Playing Outdoors In The Heat

This heat isn't fun and games, on the other hand, maybe it is. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter Steve Berg visited the national championship for the Super Series Baseball League in south Tulsa on Wednesday.

Wednesday, July 19th 2006, 10:27 am

By: News On 6

This heat isn't fun and games, on the other hand, maybe it is.

News on 6 reporter Steve Berg visited the national championship for the Super Series Baseball League in south Tulsa on Wednesday. A 13-year-old pitcher can bring the heat. But really, we've got plenty here already.

"It's 4,000 degrees out here and you just have to drink a lot of Gatorade and hopefully survive." Bill Sullivan is from Tyler, Texas and doesn't feel like he's gone north. "I don't know how the kids do it, they just keep going and going and going."

Coach Ernie Lein says it helps that they're just playing one game per day. And he says they've been practicing for a couple of weeks in the heat. And of course a healthy helping of hydration. "Just keep drinking throughout the day, keep your heat cool as you can, give 'em wet hats, towels on your head, just to keep cool."

Baseball player Brad Chesshir: "It's not that bad today because there's a little breeze in the air, but the past few days it's been really hot and we've been sweating, but drinking a lot of water and staying hydrated, it's all good.â€ Player Nick Powers: â€œnot just alive, but thriving.â€

Bill Sullivan: "I mean look at 'em, they don't even look hot, y'know?"

Coach Ernie Lein: "They're a little more elastic than the rest of us, yes."

The News on 6 talked to a sports medicine office. They say the American College of Sports Medicine does have recommendations on when it's too hot to play. But they say people in this part of the country generally don't follow them because you wouldn't be able to play anything until October or later.