Atlanta Youth Travel Baseball Coach Dead After Collapsing During Game: 'The Whole Ballpark Went Silent'

The opposing team's coach said the incident was “probably one of the most devastating things I’ve experienced"

An Atlanta-based youth travel baseball team is mourning the loss of its beloved assistant coach after he collapsed and died on the field on Friday.

Doug Davis, an assistant coach, collapsed and suffered a "massive heart attack" during the team's game at Lake Point Sports in Emerson before he died, Fox affiliate WAGA-TV and ABC affiliate WSB-TV reported.

The DC Academy team's head coach, Sam Ray, told WAGA, "The whole ballpark went silent." He described the situation as "scary" and "eerie," adding that "it was something that you never want to be a part of."

The head coach told the outlet that both his son and Davis' son were there to witness the terrifying situation.

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The opposing team's coach, Jeff Owens of the Canes Sports team, said the "scary moment" was "hard to put in words" after the incident, per the outlet.

In a written response to WSB, Owens said, “As soon as it happened, myself and the rest of the coaches rushed to Doug. 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 told WAGA that his players "immediately" gathered around the DC Academy team and "began to pray with them" after Davis collapsed.

"It was a beautiful thing to see during a thing that was very hard to be a part of," Owens told the outlet, adding that the North Georgia "baseball family is very large" and "everybody knows everybody" in the baseball community.

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Ray had been coaching the team alongside Davis for three years, per WAGA, and he "loved him like a brother" after becoming close to 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 said.

Davis was a wonderful coach to the 14+ team, Ray told the outlet. "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."

Davis is survived by his wife Pamela and children Dalton, Emma Grace, and Brooks, according to his obituary.

The family held a memorial service for the beloved coach at Burnt Hickory Baptist Church.
They asked that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the church.

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