HOT WEATHER & BASEBALL
When the baseball game started at precisely 4:45pm on Tuesday July 25th, the
temperature was 88 degrees with a dew point of 73! That makes it oppressive or
tropical as the weather people call it. Remember I’m in a small press box with a
number of other people, and it was not pleasant at the start of the game. Didn’t
have a try stitch of clothes on me. You could hear the thunder off in the distance
south of Madison. I was getting reports from text messages and Facebook posts
the Canby area was getting dumped on so the baseball game in Madison was in
question.
The game started in the oppressive heat, and at the end of the night it
was very cool and pleasant after the front went through and the Madison VFW/Jr.
Legion team had punched their way to the first ever Jr. Legion state tournament.
Let’s talk baseball for a minute and forget about the dramatic change in
temperature and dew points during the District 7 South championship game
between the Minneota Vultures and the Madison VFW/Jr. Legion team. Minneota
came into Madison needing to win both games to make it to the state tournament
in Bird Island. Madison was in the driver’s seat in the winner’s bracket, but the
Vultures took the first game winning 3 to 0 to force a second and deciding game.
Madison jumped out to a 7 to 0 lead, scoring all 7 runs in the second inning, but
Minneota didn’t go away quietly, chipping away at that 7 to 0 lead. The Vultures
cut the lead to 7-6 with the tying run on 3rd base in the bottom of the 7th inning,
but Madison’s pitcher Layton Wittnebel got the Minneota batter to pop out to
end the nerve wracking game. So Madison VFW/Jr. Legion baseball team is in the
state tournament and that was very exciting for the coaches, players and fans.
I think that is one of my favorite things about covering high school sports and
amateur sports in our area. When teams win the District or Section finals to make
a trip to a state tournament. I’ve been very blessed to cover a number of state
tournaments during my broadcast career. But the excitement and joy that comes
from knowing you are going to state is what I always cherish and love seeing the
faces of the kids and parents when that goal is reached. Also the way the
community gathers around the team when they are heading to state is so much
fun.
So I’m looking forward to another state trip, this time in baseball with the
Madison VFW/Jr. Legion baseball team!!! And praying that August 4th its a pleasant 80 degrees and the dew points a comfortable 50!