Heat relief for the catchers.

[nickrego]

Adult league, 9 innings, 1:00 PM start time. 104 deg. at game time.

For the entire game, both teams had a bench player warm up the pitchers, including the throw-down's. Sometimes the catcher would be standing off to the side watching.

Good for the catchers. Good for me (PU). It really kept the game moving, especially when the catchers had to put on their gear, because the warm-up guy was out there before the pitcher would get to the mound.

[socalblue1]

Originally Posted by nickrego

Adult league, 9 innings, 1:00 PM start time. 104 deg. at game time.

For the entire game, both teams had a bench player warm up the pitchers, including the throw-down's. Sometimes the catcher would be standing off to the side watching.

Good for the catchers. Good for me (PU). It really kept the game moving, especially when the catchers had to put on their gear, because the warm-up guy was out there before the pitcher would get to the mound.

Sounds like a couple teams used to playing in the heat that have a clue. Good for them & better for you!

[briancurtin]

Originally Posted by nickrego

including the throw-down's

what good is that?

[TussAgee11]

I get catchers all the time that simply say "balls in" and don't do the throwdown. Being an ex-catcher, I can't really blame them. Any energy you can save on a hot day is welcomed.

[Uncle George]

A few years back I was behind the plate in a high school game with temps right at 100! Humidity was up there too, 75% or better. Between innings I went over for a drink of cold water when the coach of the home team called me over to his bench. He took a towel out of a water cooler and told me to "cool off"! After doing so, I ask him what he had in the cooler. He was a former catcher with the Cubs (so don't hold this against him). He said that when he played they would take a cooler with about 2-gallons of water in it, add about 1/8 to a 1/4 cup of amonia to it and fill it up with ice. For some reason (which I don't understand), the amonia makes the water colder, or it seems to be, the amonia also, when you wipe your face and head with it, makes the water disapate much faster and "wakes you up", thus cooling you off! If you think I pulling your leg, try it but I must warn you, put all over the cooler it big, huge letters, DO NOT DRINK, CONTAINES AMONIA!

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Uncle George

A few years back I was behind the plate in a high school game with temps right at 100! Humidity was up there too, 75% or better.

Unlikely, unless this game was in the middle east or Africa.

Temp of 100* F and RH of 75% gives a dew point of 91 and a heat index of 150.

The world record dewpoint is apparently 94, in Ethiopia.

[RPatrino]

You never heard of the Ethiopian USSSA World Playoffs?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Unlikely, unless this game was in the middle east or Africa.

Temp of 100* F and RH of 75% gives a dew point of 91 and a heat index of 150.

The world record dewpoint is apparently 94, in Ethiopia.

Just the other day in the inland areas (where I live) of San Diego County (which is all desert, BTW), the temperature was 105 degrees in the shade, with relative humidity of 67%.

Three weeks ago, I worked a 1:00 PM Juniors Championship game (solo), and it was one of those games where everybody was dragging. Nobody hustled on or off the field, the catchers walked everywhere they went, and took forever to get their gear on.

The temperature was 104 degrees, with 69% humidity, and I suffered heat exhaustion in the 5th inning (well over two hours into the game), and was unable to continue due to my health. I wasn't even supposed to be outside according to the health advisements on the news. I insisted on finishing, but they dragged me kicking and screaming (not literally) from the field and replaced me with a volunteer with mask, shin guards and a balloon. They said they could tell I wasn't looking very good. Turns out they were right, I was not doing well at all.

They made me take my gear off and sit for a half hour in the snack bar with a fan blowing on me before they would let me leave. They made me eat a hot dog and gave me several nearly frozen Gatorades.

I can no longer work games in the mid-day heat, only games with late afternoon or evening start times, until this heat wave subsides.

It's really hot and humid everywhere these days. Be careful out there!

[Uncle George]

Bob, I don't care what you wrote, I WAS THERE, working the plate, 100 degrees and 75% humidity. How do I know, I work in a radio station, reporting news and weather and I checked with the National Weather Service before I left for the game! If your numbers are corrent, then by God it was hot!

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Unlikely, unless this game was in the middle east or Africa.

Temp of 100* F and RH of 75% gives a dew point of 91 and a heat index of 150.

The world record dewpoint is apparently 94, in Ethiopia.

Not sure that's as farfetched as you seem to indicate. Just looked at history for Dallas, and the AVERAGE temp in July is 88, averaging 28 days in the month over 90 degrees (so surely several are up near 100), and the AVERAGE humidity for July is 80 (heck - the average is 81 for the year). Similar data for Key West FL, San Diego CA, Little Rock AR... Houston has higher average humidity, but a few degrees lower average temp. In Houston, Wednesday's forecast is a high of 95 degrees, humidity of 84%... Thursday is 95 and 87%.

[LakeErieUmp]

Either way - heat index and humidity or not, it was DAMN HOT!!!
Catcher gets a LOT of help when I'm behind him, whether it's taking exactly as much time to get the balls that flew onto the other field as it takes my catcher to get a drink, or deciding that that little dinker off the forearm protector "hurt" just so the catcher can stand up and take a breather. Hot is hot. And I would far prefer a catcher who still has the energy to grab that high fast one over one who can't!

[briancurtin]

conclusion: "it gets really hot in july. numbers prove this."

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by LakeErieUmp

...or deciding that that little dinker off the forearm protector "hurt" just so the catcher can stand up and take a breather.

You wear forearm protectors?

[DG]

Originally Posted by Uncle George

A few years back I was behind the plate in a high school game with temps right at 100! Humidity was up there too, 75% or better. Between innings I went over for a drink of cold water when the coach of the home team called me over to his bench. He took a towel out of a water cooler and told me to "cool off"! After doing so, I ask him what he had in the cooler. He was a former catcher with the Cubs (so don't hold this against him). He said that when he played they would take a cooler with about 2-gallons of water in it, add about 1/8 to a 1/4 cup of amonia to it and fill it up with ice. For some reason (which I don't understand), the amonia makes the water colder, or it seems to be, the amonia also, when you wipe your face and head with it, makes the water disapate much faster and "wakes you up", thus cooling you off! If you think I pulling your leg, try it but I must warn you, put all over the cooler it big, huge letters, DO NOT DRINK, CONTAINES AMONIA!

I learned about ammonia buckets when I was a youngtser playing. When I coached I had a cooler with slushy ice water, rags, and ammonia and I never had a player succomb to heat. It was more like a half gallon of water, ice and 2-3 tablespoons, ie a small cooler. Now that I umpire I carry a small cooler with me to games when it's over 90 degrees. Note that this is Spirits of Ammonia, not ammonia like you use for cleaning.

[LakeErieUmp]

Good catch, Steve. I actually meant the upper-arm GD protectors. I had a brain freeze after doing a game in a Cleveland July of 96 degrees and less-than-no-breeze. God forbid I ever RoboUmp a game!