Former Expos and Red Sox Bill Lee was not breathing after collapsing

Ben Walker, The Associated Press

Former Expos and Red Sox Bill Lee had stopped breathing after collapsing in the bullpen during a game on Friday, but paramedics and two shocks with a defibrillator helped resuscitate the 75-year-old pitcher , according to a witness at the scene.

« Without immediate intervention, I don’t believe he would still be here, » said Bob Milie, administrator at the town of Thunderbolt near Savannah, where the incident happened during a Bananas game.

« He wasn’t breathing, » Milie, who is also a firefighter, told Thunderbolt. It was a very critical situation.”

Bananas manager Eric Byrnes tweeted a photo of himself with Lee at Memorial Health University Medical Center on Saturday.

One of Lee’s daughters has arrived in town and is in the hospital with him, team president Jared Orton said.

« She said he was in good spirits and continued to be evaluated for next steps in recovery, but was very much on his own, » Orton said in an email. ‘Associated Press.

Milie was at Grayson Stadium to see the Bananas, known for their bright yellow uniform and their antics, on and off the field. The game against the Party Animals was featured on ESPN2.

Milie, who was not among those who treated Lee, praised all paramedics, police, firefighters and rescue workers for their swift actions at the scene.

Milie said Lee received two defibrillator shots on the field.

« The second one seemed to do the job of getting his heart beating again, » he said.

Lee was able to leave the field with help and the game then resumed.

Lee played 10 seasons with Boston and just over three seasons with Montreal.

A star player in 1973, the ‘Spaceman’ helped the Red Sox reach the World Series in 1975 against the Cincinnati Reds.

He was the starting pitcher in Game 7 of this fall classic.

Lee left in seventh, in a game the Reds won 4-3.

Beginning in 1973, he had 17 wins for three years in a row.

In 1979, Lee went 16-10 and 3.04 GAA with the Expos.