An Atlanta youth baseball team is grieving the death of their assistant coach who tragically collapsed and died on the field last Friday.
Assistant coach Doug Davis collapsed and experienced a “massive heart attack” during the team’s game at Lake Point Sports in Emerson before passing away, as per ABC affiliate WSB-TV. Davis was only 47 years old.
“The whole ballpark went silent,” the DC Academy team’s head coach, Sam Ray, told Fox affiliate WAGA-TV. The head coach mentioned that both his son and Davis’ son were present to witness the “scary” scene. “It was something that you never want to be a part of,” he added.
The opposing team’s coach, Jeff Owens, described the incident as a “scary moment” that he found difficult to articulate.
“As soon as it happened, myself and the rest of the coaches rushed to Doug,” he said in a statement. “Nurses and doctors came out of the stands onto the field.” He described the moment as “probably one of the most devastating things I’ve experienced.”
Owens recalled to WAGA that his players quickly surrounded the DC Academy team and joined them in prayer following Davis’s collapse.
“It was a beautiful thing to see during a thing that was very hard to be a part of,” Owens said. He mentioned that the baseball community in North Georgia is like a large family where everyone is familiar with each other.
Atlanta Youth Baseball Coach Doug Davis was Described as Having a Heart ‘Full of Gold’
Sam Ray had been co-coaching the team with Davis for three years, as reported by WAGA, and he developed a strong brotherly bond with the assistant coach.
“I was fortunate enough to be right there by his side when it happened. That’s one memory I will never forget,” Ray recalled.
Ray told the local news station that Davis had been an exceptional coach for the youth baseball team. “His heart was full of gold. He loved the boys. He loved being around the boys, in particular, he loved being around his own son,” Ray said.
According to his obituary, Davis is survived by his wife, Pamela, and their children: Dalton, Emma Grace, and Brooks.
The family organized a memorial service for the much-loved coach at Burnt Hickory Baptist Church. Instead of flowers, they requested donations to be directed to the church.