Can you believe it? The Red Sox have been as hot as this summer’s temperatures. They are on pace to set a new franchise record in regular season wins. Even if they don’t set that record, they have been a lot of fun to watch.

Yes, I have lived long enough to know about the notorious “September swoon,” but I have confidence that this year’s team will win the American League East division. The playoffs? Anything is possible and Houston, New York and Cleveland could get red hot in September and October.

After David “Big Papi” Ortiz retired, I wrote in this column that I didn’t know which Red Sox player was going to become my favorite, after Ortiz posted so many exciting moments. But it hasn’t taken me long to adopt a new favorite – Mookie Betts. He is having an MVP season and, barring injury, should become one of the Red Sox all-time batting leaders – unless someone gets a brain cramp and trades him away.

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Speaking of high summer temperatures, fall high school sports are starting next week and I trust that our coaches have been schooled on how heat and humidity can cause an athlete to dehydrate quickly. Keep the water handy and keep an eye on the kids as they make their way through the pre-season drills.

I am so old, we were given salt pills and water during practices, and Gatorade, which you had to mix from powdered form, came along in the early ’70s. It was pretty putrid so most of us just drank water. The other flavors came much later.

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We extend our thanks to Jim Singer and Joe Gelarden for arranging John Druce’s trip to Washington, D.C. and Quantico, Virginia to view the various military memorials. At age 96, John is a marvel as he still has a keen mind and memory. It was a trip well documented by Singer and Gelarden – both Vietnam War veterans – and you can see some of the many photos taken by Singer in our online story. Jim said he is also preparing a slide show which will be able to be viewed by the public sometime in the future. Congratulations and we thank you three men for your military service.