"I'm pretty sure there's a lot more to life than being really, really good looking." - Zoolander

Former major-league umpire Eric Gregg was fighting for his life Monday, a day after a stroke that left him with little hope of any significant recovery, his son said.

 

"I think we're running out of time right now," Kevin Gregg said.

 

The 55-year-old Gregg, who spent his career trying to overcome weight problems that saw him reach almost 400 pounds, was in critical condition at Lankenau Hospital.

 

"Physically, his body is with us. The brain is almost gone," Kevin Gregg said. "The damage to the brain is so severe, we're just waiting to see how long he can fight. We're still waiting to see if it's two hours or two days.

"The family has come to grips that we're going to lose this one eventually," he said.

 

Kevin Gregg said his father complained to family members on Sunday morning at his home in Ardmore, Pa., that he couldn't feel anything on his left side.

 

Gregg was among 22 umpires who lost their jobs in 1999 when their labor plan of mass resignations backfired.

Recognized for his large frame and large strike zone, he worked the 1989 World Series, four championship series, two division series and one All-Star Game.