Beat the heat

[Haid D' Salaami]

As temp start to rise, we need to do things that help our game stay strong, and most importantly our health.

Drink water, and not the day of the games.

Drink Powerade, gatorade as well, but after games.

Use cooling towels in between innings.. who cares about the tough guy image, would you rather die than be cooled off.

Use things such as ammonia water or down in the south we use Florida water bought from Walgreens. I firswt moved to Mississippi gulf coast 2 years ago and that Humidity is something else, And as a former Army Infantry Vet, I was like hell no i aint using no stuff called Florida water...

get a small cooler fill it about 3/4 with ice the rest water, then add in about half the bottle of florida water. put a towel in there and wham... instant cooling device. I had 3 18U showcase games in a 100* heat and the cooler keep ice till the last game, every inning of so we go and rub the towel on our head, neck, and arms.. it will instantly cool your bobdy down and help keep you cool. Trust me this stuff is awesome.

http://www.lanman-and-kemp.com/florida.htm

http://www.walgreens.com/search/results.jsp?Ntt=florida water cologne

[Welpe]

I keep hearing about this also. Where do you stash your cooler during games?

[dmdhiker]

I keep hearing about this also. Where do you stash your cooler during games?

In the some HS games I work, it seems okay to have a small cooler on the field, against the fence, near the on deck circle. During a plate conference, HC mentioned a hole under the backstop, said this is where the umps usually puts their cooler so as to block the hole.

[Jocko]

I put my cooler by whatever gate we walk in up against the fence away from nosy players.

[Haid D' Salaami]

I keep hearing about this also. Where do you stash your cooler during games?

right by the fence, or in the dugout... I dont care about carrying a small cooler on the field, this is my health I'm thinking about... Mind you in a real College baseball game, II would never do this.. but at the samr time during baseball season it normally isnt upper 90's

[Welpe]

I don't have a problem at all with umpires carrying a cooler or water. I might have when I was in California because generally it wasn't needed but here, I'm all for it.

My main concern is where the best place is to put it. Do you ever leave it in live ball territory?

[mstaylor]

Most of the fields around here have gates near the backstop. We put it right outside that.

[Umpire in Chief]

Here's an article I wrote some time back. Part of the article was included in Carl Childress's Baseball Umpires Encyclopedia.

http://umpire-empire.com/index.php/page/index.html/_/health-fitness/avoiding-dehydration-beating-the-heat-r28.

[Texarkana]

I carry a cooler on the field in Texas. I keep it behind a fence or in a dugout. I usually pull a drink out and put it behind the backstop pads. College or HS games, just a drink, but all other levels of ball, it's cooler time. I keep icey water, a towel, drinks and a couple jars of pickles in the cooler. In between games, I may change uniforms but always change my socks.

[NCAAump2]

Not to be ignorant, but pickles? Haven't heard of that before, but am interested to know the benefits.

[Jocko]

Pickles/pickle juice are excellent for dealing with heat related cramping. Mustard as well.

[NCAAump2]

Hmmm...interesting. Never heard that one. Will definitely try that this coming weekend.

[Texarkana]

I have been doing it for twenty years. Must be dill pickles.

http://www.acefitness.org/blog/2107/drink-pickle-juice-to-avoid-a-hydration-pickle

[mstaylor]

It's funny, UIC's article is point on but I don't do many things on the list. I don't wear any wicking undershirts or tights, I wear cotten T shirts, almost always black, I drink a lot of water but absolutely no Gatorade, makes me sick. I have been know to drink coffee while doing the plate, almost always before the game. I do not suggest using my methods but I have worked in the weather all my life so I am better acclimated than many. Many people have spent a lot of time and money developing things to make us safer and I suggest using them.

[Jocko]

I too wear cotton tshirts. They soak up the sweat and the wet fabric keeps me cooler.

[mstaylor]

Wearing cotton keeps me from sweating through my outside shirts. I can umpire in 100 degree heat and wear the same shirt on the bases if I needed. I don't but I could.

[3rdGENump]

It is getting to me the heat of summer and time to bring this topic back up...

 

I ordered some Florida Water and it came in the mail today.  I came home for lunch and asked the wife if she had gotten the mail, her response, "What the h*ll did you order this time?  That stuff smells like sh!t"

 

I just laughed, I can't wait to try it this weekend.  Supposed to be in the upper 90's

[mstaylor]

To make your own Florida water do the same as Haid said except add Witch Hazel. You can get it at any drug store. 

[bluejerred]

I don't have a problem at all with umpires carrying a cooler or water. I might have when I was in California because generally it wasn't needed but here, I'm all for it.

My main concern is where the best place is to put it. Do you ever leave it in live ball territory?

 

Depends on which part of California.  Here in Bakersfield during late spring to summer, it can easily get over 100 degrees.