“When she saw me laid out on the pitch with my eyes open, she had feared the worst,” says Chris Blogg, the 63-year-old English umpire recalling his near fatal heart attack earlier this season in a Men’s Conference Midlands match, one where his wife was working at the same fixture. Now, over two months into his recovery, he tells The Hockey Paper: “Julie said she didn’t need a Christmas present this year as I’m still here.”
It had been a routine Saturday for Blogg. This time he had his wife for company as she had also been appointed as a pitchside match official for City of Peterborough HC’s hosting of Barford Tigers.
The Teeside couple had stopped for coffee, a light breakfast and arrived some 90 minutes before the match.
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I’M REALLY GLAD that Chris Blogg came through his cardiac arrest successfully…carry on blowing mate. I’m reminded of an incident whilst training, back in 1986, with Bath Buccaneers – I was the 1st team goalkeeper. A hot summer’s evening, pads and kickers on, but in shorts and tee shirt, taking shooting practice from the under-18s…well, I’m West goalkeeper, what have I got to fear from a bunch of kids!?! Anyway, a rebounded shot fell 5m away and half-volleyed by Mike Edmonds, striking my lower thorax and my sight shut down like a traditional TV set. I woke up to a concerned circle of faces saying, “you all right Loggi?”…I said “Yes” and got up, hurting like hell ~ two broken ribs, but still carried on with the shoot out! Couldn’t sleep at all that night and whilst at work the next day at Bath Uni decided to go to the Medical Centre for some painkillers. Relating the story to the Medic, he responded…” ah yes, Mr Lodge, I think we’ll assume that your heart restarted when you hit the ground”..!! Subsequent check ups were positive and all seemed OK. But all I hear from footie fans is that Hockey’s a ‘girls’ game’…ah.
I’m also really glad Chris is on the mend, he’s a great umpire & servant of hockey up our way. Everyone should check where their defibrillator is at their home pitch, you never know when you’ll need it.