On Septeber 15th, 2004, 40 players and coaches with the Grapeland, Texas High School football team in East Texas were hurt when the lightning struck the field as they finished up practice. Twenty of the high school football players had to be hospitalized for their injuries. Another 20 players and coaches were treated and released from a local hospital. Witnesses say the force of the lightning bolt was powerful enough to knock players backward several feet!
Here's the rule: "If you are close enough to HEAR THE THUNDER, you are close enough to BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING!"
Back in October of 1998, all 11 members of one football team were killed by a bolt of lightning in the Republic of Congo. 30 other people were burned by the lightning bolt. All 11 of the dead were members of the visiting football team...no one on the home team was injured.
You can tell how far away the lightning is by counting seconds between the flash and the thunder. "One-thousand-one..." One mile equals 5 seconds, "One-thousand-two..." So, if you hear the thunder after 10 seconds, "One-thousand-three..." the lightning flash was 2 miles away. "One-thousand-four..." So seek shelter in a sturdy structure until the storm has passed! "One-thousand-five."