A medical emergency at Rate Field in Chicago on April 15 disrupted the White Sox’s planned Jackie Robinson Day celebration.
Gerald Chaney, who was tapped to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the April 15 game between the the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, experienced a medical emergency and collapsed while singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in honor of the Hall of Famer who broke baseball’s color barrier.

MORE: White Sox announcement leaves Ozzie Guillen in tears during MLB broadcast
According to an update provided by the team, Chaney received treatment by EMTs at the ballpark and was alert prior to being transported to the hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
The White Sox longtime anthem performer, Gerald Chaney, experienced a medical emergency while singing during pregame tonight. He received treatment by EMTs at the ballpark and was alert prior to being transported to the hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
The entire…
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 16, 2026
“The entire White Sox family is sending love to Gerald and his family for a full and speedy recovery,” the team said in a post to its X account.
According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, Chaney paused twice during the initial song and fell to the ground just behind home plate after the second pause. Medical personnel immediately administered treatment to Chaney before he was eventually taken off the field via stretcher.
MORE: Tributes pour in after four-time MLB All-Star, manager dies
Major League Baseball recognizes Robinson’s first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947 every year on the same date. Players from every team wear Robinson’s number 42, and tributes to Robinson’s legacy are typically displayed on-site and mid-broadcast for television viewers.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Chaney has been singing the National Anthem at professional sporting events since the early 1990s with the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, and came to Chicago to sing for the Bulls and finish college.
Scary pre-game moment at Rate Field as tonight’s national anthem performer collapsed while singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” on Jackie Robinson Day. He was alert when he was taken to a hospital for treatment, Sox officials say. @suntimes_sports
— Mitchell Armentrout (@mitchtrout) April 15, 2026
Chaney has also performed for the Bears, the Cubs, the New York Mets and the New York Knicks, doing “about a dozen performances a year” per the Tribune.
MORE: Tigers outfielder hospitalized following violent collision with teammate
When he isn’t performing, Chaney teaches English and Language Arts in Chicago Public Schools.
