Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

McSherry was credit to baseball

Veteran National League umpire John McSherry was remembered Monday night at Cashman Field by coaches, players and colleagues as a man with a deep passion for his sport and an intense devotion to his craft.

McSherry, 51, died shortly after suffering an apparent heart attack earlier in the day in Cincinnati while working the season-opener between the Reds and the Montreal Expos. McSherry, who as crew chief was handling duties behind the plate, collapsed just seven pitches into the game and was pronounced dead after being rushed to a local hospital.

The flags flew at half-staff and a moment of silence was held in McSherry's memory before the Toronto-Oakland game. Athletics manager Art Howe, who watched the 24-year veteran umpire's work during 10 big league seasons as a player and later five years as manager of the Houston Astros, expressed a deep sense of loss at the death of a friend.

"I'm just totally stunned," said Howe. "I consider John a friend. He was just an outstanding umpire and an equally outstanding person. It's just a shock. We're certainly going to miss him. Opening Day is a big day, but this puts things in perspective. To lose a person like John is a tragedy."

Howe remembered McSherry as a consummate professional, willing to do whatever it took to do the best job possible.

"John always wanted to get the call right, even if it meant maybe embarrassing himself at some point," he said. "Twice during my five years in Houston he asked for help on calls and had to change from what he originally called. Not many umpires do that."

Long-time American League crew chief Rich Garcia learned his trade in part as a student of McSherry's at umpire school in 1970. He later worked side-by-side with McSherry as an instructor.

"This is a sad day for baseball," said Garcia. "It's especially sad for the umpires. It was a real class act by the Cincinnati players in deciding not to play the game. It was a show of feeling for the umpires, knowing that they were not going to be ready to umpire that game. I'm sure John would have wanted us to come out here and do our jobs, so that's what we're going to do."

Toronto outfielder Otis Nixon recalled an incident in 1992 as a member of the Atlanta Braves in which McSherry temporarily blacked out, only to be revived by team trainers.

"It was a day game and he just dropped; we thought he was dead," Nixon said. "They came out and got him up and made him leave the game. I thought that was what happened today. I thought he was having one of those spells until it was announced that he had passed away. It's sad because he was a great umpire -- one of the best I have come across."

For Garcia, the only consolation can be found in the fact McSherry was doing what he loved the most -- and did the best.

"John was a great umpire -- a very instinctive umpire," he said. "He did a very good job at all times. He hustled all the time. He loved this game. Baseball was his life.

"This was what he lived for, and obviously it was what he died for."

Extra Innings

* ASK SHERWIN-WILLIAMS: It took four different coats of paint to get the hitter's background on the center field fence at Cashman Field up to major league specifications for this week's games. Las Vegas Stars General Manager Don Logan said convention authority personnel originally painted the batter's eye with kelly green gloss paint, which did not win American League approval. Next up was forest green gloss, which was darker but too shiny. Finally, the correct flat hue was located -- pingpong table green -- and two coats later the wall was up to code. "Our players are going to love that batter's eye," said Logan. "It's going to be great for them."

* COLLECTOR'S ITEM: Oakland Athletics equipment manager Steve Vucinich made up a T-shirt for the team's staff and players commemorating the A's season-opening "homestand" in Las Vegas. The shirt features a green and gold slot machine with three A's to show a jackpot. Underneath is the slogan, "Can You Believe We're Here?" Oakland's series of six home games at Cashman Field are the first regular season major league games in a minor league park since 1957.

* CLOSE, BUT...: Fans at Monday's opener narrowly missed seeing two celebrities at the ballyard, according to a Stars official. Tennis star Andre Agassi of Las Vegas was asked to throw out the first pitch, but instead had to fly to London for the filming of a Nike commercial. Country performer Wynonna had been invited to sing both national anthems, but declined for personal reasons.

* SEEING THE STARS: The Las Vegas Stars will get one last taste of exhibition action before opening Pacific Coast League play when they host UNLV tonight at 6:05 at Cashman Field. All tickets for the game are $5.

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