Why Can The Cullen’s Only Play Baseball In A Thunderstorm?

If you’re a fan of Twilight and love baseball as well, then you might have noticed that the Cullen’s love baseball. The Cullen’s are the vegetarian vampire family in the movie series Twilight.

What makes their sport choice so weird is that they seemed only to play baseball when it’s a thunderstorm outside. Why is that?

In the movie Twilight, the Cullen’s can only play baseball in a thunderstorm because when the ball makes contact with the bat, it generates an inhumanly loud sound, which would make people suspicious. The thunderstorm will bury the sound of the swing, allowing the Cullen’s to play baseball.

When an MLB player swings the ball with a bat, it can generate a loud crack noise with a wooden bat. Also, alloy bats create a very loud ping noise. So imagine if humans can create a loud sound by hitting the baseball, think about what a swing of a vampire would sound like. Thunder!

Many fans have questioned why the Cullen’s chose baseball as their beloved sport, as did Bella in the movies. The Cullen’s would certainly be able to play many other sports without the need for a thunderstorm for it.

I guess baseball is too awesome that even vampires can’t resist them even when they risk getting caught.

Can You Play Baseball In a Thunderstorm?

A thunderstorm can be a fun and extraordinary event, especially in certain places where they aren’t common. However, in some areas, thunderstorms can be quite common, and those living in the area know more about its dangers. That being said, can you play baseball in a thunderstorm?

Generally, you can’t play baseball in a thunderstorm because all thunderstorm produces lightning. Therefore, it’s very dangerous to play baseball during a thunderstorm as over 400 people are struck by lightning every year in the United States, resulting in 49 death on average.

If you can hear thunder, then you are in the lightning strike range, which isn’t something to be fooled around, even when getting struck by lightning is extremely rare.

On average, there are over 20 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes per year in the United States. This makes the chances of getting struck as low as 0,002%. Getting killed by a lightning strike is even rarer, with the chances of 0.000245%.

Do you think 400 and 49 people is a lot of people? I think so, so don’t play baseball in a thunderstorm even when the chances of something happening are low.

Finally, the National Weather Service reports that 17% of lightning deaths between 2006 and 2013 happened during outdoor sports play. The specific sports from most common lightning deaths to the least were;

1. Running
2. Golf
3. Soccer
4. Baseball
5. Football

In addition, the fatal age group was 10-19, followed by 20-29. So for any coaches out there, don’t play baseball when you hear thunder because that means you are in close range for a flash of lightning to strike.

Do Baseball Stop for Thunder?

Given the alarming facts about thunderstorms and lightning, do baseball games usually stop for thunder?

Generally, both minor and major league baseball games stop when there is thunder. This is referred to as ”thunderstorm or lighting delay”, more broadly a ”weather delay”.

However, baseball games won’t typically stop for minor or moderate rain. If there is standing water or a huge rainfall, the game is delayed. Thunderstorms don’t require rain even when it’s usually a part of it, so the games are delayed nonetheless, as it’s very dangerous compared to any other weather.

There are many other weathers and even non-weather occasions when a baseball can be delayed. I have listed most of them below.

• Rain delay
• Thunderstorm delay
• Lightning delay
• Fog delay
• Snow delay
• Swarm of bees delay

Yes, you read that right. Multiple baseball games have been delayed due to the presence of swarming bees. This includes the 2009 Houston Astros-San Diego Padres MLB game as well! Check out the video below if you can’t believe it.

In addition to very rare bee delays, there are rare are snow delays. A baseball season starts at the beginning of spring when it isn’t usually snowing anymore. Yet, snow delays are a thing in areas where it can be possible.

For example, an MLB game between Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018 was delayed due to a snowstorm. During a snowstorm, the temperatures are likely chilling, which will require a baseball bat fit for cold weather.

The most common delay type is a rain delay, also called a rainout. This probably doesn’t surprise you, as rain is the most common weather situation that could cause a baseball game delay.

Why Don’t They Play Baseball In the Rain?

Baseball often isn’t delayed in small or mediocre rain that doesn’t affect the game drastically; however, when the rain goes over a certain line, it shouldn’t and can’t be played properly. Why is that?

Baseball isn’t played in the heavy rain because it limits visibility, makes the bat and ball slippery, wets the ground, so it becomes soft, which is then severely damaged by cleats and turf shoes. In addition, the field will become slippery, which is a safety hazard.

These are just the main reasons behind it. However, there are other reasons, such as clouds darkening the field, which further limits visibility, the ball will soak up water, making it harder, and thunderstorms are linked to the rain.

When it’s raining heavily, and all these factors are combined, it makes baseball very difficult to play, even nearly impossible. This brings more luck to the game, so the teams can’t compete fairly.

In fact, rain is an advantage for the offense. This is because the ball becomes slippery and heavy, making the pitcher throw it considerably slower as control is more important than speed at this point.

Thus, the batter can swing with ease, and when the rain stops, the team that just was on defense might not have the same opportunity making the game unfair.