Revered school sports official dies of apparent heart attack

Brian A. Sullivan, a high school and college referee for more than 30 years, played by a simple rule, whether officiating a Beanpot hockey championship game or a little-noticed freshman high school football game.

"He used to say, 'It may not be the biggest game of the day, but it's the biggest game these kids are playing,' " recalled Bill Barrett, a friend and fellow high school football referee. "He had great judgment and a feel for whatever game he was officiating."

Sullivan, a state trooper, died Friday night of an apparent heart attack after being stricken during halftime of the Arlington-Peabody football game at Pierce Field in Arlington. Sullivan, of Belmont, was 60.

His death stunned coaches, officials, players, and the estimated 400 fans in the stands for the game, which Arlington went on to win, 21-6.

"Our thoughts are with his family," said Dan Hirsch, head coach at Arlington High, who had his team offer a moment of silence for Sullivan prior to the start of the second half.

"It was the right thing to do," Hirsh said of his players after Sullivan had been taken from the field in an ambulance. "He had just worked our game."

Sullivan was standing on the sidelines near the 40 yard line joking with Joe Cacciatore, a fellow official, when he suddenly fell ill. "He was laughing. He had a deep hearty laugh, and all of a sudden he said, 'Joe, Joe,' and started to stumble," Cacciatore said yesterday afternoon by phone. "We sat him on the ground."

Two doctors and two nurses in attendance rushed to Sullivan. Emergency medical technicians from the Arlington Fire Department took him to Winchester Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Cacciatore said.

"The doctors got right to him on the field. The ambulance came within minutes," said Cacciatore, a friend for more than 25 years, who said he stayed with Sullivan in the ambulance to the hospital.

Cacciatore said Sullivan appeared to suffer no discomfort as he worked the first half of the game.

A spokeswoman for Winchester Hospital declined to comment as a matter of patient confidentiality yesterday.

Sullivan was a 32-year Massachusetts State Police veteran, most recently assigned to present police cases in the district courts in Newton, Waltham, and Brighton, Sergeant Robert Bousquet said yesterday.

For over 35 years, Sullivan officiated high school and collegiate football, hockey, and baseball games.

Last year, he was inducted into the Massachusetts State Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame in recognition of his years refereeing high school and college games.

"He officiated in all the major sports venues in Boston; Fenway Park, the old Boston Garden, Walter Brown Arena," said Barrett, Sullivan's colleague for more than 30 years. "He was a very good official."

Barrett recalled some tense occasions together. In 1999, the pair was roughed up trying to break up a bench-clearing brawl at the end of a hockey game involving Somerville and Canton high schools. Sullivan emerged with a cut lip and broken finger.

"He showed tremendous restraint," Barrett said. "He was getting punched by this player, but he never fought back."

Sullivan's daughter, Kerry Sullivan O'Grady, said her father was proud to wear two uniforms.

"My Dad loved being a state trooper," O'Grady, 37, of Belmont, said yesterday afternoon. "And he loved being a referee. At the hospital Friday night, I saw him in his black and white uniform, and I knew he had died doing what he loved."

Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com