(Cleveland) Major League Baseball umpire Larry Vanover was released from the hospital on Friday, two days after he was hit in the head by a Cleveland Guardians lateral in a game against the Yankees in New York.
Vanover was able to leave the Cleveland Clinic after being under observation for two full nights. He will remain inactive until given the green light by Major League Baseball’s medical staff. He was due to take office on Thursday in Cincinnati.
Vanover, 67, was hit on the left side of the head by second baseman Andrés Giménez’s pitch in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s game as he tried to throw the ball toward home plate. Giménez was about fifteen meters from the officer.
Vanover was posted on the grassy part between the second pad and the mound when he was overtaken by the relay, with a speed of 89 mph (143 km/h). On impact, Vanover lost his cap and sunglasses, and the incident brought a collective gasp from the crowd at Progressive Field.
Vanover fell to the ground as the ball rolled towards first base. He looked stunned when examined by the Guardians’ trainer and his three colleagues. He left the field alone.
Giménez was visibly shaken by the incident.
“It was scary,” said plate umpire Chris Guccione, who completed the game with his two teammates. “Very hard to concentrate after that after seeing a colleague get hit. »
After the game, Yankees managers Aaron Boone and Terry Francona, along with players from both teams, expressed concern for Vanover, who has been in the major leagues for 29 years.
