The state of Minnesota is in shock as they lost a legend as longtime high school, college, and Town Ball related umpire Larry Gallagher departed for the heavens at the ripe old age of 82.
The Minnesota Legend Larry Gallagher
Larry Gallagher will be remembered Sunday by the Minnesota Baseball Association and the Minnesota State High School League teams.
“Minnesota amateur baseball mourns the loss of Larry Gallagher. Larry was a husband, father, friend, mentor, & sports official. There will never be another Larry. Larry, you gave far more than you received. You are a legend. Rest easy,” the tweet made by the Minnesota Baseball Association.
FOX 9 has also seen Gallagher’s incredible performance in 2018 when the 78-year-old was the umpire and officiated in his 63rd year as an umpire since he started looking after games at the tender age of 15. Throughout his long career, Gallagher was a known face on and off the field for high school, college, and Town Ball, and even officiated many American Legion baseball games.
Brief Umpire Strike
“I think there’s a masochistic personality in all umpires they don’t care what other people think, we know we did a good job,” Gallagher told FOX 9. “I think any official is the keeper of the game and they make sure it’s fair for everyone and that the behaviors do justice to the game.”
Along with working at the local level, Gallagher also was called up to the major leagues in 1979 to official the baseball games during a brief umpire strike.
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Gallagher also suffered a heart attack in September and was later diagnosed with dreadful pulmonary fibrosis. In a GoFundMe also created to help pay for treatment, the organizer has also given a statement:
“Larry was more to us as a father, husband, teacher, mentor, official, coach, and friend than we can put into words. We’re all better people for knowing him.”
