Cuban Baseball Umpire Commits Suicide After Recent National Series Suspension

Cuban baseball and softball umpire, César Pérez Cruz, passed away on August 13 at the age of 72, according to the official newspaper Venceremos, which did not specify the cause of death. It was journalist Daniel de Malas from the sports outlet Swing Completo who revealed that Pérez Cruz took his own life.

"Unfortunately, we have confirmed that Cuban baseball umpire César Pérez Cruz decided to end his life by hanging on Tuesday, August 13," detailed the reporter.

"As a supervisor, César Pérez had been suspended by the National Commission for the entire season, along with other umpires, due to the well-known 'name change' case of Ricardo Campanioni on April 29, 2024, during the National Series," the source added.

"Deep sorrow for the passing of César Pérez Cruz, an umpire with a long and distinguished career in baseball and softball, who participated in international events such as the Pan American Games and the Central American and Caribbean Games. Our condolences to his family and friends," wrote the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation on X the same day of his death.

"The shame from a sanction that many considered unjust, in a murky case where, according to statements from other involved parties like Professor Charles Díaz, the responsibility lay with the CNB executives themselves, seems to have taken a toll on Pérez Cruz's emotional health, leading to this tragic end," Diario de Cuba reported, citing a source familiar with the case.

The same source revealed that "Pérez Cruz apparently could not withstand the pressure and the dishonor of seeing his name tarnished after so many years of impeccable conduct."

Known as "The Little Giant" by friends and fans, Pérez Cruz participated in four Pan American Games, two Central American and Caribbean Games, a Pre-Olympic Tournament, a Pre-World Tournament, and numerous national and provincial softball, baseball, and recently, baseball 5 championships.

"The great César Pérez Cruz, a fun-loving, humorous, and kind friend, but also responsible, honest, and serious in his work, leaves a legacy for new generations of umpires," Venceremos noted in its article, omitting any mention of the circumstances of the prominent umpire's death.

"Rest in peace, you are great, and we bid you farewell with the phrase many used to greet you when they saw you at the Van Troi Stadium, on the street, or at a sports event: 'To Caesar what is Caesar's,'" the official source concluded.