There’s almost nothing better than sitting at the ballpark for a wet, cold and windy baseball tournament. You know the kind, where the rain blows across the field sideways, the hot chocolate is cooled off by the time you walk back to the frozen metal bleachers, and you’re wearing so many layers that you look like a sumo wrestler!

For the past three years, we have been making the trek to the annual Triple Crown, Halloween Wood Bat Tournament in North Branford, Conn., with the NH Grizzlies traveling baseball club from Litchfield. The first year we had snow here and ice down there on Friday, and rain all day Saturday. Last year it rained Friday and Saturday, and the boys ended up playing their first game in driving rain late Saturday night. This weekend promises to be more of the same, according to a Connecticut weather page.

So how do you cope with the cold as a player or a parent? Here are a few tips:

**Wear layers of clothing, starting with dark long-sleeve Under Armour for players, and long Johns for everybody else. Warm gloves and stocking hats are a must as well. I wear my snowmobiling jacket.

**Bring blankets - wool are warmer.

**Seat cushions keep the tushie warm, especially the thermal ones for hunting or ice fishing.

**Pack extra tshirts and sox to change into, between games. The players that pitch will be sweaty after the first game. Changing into dry clothes before the next game, will keep them warmer.

**If you’re packing a camera, bring extra batteries. Pull the ones in the camera out, and keep in a warm pocket until you’re ready to use them.

**Hand warmers are nice too. Players can keep them in their pants pockets or on the bench. Great for spectators too.

**If it’s a day game, wear dark clothing. It will absorb the heat from the sun.

**Go to the field early to get a parking spot up close, and facing the game. Nice place to hybernate in until the first pitch is thrown, or “half the game,” as my wife and Mrs. Tarantino can attest to!

**Bring plenty of cash for hot chocolate or coffee at the snack stand. Ask for it - super hot! That way you can warm your hands with it for a few innings before drinking it to thaw out your insides.

**Umbrellas are a must, especially if it’s cold and rainy.

**Don’t drink much liquid before the games, unless you are very near bathroom facilities, or a thick grove of evergreens!

**And lastly, for PARENTS ONLY, bring plenty of liquid refreshments for that Dominos game back at the hotel at the end of the day.

-Bob Hammerstrom

Tags: AAU, ball, Baseball, bat, Conn., crown, ct, dominos, fall, Grizzlies, Halloween, NH, North Haven, tournament, triple, warm, wood