Brian O’Nora, who has been umpiring in the major leagues since 1992, will be out indefinitely after he said he suffered a concussion during the Cubs–White Sox game Saturday at Rate Field.
O’Nora was struck in the left side of the jaw by a foul ball off the bat of Jarred Kelenic in the fourth inning of the Sox’ 8-3 victory. The force dropped him to a knee.
“I’ve been doing this for [34] years,’’ O’Nora said Sunday morning, “and that’s the best shot I’ve taken in the face.
“I don’t remember anything until I got up. I have bad headaches and the left side of my jaw is very sore.’’
O’Nora, after being examined by Sox trainers, was removed from the game, with Erich Bacchus taking his place behind the plate and the umpires finishing the game with a three-man crew.
Triple-A umpire John Bacon, a designated call-up umpire, joined the crew for Sunday’s game.
O’Nora, who was in the umpires’ dressing room before the game Sunday , said he planned to go home later that day then to fly to Arizona to be treated at the Sports Concussion Center at Banner-University Phoenix.
“There will be all kinds of testing,’’ O’Nora said. “They won’t let me go back on the field until I get cleared.’’