SAN MATEO, Calif. (AP)—Lee Weyer, a National League umpire who worked two of baseball’s most historic games, died of a heart attack after playing basketball with fellow umpire Ed Montague’s children, authorities said Tuesday.

Hugh Swaney, an investigator with the San Mateo County coroner’s office, said Weyer, 51, died Monday night at Mills Hospital. Earlier, Weyer was the first base umpire at the Chicago Cubs-San Francisco Giants game.

“He was playing basketball with Montague’s children when he complained of shortness of breath. He went inside where Montague found him on the bedroom floor,” Swaney said.

Weyer was a veteran, second only to Doug Harvey in seniority.

Weyer umpired games in which two of baseball’s most celebrated records were broken.

In 1974, he was the third base umpire when Hank Aaron hit his 715th homer to pass Babe Ruth.

Weyer was behind the plate in 1985 when Pete Rose collected his 4,192nd hit, breaking Ty Cobb’s record.

“I told him (Rose) three, four, five years ago that I was going to be behind the plate when he broke it,” Weyer had said. “This was a great thrill. A lot of people from all over the world would have loved to see it. It’s just part of the job.”

Weyer also was involved in a controversy in last year’s World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins. He was the first base umpire in Game 7 and made a questionable call in the top of the sixth inning.

With the score tied 2-2, the Cardinals’ Tom Herr was on first base with one out and a 3-2 count on Jim Lindeman when Minnesota left-hander Frank Viola picked off Herr.

After a rundown, Viola, who was covering first base, tagged Herr and Weyer called him out. Replays showed that Herr was clearly safe.

The Twins went on to win 4-2.

“I know that I missed the one on Herr,” Weyer had admitted. “I got blocked out on the play.”

Weyer, standing at an imposing 6-foot-6, umpired in the Midwest League, Southern Association and International League before working his first NL game in September, 1981. He became a regular member of the league’s staff the following year.

“The loss of Lee Weyer is a terrible shock to his innumerable friends and admirers both in and out of baseball,” NL President Bart Giamatti said. “He was a gregarious and outgoing man possessed of integrity and great good humor. He was also an outstanding umpire, one of the best in the National League.”