LOS ANGELES-Don McMahon, who pitched in the major leagues for 18 years, remained active on the mound until the end of his life.

   The 57-year-old McMahon, a special assignment scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers, died Wednesday following a heart attack he suffered while pitching batting practice. He died 90 minutes after he was stricken before the Dodgers' 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in Los Angeles.

  McMahon, hired by the Dodgers before the 1986 season, was an instructional coach and special scout who threw batting practice prior to almost every Los Angeles home game.

   "He was a great man, an outstanding person," Los Angeles Manager Tom Lasorda said of McMahon. "I loved him like a brother. It's a shame."

   The Dodgers said McMahon had heart bypass surgery 3 1/2 years ago while a member of the Cleveland organization.

   After pitching batting practice for about 15 minutes, McMahonleft the mound, assisted by Dodger trainers Charlie Strasser and Bill Buhler.

   "He walked off early because he said he felt dizzy," Dodgers' Coach Mark Cresse said. "He just sat down out there (near the mound). We ran in to get the trainers. They brought him in, then he sat down here on the (dugout) steps and he said he felt dizzy."

   About that time, McMahon apparently went into cardiac arrest. Three Dodger trainers administered cardiac pulmonary resuscitation until paramadics arrived. Paramedics worked on him for 10 minutes before transporting him to nearby Queen of Angels Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

   McMahon, a right-handed relief pitcher, first appeared in a major league game with Milwaukee in 1957. He later pitched for the Houston Colt 45s, Cleveland, Boston, the Chicago White Sox, Detroit and San Francisco.

   McMahon, who pitched in 874 games, was a member of the 1958 National League All-Star team and pitched on four World Series teams.

    McMahon, who attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., with Al Davis, the managing general partner of the Los Angeles Raiders, retired from baseball after the 1974 season. He had a career record of 90-68, an earned run average of 2.96 and 153 saves, including an NL-leading total of 15 in 1959.

    He also served as a pitching coach with San Francisco, Minnesota and Cleveland.

   McMahon is survived by his wife, Darlene, and six children.