HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Northeast Baseball Association lost one of its umpires while he was working a youth baseball game Friday in Hutchinson.

Eric Shannon worked a number of tournaments for this organization. According to a Facebook post, Northeast officials noted that “if you attended the NBC World Series, it was a good bet that you saw him and certainly heard his boisterous personality.” They say his charisma and attitude were as big as his appetite for the Royals and Steelers.

Many of the umpires wore black the rest of the weekend to honor their fallen friend.

Shannon graduated from Ellis High School and played football at Garden City Community College. He was currently an assistant manager at B&B Lumber in Wichita, according to his personal Facebook page.

He was only 46 and is survived by his wife and two children.