# Blacks and hispanics can take the heat better. Racist foolishness or common sense? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 8, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010 "2003-07-08T15:20:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![JonBodner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@JonBodner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonBodner)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010/41 "2003-07-09T23:38:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jsgoddess \* > \*\* > Ooh, but they can sure play the hell outta the ball during a blizzard! (With not-so-fond recollections of the '97 series.) > \*\* Well, Dusty _is_ managing the Cubs. The post-season (much less the World Series) is probably not in their future. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010/42 "2003-07-10T01:01:14Z")
I just want to comment on something **Blake** said earlier that no one else has commented on yet. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Blake_ > \*\*There has been a large amount of work done on Allen rule in humans, and it has repeatedly shown that tropical populations have different limb proportions to temperate populations. There seems little doubt that this is related to heat dispersal and there is no doubt that dark skin correlates well to the tropics. > > So yeah, there is considerable evidence of adaptations to cope with heat stress found amongst dark skinned people.\*\* Yes. Tropical _populations_ do _tend_ to have body proportions that lend themselves to greater efficiency in shedding excess body heat. Being taller and skinnier with long limbs gives you a greater body surface area:volume ratio. However, this is a _population tendency_ - and one that isn’t even true of all African populations (Pygmies anyone?). My point is that although the average tropical person might have a greater capacity for dealing with the heat, this is an average. Taller, skinnier people with long limbs will deal better with the heat - no matter where they’re from on earth. I know plenty of tall, lanky Northern Europeans who would probably acclimate to very hot weather better than me (average height, more stocky). I’d wager that most athletes are taller than average. And most baseball players are not described as “rotund.” (With a few famous exceptions). But still, everyone can acclimatize to the heat. Drink enough fluids, know your limits and cool down when overheated, and wear appropriate clothing (BTW, how _can_ baseball players stand wearing those polyester uniforms - I’ve worn uniforms made from similar material before, and it’s the worst possible thing to wear when it’s hot and humid). ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010/43 "2003-07-10T04:07:27Z")
**But still, everyone can acclimatize to the heat.** I don’t think so. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010/44 "2003-07-10T04:24:24Z")
Beagle, You lost me 2 posts back. Were you agreeing with what I posted or disagreeing? ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010/45 "2003-07-10T05:04:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Weirddave \* > \*\*Beagle, > > You lost me 2 posts back. Were you agreeing with what I posted or disagreeing? \*\* I agreed with you. I see the problem. My second paragraph beginning with a question seemed like it was directed at you. It wasn’t. I was rehashing the previous argument with new, improved examples. I thought your post was an excellent response to the previous post. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Fescue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@Hank\_Fescue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Fescue)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010/46 "2003-07-10T06:37:33Z")
Anyone remember Jimmy the Greek ? He was completely trashed after making very similar statements to what **GoHeels** said earlier in the thread. He made the observation that black athletes were often bigger, faster and stronger than other American athletes because of thier big, fast and strong ancestors that were brought here for those qualities. IOW, many come from good stock. He got canned pronto. It has been a quite a few years. Maybe things have changed a bit. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010/47 "2003-07-10T06:53:25Z")
Dammit, I was just about to mention Jimmy the Greek…well, I’ll elaborate instead. 🙂 Jimmy didn’t just mention that they were “brought here” for those qualities…he specifically mentioned that they were BRED BY SLAVE OWNERS to be bigger and stronger. While I do see some truth in that statement (and feel free to dogpile on me if I’m wrong!!) – his error was a HUGE lapse in judgment by bringing up the obviously super-sensitive subject of black slavery, and made it infinitely worse by implying that slavery = good thing. I don’t think he meant to imply that, but that doesn’t matter. Broadcasters all over the world should remember that they are one insensitive remark away from killing their career…and that one sure killed his!!! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010/48 "2003-07-10T06:58:59Z")
> [@](#): > > How ironic that a white player with a last name that is synonymous to a type of frozen precipitation was at the height of his game by grabbing Dusty’s 3 year old kid (and keeping him away from inevitable injury) while crossing home plate in a world series game. I only wish that Dusty’s drivel was spoken last year before the incident… That might technically be irony, but I’d be hard-pressed to think of how it’s relevant. Dusty’s comment was racial in nature (that is, it dealt with race), but I don’t think that makes it racist. He attempted to draw a distinction between races. It was - it would seem - factually incorrect, even if one might understand why he might jump to that conclusion. Seeing as how - again, if the facts are against him - he was speaking from ignorance rather than bias, I wouldn’t call that racist. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010/49 "2003-07-10T13:50:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beagle \* > \*\*I agreed with you. I see the problem. My second paragraph beginning with a question seemed like it was directed at you. It wasn’t. I was rehashing the previous argument with new, improved examples. I thought your post was an excellent response to the previous post. \*\* I thought so, but it was a bit unclear. Thank you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-hispanics-can-take-the-heat-better-racist-foolishness-or-common-sense/187010.md?page=2)