Two games canceled before start time, while fan collapse halts play at another amid scorching heat A baseball fan collapses during the bottom of the eighth inning of a game between the LG Twins and SSG Landers, in Incheon on Tuesday. (Screenshot captured from YouTube) As South Korea continues to grapple with a record heat wave, extreme temperatures are disrupting professional baseball, affecting both fans and the games themselves.During a game between the LG Twins and SSG Landers in Incheon, a 25-year-old spectator collapsed in the cheering section along the first-base line during the bottom of the eighth inning at 10:02 p.m.After spectators near him called for help, the head of the stadium's security team and SSG staff provided immediate medical assistance.The umpires suspended play for about nine minutes, during which SSG players who had taken the field for the ninth inning returned temporarily to the dugout.The spectator was found unconscious and received CPR and first aid under the guidance of emergency responders before regaining consciousness at the scene. He was later taken by stretcher from the stands and transported to a hospital, accompanied by a club official who stayed for updates on his condition.A heat warning was in effect in Incheon on Tuesday, with the perceived temperature reaching as high as 37 degrees Celsius, just one degree below the threshold for the highest-level heat warning, which calls for an immediate halt of outdoor activities except for essential work. At the start of the game, the temperature stood at 34.7 C, with humidity reaching 66 percent.Local reports said that aside from the spectator who collapsed, 25 other fans showed signs of heat-related illness during the game, with two requiring urgent medical attention.The incident came on the same day that the Korea Baseball Organization made an unprecedented decision to cancel two regular-season games hours before their scheduled starts due to extreme heat.At 12:45 p.m., the KBO called off the NC Dinos-Doosan Bears game at Seoul's Jamsil Stadium and the KT Wiz-Kia Tigers game at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, both scheduled for 6:30 p.m. It marked the first time in league history that games had been canceled so far ahead of schedule due to extreme heat, following the issuance of the highest-level heat warnings in the two areas.The cancellations and spectator emergency highlighted growing challenges facing Korean baseball, where games are typically held outdoors during the hottest months of the year. Players must compete under intense heat and humidity, while fans in open-air stadiums face prolonged exposure to scorching conditions.Following the spectator emergency during Tuesday's game, SSG said Wednesday it would strengthen safety measures for fans.“Starting with the Aug. 4 game, we installed sunshades around the outside of the stadium,” an SSG official said. “We plan to further expand heat-wave measures, including installing additional outdoor air conditioners and providing more bottled water for spectators.”Under new KBO guidelines unveiled in response to the ongoing heat wave, if a heat warning or more severe alert is issued for the area around a stadium, the game may be delayed by up to an hour after consultation with the home team.Games may also be called off by 1 p.m. on the same day if the highest-level heat warning is in effect. The alert is issued when temperatures are forecast to reach 39 C or feel like 38 C at the hottest point of the day.KBO rules allow games to be postponed or canceled due to severe weather or poor air quality, including high winds, extreme heat, fog, fine dust or yellow dust.