me]

Tomorrow we are supposed to have heat indices of up to 110 with high humidity and temps in the 90's. My 17 ds is scheduled to play two baseball games (one at 10 am and one at 3 pm). This is a tournament team. Last year we lucked out and he didn't have games when it was this hot. Today I was on the tournament website and for another tournament (same age but different location) the high school the game was held at actually had a rule of no games with a heat index of 105 or more. I think that's a good idea. I'm just curious if this is a usual rule. I think it really should be. I wish they could postpone it until evening.

[EmilyGF]

We're in the same pickle.

 

Emily

[Dad 4 Boys]

I say that baseball is a hot weather sport.  When I was a teenager we played no matter how hot it was.  We even went out on our own and played in heat like this.  Just make sure everyone is getting enough hydration and that there's some shade available.  We, as a people, have gotten soft and are getting softer.

[Junie]

I am so sorry.  We've btdt.

 

Ds was on a different baseball team this year, so his games ended with the school year.

 

Sometimes I wish they would just have the games at 10 p.m. so that it will be a little cooler...  No sunburn, but the mosquitoes are bad.

 

Then, when he plays in the fall, we freeze.

 

Yeah, I think I complain a lot.  :)  

[Junie]

I say that baseball is a hot weather sport.  When I was a teenager we played no matter how hot it was.  We even went out on our own and played in heat like this.  Just make sure everyone is getting enough hydration and that there's some shade available.  We, as a people, have gotten soft and are getting softer.

 

We posted at the same time.

 

Agree on the hydration and shade.

 

As for getting softer, yeah, you're probably right.  In my defense, though, ... well, maybe I don't have a legitimate defense.   :laugh:

 

As for excuses, I can think of 5.  They are listed in my signature... (and they hate baseball).

 

 

ETA:  I think ds would play in any weather.

[Cricket]

I know I'm softer. I haven't been to many of my ds's games because I got sick at one earlier this summer because of the heat. He's played in 115 degrees before--not as humid but still awfully hot. I don't know how those boys do it. Lots and lots and LOTS of water and Gatorade. No caffeine or energy drinks loaded with caffeine. Plenty of fruit. My ds has one of those Froggtogg things to wear around his neck while in the dugout.

[Junie]

We bought a tent for the 5 girls to sit in/play in.  It gets them out of the sun, which is a huge help.  If the weather is really hot I will just stay home with the girls.

 

Ds has told us over and over again that he doesn't care if we come to his games; he says he just wants to play.  He is very much an introvert, and he doesn't like us to cheer for him (audibly).  He likes playing catcher, in part, because he gets to hide behind a mask.

[MEmama]

When we lived in eastern Canada, DS had soccer practice cancelled once because of the extreme heat. It was forecast to get into the mid 70s.

 

110?! Goodness. Get to a place with A/C and keep cool!

 

 

[emzhengjiu]

When we lived in eastern Canada, DS had soccer practice cancelled once because of the extreme heat. It was forecast to get into the mid 70s.

 

110?! Goodness. Get to a place with A/C and keep cool!

 

Well, we live in Texas so hot weather is the norm but I agree, A/C is wonderful!  I'm also getting "softer" as I get older.  There's no way I can tolerate the heat now as well as I could when I was a kid.  Drink a lot of non-caffeinated fluids.  Take one of those hand-held fans that spray water.

[teachermom2834]

My 17 yo plays travel baseball throughout the southeast (often Hotlanta!) Parents bring umbrellas and fans. Kids seem to do fine with it. I can't recall ever being cancelled for heat in the 10 years he has been playing.

[Only me]

I have never heard of a game being cancelled due to high temperatures until I saw the one school having that rule of no games with heat indexes over 105. I wish they could have the games at night but I suppose with a tournament it would be too hard with that many teams.

 

Unfortunately I have Lupus as well as other medical problems and I'm flaring right now so I won't be able to go. I'm sad since he has been playing since he was three and this is his last year. Two weeks ago I got pretty sick watching his game even though I was under an umbrella and it wasn't this hot. . He's bringing lots of water and Gatorade and one of those special towels that keep cool.

 

We've has such a weird Summer. Just last week it was barely 70 and now this.

[plansrme]

My son had a four-hour tryout for a new travel team yesterday.  It was 104 in the parking lot according to my car's temperature gauge.  Granted, that was on asphalt, and he was on the grass, but it was still HOT by anyone's definition.  He played a tournament in Panama City a couple of weeks ago, and it was cooler there because there was either a breeze or the hope of a breeze.  But yeah, he (and everyone else) will play in this heat.  Here's what I drill into him:  First, all of the hydration in the world will not lower your body temperature.  Dehydration and overheating are NOT the same thing.  They are both dangerous at their worst and uncomfortable at best.  Second, use the Frog Tog every time you come into the dugout.  Every single time.  He catches, so cooling down between innings is critical.  Third, if there is an outlet nearby, we have a portable but powerful fan for the dugout.  Get thyself in front of it.  Some teams actually bring misters for their dugouts.  Fourth, we learned yesterday that an insulated jug (which he has) is critical.  I didn't realize the tryout was all outside; we thought this component was inside.  He took a water bottle, but they left their water outside even when they were inside, and his water got too hot to drink.  I was there and could have resupplied, but I didn't know.  Fortunately, he didn't get dehydrated, but that was a minor miracle. 

 

As for parents, we have a shade tent.  Plenty of parents have battery-powered fans.  We do not move out from under our tent until the game is over.

 

Anecdote/brag:  Before one of our games in PCB, he came to us after warm-ups, not ten minutes before game time, complaining of dizziness and a headache.  He was clearly dehydrated, so we pumped him full of water and Gatorade until game time.  We hit first, and he's about fourth in our line-up, so it was just a few minutes later that he went in to hit.  First pitch, he hit a double that rolled to the center field fence.  It's good to be 11.

 

 

[JFSinIL]

At our local outdoor sports complex  there is a lot of league women's softball going on - dd was set for three 11-hour days in a row opening and manning the concession stand - which has no a/c.  She was looking forward to making money - but so far the past two days have ended early. Not because of the high heat and awful humidity, but due to down pouring thunderstorms.   I  dropped her off at 6:30 this morning, and the first players were showing up for 7am games.  They were the lucky ones - it was only in the mid-80s heat index then.

[Only me]

My dd works in food service at the water park. It's awful since there is no air conditioning. Almost all summer they have sent her home early due to storms etc. Yesterday she worked for 9 hours with only one short break. I can't imagine 11 hours. Yikes! She was so pale and dehydrated when she got home. Of course it doesnt help that she burned Her arm getting something out of the oven and got stung by a wasp. Not a good day.

 

My husband ended up meeting my ds at the game this morning. Right now our heat index is 101. My dh didn't bring water. He may have to go steal some from my son.

[trulycrabby]

We have dealt with this issue al summer as it has been hotter than normal here too. Heat advisories and DS11 has attended all- day soccer camps even on some of the hottest days. Kids get acclimated pretty quickly, and I know you know what to do to minimze risk of heat stroke. A lot of kids here put cool-down cloths in an ice chest, then wrap them around face and neck during breaks.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Well I hope either they call it off or they are cautious (like they allow a lot of breaks for water).

 

It's not as bad as some sports where they are constantly running. 

 

I do think it's too hot.  When my kids did tennis they would call it off for a temp like that, but tennis is almost constant running. 

[MyThreeSons]

Baseball isn't the same as most other sports, in that there is time to sit, hydrate, and cool off as the team takes it turn at bat. The coaches and parents ought to be making sure the kids are doing that. And the umpires ought to be gracious in allowing the kid who was first at bat, then stranded on the bases, to get a drink before returning to the field. Oh, and someone ought to be watching out for the umpires as well -- they don't have the downtime that players do. 

 

Back in the old days, baseball players used to soak a leaf of cabbage in water and put it on top of their heads under their caps. I never did understand who that helped ....

[SparklyUnicorn]

 

 

Back in the old days, baseball players used to soak a leaf of cabbage in water and put it on top of their heads under their caps. I never did understand who that helped ....

 

cabbage growers?

 

:lol:

[plansrme]

Baseball isn't the same as most other sports, in that there is time to sit, hydrate, and cool off as the team takes it turn at bat. The coaches and parents ought to be making sure the kids are doing that. And the umpires ought to be gracious in allowing the kid who was first at bat, then stranded on the bases, to get a drink before returning to the field. Oh, and someone ought to be watching out for the umpires as well -- they don't have the downtime that players do. 

 

Back in the old days, baseball players used to soak a leaf of cabbage in water and put it on top of their heads under their caps. I never did understand who that helped ....

 

I feel for the umpires as well.  At our last tournament, I told the home plate umpire that I didn't know how much they get paid, but it wasn't enough.  He did keep a wet sponge under his cap, though.  No cabbage that I could see.  He kept a cooler hanging on the backstop and would refresh between innings.  Umpires get free water from the concession stand at most tournaments, so parents and coaches are always offering to fetch one for "Blue."  Still, these umpires are mostly not spring chickens, and I don't know how they do it inside all of that gear.  The umpires always seem particularly solicitous of the catchers; we had one offer to warm up our pitcher once so that my son, who had caught for two consecutive games on a very hot day, could cool off for a couple of minutes.  

[Jan in SC]

We take tents and coolers to all tournaments. We also have battery powered fans, as well as portable generators with big fans for the dugout. We take lots of water, Gatorade and watermelon.

[Samm]

When we lived in eastern Canada, DS had soccer practice cancelled once because of the extreme heat. It was forecast to get into the mid 70s.

Mid 70s.   :lol:

[Random]

When we lived in eastern Canada, DS had soccer practice cancelled once because of the extreme heat. It was forecast to get into the mid 70s.

 

110?! Goodness. Get to a place with A/C and keep cool!

 

That's funny.

 

But, I mostly grew up in Arizona, where walking to swim practice in 120 degrees is what we were used to.

 

Presently, my son has a friend in a baseball tournament in Phoenix, where temps are expected to be well over 100.  There are no rules like that one OP referred to, in that area, I think. 

 

Those Phoenix kids are tough!

[JudoMom]

I was born & raised in the Southern city with high humidity.  I played soccer & softball and never recall a single game being cancelled because of heat.  It wasn't even on our radar.

My Mom did put a stop to the bright idea that my best friend & I had to recreate the summer Olympics in our backyard, complete with heavy sweat suits as warm ups.  What can I say...Mary Lou Retton inspired us to greatness :p.  We didn't understand because we weren't hot, despite the 90+ degree/80%+ humidity day.  We were forced to recreate the Olympics without the sweat suits.  *sigh*

 

[Guest]

You must be close to me. I just went out and got groceries...not exactly strenuous...and am still suffering for it. I can't imagine playing sports today.

[Only me]

Well ds did fine in the 105 heat index. His 2nd game was cancelled due to rain. My husband reminded me that ds has had plenty of games in this kind of heat but before full time travel he had mostly night games. The last few years we have lucked out with the timing of the games or maybe I'm just more wimpy now that i have Lupus.

 

It is amazing how tough kids are. Ds is also in track and cross country and has been running 8 miles at running camp every morning during the week. Up until recently the weather hasn't been a problem except for rain but last week he had to run a few times where the heat index was already pretty high at 6 am.

 

I would love to live in a place where it stays in the 60's to 70's year round. I'm a bit wimpy in the heat and cold.

 

Well at least it's supposed to be cooler tomorrow. We just found out he has a triple header!

[Junie]

Well ds did fine in the 105 heat index. His 2nd game was cancelled due to rain. My husband reminded me that ds has had plenty of games in this kind of heat but before full time travel he had mostly night games. The last few years we have lucked out with the timing of the games or maybe I'm just more wimpy now that i have Lupus.

 

It is amazing how tough kids are. Ds is also in track and cross country and has been running 8 miles at running camp every morning during the week. Up until recently the weather hasn't been a problem except for rain but last week he had to run a few times where the heat index was already pretty high at 6 am.

 

I would love to live in a place where it stays in the 60's to 70's year round. I'm a bit wimpy in the heat and cold.

 

Well at least it's supposed to be cooler tomorrow. We just found out he has a triple header!

 

I'm kind of a wimp in this weather, too.  I'm glad ds is done for the year.  I have RA.  I have said for years that I would love to move to San Diego.  Perfect weather!  If only I could afford it...  :)

[ktgrok]

I think baseball is probably fine, given that they can take breaks and aren't running all the time, but we have had football players here get heatstroke during summer practices. It's insane.