Bertman taken to hospital

• Advocate staff report
• Published: Jun 1, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Legendary LSU baseball coach and Athletic Director Skip Bertman was admitted to a hospital Saturday afternoon with tests showing early signs of a heart attack, an athletic department spokesman said late Saturday.

Bertman experienced discomfort at home Saturday afternoon and was driven by his wife, Sandy, to a hospital, said Senior Associate Athletic Director Herb Vincent.

Tests showed early signs of a heart attack as well as serious blockage to one of the main arteries to his heart.

A stent was successfully inserted and Bertman was resting at the hospital during Saturday night's baseball game, Vincent said. He was expected to remain in the hospital for several days, but Vincent could not say whether Bertman might undergo additional procedures.

Without Bertman at the stadium, LSU defeated Southern Miss, 13-4, in front of a sold-out Alex Box Stadium crowd to advance to tonight's NCAA Regional Final.

Word of Bertman's medical condition surprised many LSU fans and employees, including current LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri, who said he was told by Vincent as soon as the game was over.

"I could not believe it; I was shocked," Mainieri said. "It took a little bit of the good feeling about tonight away from me because I think the world of the man. It shows that there are a lot of things more important than baseball."

Bertman, 70, who turned the Tigers baseball team into a national powerhouse after joining the program in 1983, announced last February his intention to retire June 30.

Newly hired LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva, who will start at LSU on July 1 after leaving Duke University, said in a telephone interview late Saturday that he had heard about Bertman's hospitalization and, with his wife, Annie, was praying for Bertman's recovery

"We pray to God he's going to be fine," Alleva said. "Hopefully, he's going to make a full recovery and before you know it, he'll be back."

LSU fan Charlie Lanford, of Baton Rouge, watched the Tigers beat Southern Miss while at Champps in Towne Center.

"I'm surprised," Lanford said. "Skip is Skip. Especially in the middle of LSU baseball, I'm kind of at a loss for words. I guess I'm speechless."

Vincent said LSU was unsure when Bertman could return to work and was sure Bertman had heard about the Tigers' victory.