White Sox Anthem Singer Gerald Chaney Collapses on Field Mid-Song

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A member of the White Sox family is on the road to recovery after a major health scare. 

Gerald Chaney, a singer who has performed the national anthem for the Chicago White Sox and other teams for more than 20 years, collapsed while singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” before the April 15th game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Gerald Chaney, who has performed the anthem at White Sox games for many years, had a medical issue while singing before Monday night’s game, the team announced on X (formerly Twitter). Paramedics treated him at the stadium, and he was conscious before being taken to the hospital for more tests and care.

After the incident, White Sox manager Will Venable shared that the singer is recovering and doing okay, but also told ABC 7 Chicago it was a frightening experience.

Venable praised everyone’s quick and helpful response, emphasizing that making sure the person was okay was the priority. He was very relieved to hear they are doing well, which he said was the most important outcome.

A late arrival by Chaney pushed back the game’s start time by 12 minutes. The Red Sox eventually lost to the Rays with a final score of 3-8.

The team shared their well wishes for Gerald and his family, hoping he has a quick and complete recovery.

The singer, known for performing the national anthem and who also teaches school near Chicago, said in a 2011 interview with the Chicago Tribune that he typically performs at about 12 baseball games each season.

Besides performing for the Chicago White Sox, he’s also sung the national anthem or performed at games for several other teams, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Cubs, as well as the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, and New York Mets.

Overall, Chaney considers his role a “storyteller.”

Chaney explained to the newspaper that he was simply sharing a story. He wasn’t trying to excite the audience, but rather to remind them about overcoming hardship and achieving success despite difficult times.

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2026-04-16 16:20