Its too freaking hot

[Umpire in Chief]

Today I had a game at 1:00 when I got out of my car the thermometer in my car said 104, a bank near the field read 106 and the radio was saying 104 too. It didn't help that the humidity was insane too.

I was fully soaked with sweat in the 100 yard walk from the car to the plate.

Around the 4th inning with the visitors losing by a lot the visitor's catcher tells me, "Come on man you're squeezing me."

I tell him, "I haven't called those high ones all day, and I'm not going start now."

"That's the problem, you haven't called them all day."

Me, "As hot as it is, believe me if I didn't call it a strike, it wasn't a strike."

[kcfan102]

I've always wondered... has anybody ever called a game because of it being... too hot?

[HokieUmp]

I've always wondered... has anybody ever called a game because of it being... too hot?

I lived in Australia for a while, and when I went down to Adelaide to work a high-school age tournament, I remember reading a notice at the host club about weather policy and weekend games (when most games were played).

Some board (don't remember if it covered just Adelaide, or it was the South Australian Baseball folks) would do a weather check; if the temps, or the heat index, or the forecast for the day hit certain benchmarks, then games were not played that day. Period.

Where I lived (Alice Springs), we didn't do such a thing. Thing is, our 90-105 degree days were played with humidity levels of maybe 10-20%. And since we were a small organization, the kids games were done before noon, and the teen level played around dusk.

But we should have had games killed this weekend. Apparently, people that are involved in baseball (including me, it would seem) don't have the collective brains the good Lord gave a dog. So we're out there on 104 days.

I didn't work with UIC yesterday, but I also had a game. And it was bad, adult league baseball.

[Umpire in Chief]

I've always wondered... has anybody ever called a game because of it being... too hot?

Actually my Saturday game was preemptively called (Thursday) because of heat. It was supposed to be a 9 inning Summer Wood bat League game. I didn't mind too much.

[Stan W.]

I had a few games cancelled in Houston years ago due to heat index.....had a double header saturday....94 with a heat index of 100...very humid........we were very careful about hydration for all concerned.......got through it ok.......was very surprised at how drained I was after 4 hours....

I got to tell you, all those threads last week about doing 6 games in one day.........NO WAY......not for me.....

[semper_fi_72]

Never had a game canceled due to heat and have worked a game with a temp of 115 degrees. Of course we rarely have humidity here in Southern California but it is still very hot.

Yesterday I worked two back to back plates for Adult Wood Bat.

While it was only 90 something degrees that was not the problem.

For some strange reason I got a bad sun burn on my forehead.

The only area that got burned!!!!!!

It is so bad that this morning it looks like it is scabbing up some.

[Ironhead17]

Here in SC we started a "World Series" on Thursday in Charleston that ran thu this past Sunday, and we lost 7 umpires over the course of the day due to heat exhaustion and dehydration. Believe it or not we had heat indecies well over 110 degrees for everyday of the tournament. My partner quit sweating after the second game of the first day and had to sit out the third, but finished the tournament w/o any lasting problems. Most guys did four games a day with a few doing six. The kids did great despite the heat. We had numerous ejections on Saturday, the first day of bracket play. Needless to say, IT Was HOT!

[willv28]

That sounds awful. I had a game at 10AM this past saturday. It was almost 90 degrees when the game started, had to be well over 90 when it ended. It was real humid and I was facing the sun. Not much fun. I got a raw spot on the side of my eye from sweating.

[moblue]

I worked a softball tournament this past weekend where the heat index was near 100 degrees or higher. The humidity was high too, so that didn't help. We made sure that the players were able to get a drink whenever they needed it, even if we had to stop the game for a minute or two.

[Kevin Finnerty]

It's from two years ago, but I worked an 18-inning MSBL twin-bill solo because my partner thought it was canceled due to the heat (105). I had to suspend the second game in the seventh for about 10 minutes to get some shade and take a good drink and a soak. But after that, I finished it, and had a new benchmark for how much I could endure: Eighteen inning plate in 100-plus.

My first 100-plus game this summer was a wood bat h.s. game that was scoreless through 11 and got called. Eleven innings, 100-plus ... piece of cake, now. :rollinglaugh:

Edited July 28, 2010 by Kevin Finnerty

[Thunderheads]

I got to tell you, all those threads last week about doing 6 games in one day.........NO WAY......not for me.....

Yeah, but Stan, my 6 game day was in about 85 degrees or so, with a decent amount of cloudcover and about 10-15mph wsw wind.... :rollinglaugh:

[Stan W.]

Yeah, but Stan, my 6 game day was in about 85 degrees or so, with a decent amount of cloudcover and about 10-15mph wsw wind....

.I am only speaking for myself.........thats why I added......"no way...not for me......."

[dawg-man]

Stan,

I am with you. I will do my two maybe three ( in cooler temps ) but now I am good with one or two tops. Nothing against you guys that can do more.

[MickeyMouseUmp]

Hmm had 1 softball 14U cancelled 107 F not sure what the index was but humidity was high. I did another baseball game with 16U's 105 without any problem at 5:30 pm start but the 14U's cancelled the 8 pm game beacuse of the heat go figure?

This past Saturday did plate for the 2 pm game 104, partner ditched his plate game at 7 pm... can't seem to find good partners anymore...sigh...

But as to game limits my max anymore is 4 per day anymore and I need 3 days to recover...sucks getting old...lol

Edited July 28, 2010 by MickeyMouseUmp

[willv28]

It's from two years ago, but I worked an 18-inning MSBL twin-bill solo because my partner thought it was canceled due to the heat (105). I had to suspend the second game in the seventh for about 10 minutes to get some shade and take a good drink and a soak. But after that, I finished it, and had a new benchmark for how much I could endure: Eighteen inning plate in 100-plus.

My first 100-plus game this summer was a wood bat h.s. game that was scoreless through 11 and got called. Eleven innings, 100-plus ... piece of cake, now.

Do you live in a drier climate? It wasn't the fact that it was in the 90's the dew point was 75F at the time. I stepped out of my car and I immediately started sweating. Lost 3 pounds in 2 hours that day.

[ump7tony]

I am curious regarding what level baseball (or softball?) allows someone to do 6 games in a single day? I work college, HS Varsity, Legion, and my games average 2 hours for 7 innings and 2 1/2 hours for 9 innings. With 30 minutes or so between games, that's over 14 hours to do six 7 inning games. And a week and a half to do six 9 inning games (OK, I exaggerated a bit on this one). How do you do it?? Are you guys talking about 1 hour softball games?

[yawetag]

I am curious regarding what level baseball (or softball?) allows someone to do 6 games in a single day? I work college, HS Varsity, Legion, and my games average 2 hours for 7 innings and 2 1/2 hours for 9 innings. With 30 minutes or so between games, that's over 14 hours to do six 7 inning games. And a week and a half to do six 9 inning games (OK, I exaggerated a bit on this one). How do you do it?? Are you guys talking about 1 hour softball games?

Most likely, the games have time limits hovering around 1:45 or 2:00. The games are probably scheduled every two hours. So, six games would take 12 hours. If you start at 8am and have lights, you can go to 10pm or later.

[Jay R]

We had a guy call a game due to mosquitoes. I had heard of this but always thought it was a myth. I recently talked to that umpire. He said it was a field that is known to be bad for mosquitoes and the ball was terrible. Late in the game, he suggested to both managers that they go home. They agreed. I guess it was an exhibition game but still.

[UMP45]

In 2007 I worked the Colt World Series in Lafayette, Indiana. That was the summer where it was HOT evrywhere. One day it was 120 on the field and the next day it was 112!:shakehead:

[semper_fi_72]

I am curious regarding what level baseball (or softball?) allows someone to do 6 games in a single day? I work college, HS Varsity, Legion, and my games average 2 hours for 7 innings and 2 1/2 hours for 9 innings. With 30 minutes or so between games, that's over 14 hours to do six 7 inning games. And a week and a half to do six 9 inning games (OK, I exaggerated a bit on this one). How do you do it?? Are you guys talking about 1 hour softball games?

Funny this post was resurrected now.

I have 7 games tomorrow and 6 on Sunday. 13 in two days for a Friendly Travel Ball Tournament. 21 teams and there will be 3 of us working the same amount of games as one man crews. One Hour 30 minute time limit. 12U. TD is a former AA Dodger and when I have worked for him in the past he has always taken care of us. Water, Gatorade and food brought to us between games. Normally I wouldn't do that many games in one or two days but a $520 cash payment for two days work at this time of year, no way am I turning it down. I will survive the weekend and recover after that.

Been working Jr and Sr LL Fall Tournament games this week also.

When last game is finished Sunday it will be game 302 for 2010 .

After Sunday I do not plan on working any more games for 2010.

Since site will go down for awhile I want to also wish everyone a Merry and Happy Holiday Season as well as the best possible for 2011. :hi5:

[cigarmon]

Out here in Califronia's Central Valley, they will call school games due to "poor air quality". Very agricultural area. Dry & dusty. I understand the thinking, but the first time it happened to me, I was like "WTF!?". I'm originally from New England where they play games at 90+ degrees at 95%+ humidity.