Why was the baseball team hot?

This joke gets its comedic swing from a clever bit of wordplay, specifically a pun. The humor hinges entirely on the double meaning of the word "fans." In one sense, "fans" refers to the enthusiastic supporters who cheer on their favorite baseball team, filling the stands and creating an electric atmosphere. Losing these loyal followers would certainly put a team in a tough, "hot" spot, perhaps due to poor performance or a string of losses.

However, the punchline deliberately shifts to the other, more literal meaning of "fans"—the mechanical devices that blow air to keep things cool. Imagine a sweltering dugout or a pitcher's mound without any circulating air! The unexpected twist from the metaphorical "fans" (supporters) to the literal "fans" (cooling equipment) is what makes the setup and punchline click, creating a silly image of a team literally overheating. Baseball, with its long summer season and outdoor games, often relies on both kinds of fans to keep things going.