The dangers of playing travel BB & SB on hot artificial turf:

Youth SB umpire in South Carolina dies from heat stroke on the field:

GDW Analysis:
Now that summer is officially 7 days into the 2025 year, dangers do persist in the case of playing travel baseball and softball tournaments on artificial playing surfaces.
Gameday Weekly has learned a 61 year old male passed away June 21 due to heat stress while umpiring a youth softball tournament in Sumter County, South Carolina.
GDW's lead reporter who is also umpiring for the United States Sports Specialties Association (USSSA) understands the situation.
On the same day, yours truly was one of a group of umpires working the Arrowhead Summer Sizzler Classic from Trussville Sports Complex.
Field turf is the setting for this complex, located approximately 15 miles East of Birmingham just off Interstate 59.
The South Carolina issue:
The victim was identified as Mitchell Huggins, a long time veteran of officiating youth sports in Sumter County.
The air temperature was in the 90s with the temperature from the field making it much warmer on the 2nd day of the summer season.
Huggins was overcome by the conditions and pronounced dead of a heat stroke at approximately 6:00 p.m. EST at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital in Sumter.
From the Summer Sizzler at Trussville:
Saturday would be a challenge for the teams, players and umpires in order to offset the 90 degree temperature in Trussville and a heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service.
Yours truly worked three games in the 6 under division with intense competition being played between teams from Hartselle, Fayette and Pisgah.
Players were kept hydrated in taking fluids once they entered their dugout. The teams also made sure the kids were kept cool with ice towels and ice packs.
The umpires were provided refreshments with water and Powerade essential to prevent de-hydration and any heat related stress.
Yours truly worked three games of this classic with the games played in approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes and the scores of highly competitive results in 22 to 19, 19 to 17 and 13 to 5.
Trussville was not the only location the USSSA had over the weekend that contains field turf.
Bill Noble Park in nearby Gardendale was busy with a youth world series in different age divisions.
Other travel ball tournaments were held at various sites, with these fields made of grass and dirt.
Field temperatures were much cooler at places like Heritage Park. Field of Miracles, Fultondale Sports Complex, CW Day Park.
USSSA Baseball is coordinated by Cullman native Dee Black.
Black advises his umpires each week in making sure they adapt to weather conditions.
That includes being properly hydrated, plus food intake and clothing to stay cool under the warm atmosphere such as the first weekend of summer.
Powder blue shirts are the preferred color to offset the heat. The umpires have the option of wearing a gray colored slack or gray colored shorts.
Plenty of travel baseball and softball is to continue into July and August, which is known as "The Dog Days of summer".

 Everyone involved in these games have it in their mind to approach the situation safely and have fun on the old ball field.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.