Darren White breaks a rib sliding into home.

It was the bottom of the fifth inning, the Metro 76ers enjoyed a slight lead Sunday in their quest to take home another win in the slow pitch softball league. There were two runners on and Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White was up to bat for the all-cop team.

With all of his might and makeup he still had on from a recent television appearance, White swings. The ball flies into the corner of the outfield, he rounded second, and the third base coach waves him home. It's White's chance to hit a home run. His teammates say there was fear in his eyes and he looked at the catcher who started to square up like he was going to catch the ball. White dives into the air head first. He looked like a cross between Pete Rose, Ricky Henderson and Willie Mays Hayes. He hits the catcher and started to roll in the air. The ball drops, White is safe.

After the heroic slide,  the bench was silent. They didn't know whether to cheer, call 911 or conduct a special election. They ran over to White. He couldn't breathe. He lost his breath. They helped him to the bench. For the first time in recent memory, the media-savvy sheriff was at a loss for words. He held his hands up to tell everyone he was OK and to stay away so he cold gasp some oxygen.

A few hours later he played in another game for the 76ers. But little did he know, he had broken a rib.

Now White, 46, who played baseball for a small college in Texas when he was young, has been spending the past several days at home - where he is really safe. He is pictured on the left from his college baseball days. The Sheriff said he is going to be on the DL for the 76ers for at least a few weeks , but not for the taxpayers. He said he plans to return to work Friday.

The softball incident isn't the first time White has been on the DL. Last fall, while he was running for Congress, White was hospitalized after he fell off of his treadmill and injured his back.