The City of Salisbury, NC
	P.O. Box 479, Salisbury, NC 28145-0479
	Salisbury Fire Department

Rapid rescue saves man who collapsed at Legion game

6-27-00

Thanks to a rapid response from fans and Rowan County emergency services, W. L. Mowery should live to see another American Legion baseball game.

Mowery, a long-time member of Samuel C. Hart Post 14, collapsed in the ninth inning of Monday night’s playoff game between Rowan County and Mooresville. Several fans administered CPR in the Newman Park grandstand until EMS personnel arrived on the scene.

Once Mowery was stabilized, he was moved to Rowan Regional Medical Center, where he remains today in the coronary unit in guarded condition. Mowery’s son Steve, said this morning that his father is alert, talking and eager to see more baseball.

"We’ll be back at the ballpark – not tonight, though," Steve Mowery said.

After the incident last night, baseball and American Legion pride were the first things on W. L. Mowery’s mind.

"We went to the hospital last night after the game and the first thing he asked was where his (American Legion) cap was," said Dwight Fraley, secretary of the Rowan County American Legion baseball committee. "It fell off in the grandstand, and I had picked it up and carried it to him."

Fraley and Steve Mowery said cardiologists were running tests to determine if Mowery, who is in his 70s, suffered a heart attack.

Mowery of 2750 W. Innes St., has been on the baseball committee more than 20 years and worked the gate at Newman Park. Once his duties ended Monday, he retired to his seat in the grandstand to watch the end of the game.

Rowan County pitcher Daniel Moore had just struck out the first batter in the top of the ninth inning when he noticed a commotion directly behind home plate. The next Mooresville batter singled before Moore realized something serious was taking place.

"I didn’t even know what was going on," Moore said. "I asked for time and kind of looked over at Coach (Jim) Dehart. I figured if we had ended the game and had everybody trying to exit, it would have been hard for the medical people to get in."

Tony McDowell, a Salisbury resident, watched the game just two seats over from Mowery – who Legion officials said is not a direct relation to Rowan second baseman Erik Mowery.

"Mr. Mowery, he ‘s sat out here 30-some years. He was sitting and talking, just as pleasant as could be," McDowell said. " I heard some chairs fall, and when I looked at him, I realized he had a problem."

McDowell said he, a nurse and off-duty EMT started performing CPR immediately. They didn’t stop until a fire truck from Station 53 on West Innes rolled up to the park some 10 minutes later.

Captain Reed Linn, firefighter Chris Lyerly and engineer Jay Baker had been listening to the Legion broadcast on WSTP-1490 when they heard Howard Platt say there seemed to be a medical emergency.

"We didn’t know what kind of call it was, but we got on the truck and headed out here," Linn said. "When we got there, we assessed the patient, hooked up the defibrillator and administered one shock."

The first of two ambulances then showed up as the anxious crowd began to relax a little. Rescue workers got an IV line started and prepared to move Mowery. After several more minutes, he was placed on a stretcher and wheeled out of the stadium, offering a wave to the crowd.

"That was a first experience for me, a very serious situation," Fraley said. "We were very lucky to have people in the stands that could immediately take care of him."

And McDowell certainly appreciated the time and effort he put into that CPR class a few years back.

"I certainly recommend it," McDowell said. "You least expect something like that when you come to a Legion ballgame. You just don’t have any idea.

"I was down on my bare knees on the concrete," McDowell added. "It dawned on me later, man, that hurt!"

After the long delay, the players took the field and Moore refocused for the final two outs of a 7-2 victory. In typical fashion, he struck out 15 batters. But he was struck by other thoughts after the game.

"We’ve seen him out here several years," Moore said of Mowery. "It shows us how lucky we are to be out here playing. Life is so fragile."

*Note  Mr. Mowery was in grave danger with the cardiac arrest but he could have not been any luckier than having some fellow Legion Baseball fans who happen to be experienced in CPR. In the stands were Bob Parnell  and Marshall Moore of the Salisbury Fire Department, David Linker of the  Locke FD , Tony McDowell an CPR trained citizen and Butch Myers of the Cleveland FD. This crew responded when they realized Mr. Mowery was in trouble. Ironically most of the rescuers were only less than 15 ft. from Mr. Mowery. CPR was started within 1 minute of  his collapse. The crew from Station 53 had a quick response and using their AED were able to convert the abnormal heart rhythm in to a functional one. Mr. Mowery was talking to the EMS crew by the time he was in the back of the ambulance. Mr. Mowery was very lucky that the fans were CPR trained and that the Salisbury Fire Department carries on all its Engine Companies an Automatic External Defibrillator.

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