After LSU Athletic Director Skip Bertman’s heart attack May 31, Tiger fans had to wonder whether the man who originally made LSU a consistent College World Series contender would be able to attend a potential trip to Omaha, Neb. Bertman was able to attend two of the three super regional games this weekend, missing game two Sunday afternoon. LSU Senior Associate Athletic Director Herb Vincent said the Tigers’ former coach expects to make the trip to the College World Series. Bertman returned home from the hospital this past Tuesday and spent time at work later in the week. “Coach Bertman is doing well,” Vincent said Friday. “He actually came into the office for an hour or so on Thursday, and he came in a little bit this morning as well.” Bertman told The Daily Reveille on Monday about his experience. “There was a stint that was placed in one artery where a blood clot had been – that’s what caused this,” Bertman said. “It was caught in a very short amount of time, and there’s no damage … I’ll be at the game [Monday].” Bertman spoke Friday night at a dinner for the LSU and University of California Irvine baseball teams, and then attended the series opener Saturday. “He walked over to the LSU dugout, which was on the third base side for that game,” Vincent said. “Then he walked back through the stand. As he walked back through the stands, most of the fans rose up and gave him a standing ovation, and a lot of them were chanting his name. That was a great reception for him in his return to the Box.” Matthew Shirley, international trade and finance junior, was among the fans at Saturday’s game. “It shows tremendous heart,” Shirley said. “It just shows what he’s about and shows how much he cares about the program and the people here. It shows that he’s a battler and that in his body and in his mind he knew he could make it out there.” Bertman said he was grateful to hear the concern fans had for him and the excitement they showed for his health when he returned to Alex Box Stadium. “It’s been wonderful,” Bertman said. “There was an LSU Web site that had many, many well-wishers, and I thank all of those people that just took a moment for thoughts and prayers.” Vincent said he was sure the warm reception Saturday meant a lot to Bertman. “That’s where he spent most of his life here at LSU is at the Box,” Vincent said. “That was the main thing he wanted to do was let people see him and know that he was OK and feeling well. To get that kind of reception from the fans meant a lot to him.” Ben Clark, biology junior, said he thinks a Bertman trip to Omaha would be another special experience. “He’s the one who in the first place turned it around into a winning program,” Clark said. “Now that he’s going to be retiring as athletic director, to see it back on top again is probably going to be a really great thing.” Shirley said he plans on trying to go to Omaha, and Bertman’s presence would mean a lot to the fans. “This guy has done everything we could ever ask for to the program,” Shirley said. “If he can make that trip to Omaha with us, I think that every fan that’s ever watched an LSU game would hope that the man is healthy enough to make the trip. They love him.”
—-Contact Jerit Roser at [email protected]