Summer sizzler

Earlier this year, as I was planning our 2010 Summer of Baseball, taking in a matinee game wasn't high on the list of priorities. It's usually Summer Camp Day, meaning there's a couple hundred kids, and what all that means, in attendance. And, living down here in Florida, it gets awfully hot during summer afternoons.

As our plans took shape, though, Colin's goal of snagging signed team balls from all 12 Florida State League teams meant attending a matinee game would be necessary. And, wouldn't you know, none of our local FSL clubs play in a domed stadium.

Last Wednesday's game between the St. Lucie Mets and Clearwater Threshers at Bright House Field in Clearwater certainly didn't disappoint. Yes, there were hundreds of kids. Save for a handful, most were well-behaved and respectful.

And, yes, it was hot. Very hot. Three-bottles-each-of-Powerade hot. Running-out-of-Italian-ice-in-the-fifth-inning hot. It's amazing, I say, we saw no eggs frying on the concourse.

Though the center field scoreboard showed temperatures in the mid 90s, our readings, taken by a digital thermometer placed along the right field wall, didn't fall below 109 degrees from the time we started hounding (about 11:15 a.m. for a noon start) until the final out (about 2:45 p.m.). We hit the hot spot in the middle of the eighth, when it reached 113.4 degrees, nearly 3 degrees warmer than last summer's game.

If it was that hot near the field, I can only imagine how hot it got standing at shortstop or out in center field.

Because this wasn't our first "How Hot Does it Get" rodeo, which, amusingly, involved the same two teams as the inaugural effort, we were prepared. Besides staying hydrated, we wore hats, used 85 SPF sunscreen and, for the most part, didn't stay in the sun for extended periods of time.

Here's a breakdown from the brutally hot afternoon:

Pregame hounding: 112.2 degrees
First pitch: 110.6 degrees
Middle of first inning: 110.6 degrees
Middle of second inning: 109.4 degrees
Middle of third inning: 110.4 degrees
Middle of fourth inning: 111.4 degrees
Middle of fifth inning: 111.6 degrees
Middle of sixth inning: 112.6 degrees
Middle of seventh inning: 112.2 degrees
Middle of eighth inning: 113.4 degrees
Middle of ninth inning: 112.2 degrees

Average temperature per inning: 111.5 degrees