Whether you were working in it, playing in it, or just walking in it, temperatures soared into the 90s Tuesday, just hours away from the first day of summer.
There was no dodging the heat as the Dodgers and Nationals took to the baseball diamond at Lakewood Park as part of the Lakewood Recreation Department.
“I talked with the umpire, we’re gonna start with eight, but if somebody’s not feeling good, I can still play with seven, ok…so you gotta tell me if you don’t feel good,” said Dodgers coach Stephen Rasoletti to his team.
With temperatures in the 90s, playing baseball was a challenge.
“It’s crazy to play in the heat, you gotta worry about cramping up, you gotta stay hydrated, so we got the cooler there for the kids and we got damp towels for them,” Rasoletti said.
“I bring ice water, with a cooler in it and I take wet rags and when they come in from innings I put the rags on them and ice packs around their necks to hydrate them,” said Daniel Pieh, whose grandson plays on the team.
But before the first inning was over, the heat was too much for some of the young players.
“My legs were shaking and my stomach hurt and I could barely stand,” said Patrick Myers, 11.
“There’s the pressure too of course, being the one to forfeit the game, if someone is unable to play any longer, but I think it’s really important to let them know that there will be other games and certainly not worth jeopardizing your health,” said Patrick’s mother, Edie Myers.
The city of Cleveland activated its “Heat Preparedness Plan”, which includes opening up “cooling centers” around town and opening pools on days they’re not usually open.
“Remain hydrated, that’s drinking plenty of fluids, making sure that you drink clear liquids, stay away from drinks that have lots of sugar or alcohol because they tend to cause you to lose more fluid,” said Karen Butler, the city of Cleveland’s director of public health.
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