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MLB History: John McSherry Passes Away on Opening Day

By David Hill |
Oct 7, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; The umpire crew stand for the singing of "God Bless America" in the seventh inning stretch during game one of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 7, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; The umpire crew stand for the singing of "God Bless America" in the seventh inning stretch during game one of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

John McSherry was a fixture in the game, spending 26 years as a National League umpire. On this day in 1996, as the MLB celebrated Opening Day, he collapsed and passed away on the diamond during a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Montreal Expos.

MLB Opening Day is supposed to be a time of celebration. It is a time where the game starts anew, and every team feels as though they have a chance to return to the postseason. It is a day of joy, a day of hope.

Unfortunately, that was not the case on this day in 1998. After the typical Opening Day ceremonies took place at Riverfront Stadium, The Cincinnati Reds and the Montreal Expos prepared to being their matchup. However, the game lasted just seven pitches before veteran umpire John McSherry collapsed from a heart attack and passed away.

After that seventh pitch, McSherry had called time out, and had a brief conversation with Reds catcher Eddie Taubensee, and started to head towards the Reds dugout. Just seconds after he signaled to the second base umpire to replace him, he collapsed. Efforts to resuscitate McSherry were started on the field, but by the time he was brought to the hospital, he had already passed away at just 51 years old.

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McSherry’s passing, which had already put a damper on Opening Day, turned even worse. Reds owner Marge Schott, who became known for her idiotic and often insensitive comments, insinuated that McSherry had ruined the team’s celebrations with his untimely passing. Because, you know, he planned such an ending.

A well respected umpire, there were several tributes to his legacy throughout the MLB. His number 10 was retired by the National League, and the Reds named the umpire’s dressing room in his honor. The MLB also began to institute a fitness clause for their umpires, as McSherry was 6’3″ tall and 351 pounds. Tragically, he had a doctor’s appointment scheduled for the following day, as he had been diagnosed with a cardiac arrhythmia previously. The game was made up the following day, but at that point, the results were more academic.

Next: End of the line for Jimmy Rollins?

Opening Day is supposed to be a joyous occasion in the MLB. On this day in 1998, it was anything but.

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