Temperatures were in the 90s over the weekend as a youth tournament at Patriots Park was underway.
SUMTER, S.C. β Β A 61-year-old man died after collapsing while working as an umpire during a youth softball tournament in Sumter over the weekend, as temperatures soared into the 90s.
Mitchell Huggins was transported from Patriots Park to Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital on Saturday, where he later died around 6 pm. The Sumter County coroner has not confirmed an official cause of death, but witnesses say Huggins had complained about the heat before collapsing.
Christy and Ainsley Pittman, who were attending the tournament, said Huggins β known to many as βMr. Mitchβ β had been working at the fields all day and was visibly overheated.
βHe said he was hot,β Christy Pittman said. βThey tried to cool him down and got him some water. They finally called the ambulance, put him in a wheelchair, and rolled him down to the entrance of the ball field. He just slumped over.β
Photos taken by Pittmanβs husband show the asphalt temperature at the ballpark measured on his thermometer reached 138 degrees, while the synthetic turf where games were being played measured 182.5 degrees. Pittman says Huggins had been working as an umpire the turf before he was taken out.
βHe was more than just an umpire,β Pittman said. βHe brought joy to so many peopleβs lives. He was like family.β
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is reminding people to take precautions during extreme heat, including staying hydrated, wearing light-colored clothing, and avoiding strenuous outdoor activities. Officials also urge people to recognize signs of heat-related illnesses. Heat exhaustion symptoms include pale skin, nausea, and dizziness. Heat stroke symptoms include hot, dry skin, confusion, and unconsciousness, and require immediate medical attention.
An autopsy is scheduled this week to determine Hugginsβ official cause of death.