Players Suffer Dizziness on 66°C Ground: "It's Like Playing Baseball in a Sauna"

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While professional baseball has paused due to the intense heat wave, high school baseball continues. Players experienced dizziness as temperatures on the ground reached up to 66°C (151°F) early in the morning.

Reporter Yu Byeongmin visited the scene.

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At 8:00 AM, even before the first game of the Phoenix Flag High School Baseball Tournament began, the players were already drenched in sweat.

Although they came prepared with iceboxes filled with cold drinks, coaches could not hide their concerns.

[Jang In-wook / Manager, Yaro-go BC: Even during the game, don't hold back. You must not collapse, okay? Safety is what matters most. Safety. Understood!]

As time passed, the artificial turf ground at Mokdong Baseball Stadium heated up like a blast furnace.

It is not yet 9:30 AM.

The current temperature on the ground exceeds 50°C (122°F).

The infield area boiled at over 66°C (151°F), leading to dizzying moments.

One player suddenly complained of dizziness, prompting the manager to rush out.

[Yoon Dae-gun / Infielder, Yaro-go BC: My consciousness became a bit blurred, and I experienced some vision impairment.]

Some players even collapsed onto the ground.

[Kim Seohyun / Infielder, Jeju High School: The manager told me to stop immediately if I felt even a little dizzy. That advice came to mind, so I stopped.]

Fortunately, the games ended without major accidents, but the catcher, wearing heavy equipment, was soaked in sweat from head to toe.

[Park Jin-seong / Catcher, Yaro-go BC: It would be easier to imagine playing baseball inside a sauna.]

The Korea Baseball Softball Association has implemented measures, such as eliminating afternoon games through the day after tomorrow (August 9) and holding two cooling breaks during games. However, the association stated that completely canceling games like professional baseball is difficult due to academic schedules, including college admissions for high school seniors.

(Camera: Yang Doo-won, Choi Dae-woong | Video Editing: Park Jung-sam)

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