Officiating in History
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Tales of big games, big calls and the officials that worked them.
US vs. USSR 1972 Olympic Men’s Basketball Final
Peter Rodgers never figured that by opening a gift, he’d close the book on a lingering controversy. The birthday present Rodgers received should, at the very least,...
Emmett Ashford – a rare personality
From the minors to the majors, Emmett Ashford was an umpire who had style. His career was typified by an incident in his first...
Behind the Scenes on the Legendary Woodson Interception
On Oct. 25, 1997, Michigan State’s Todd Schultz took the third-and-long snap in Spartan Stadium with a little more than two minutes left in...
Inside “The Comeback” – Buffalo vs. Houston 1993
Had the now ubiquitous “Win Probability Chart” been a thing in 1993, the Buffalo Bills and their fans would not have been happy with what it showed at halftime of their AFC...
Nolan Ryan’s Final Hit Batter: August 4, 1993
In his illustrious 27-year career, Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan hit 158 batters.
“He did not have a reputation as a headhunter,” said retired...
John Wooden: An Interview
You might wonder why a magazine for sports officials interviewed a coach, even one as legendary as John Wooden.
Through our decades of experience,...
Officiating In History: Nolan Ryan’s 7th No-Hitter – May 1, 1991
Texas Rangers' pitcher Nolan Ryan felt every one of his 44 years early in the evening of May 1, 1991. Worse, he was about...
Port of Calls
Having done hundreds of college basketball games in their officiating careers, a pregame walk-through usually is no big deal for NCAA Division I men’s...
One Second Left: Celtics vs. Suns 1976 NBA Finals
Richie Powers recalls that the biggest call he had to make in his nearly 25-year NBA officiating career came at the Boston Garden on...
The Shot
As an exhausted Tom Clark settled back into the aisle seat of his Delta Airlines flight the morning of March 29, 1992, a slight...
Bobby Knight Throws A Chair
Bobby Knight’s molten rage briefly bubbled beneath the surface until, like Vesuvius, he erupted in a pyrotechnic fury.
The Indiana basketball coach blew his top...
The Eras of Our Ways
Ron Luciano, who died in 1995, was one of the classic arbiters and characters of the 1970s in professional sports. An AL umpire for...
Hip, Hip No Way: Yankees vs. Dodgers 1978 World Series
Reggie Jackson earned the nickname Mr. October because of his bat. But a baserunning play swung the 1978 World Series in favor of Jackson’s...
DQ’d: Tyson vs. Holyfield June 28, 1997
Five days after ending the notorious Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield fight with a Tyson disqualification, Mills Lane is holed up in his Nevada District Court...
A History of Strikes and Lockouts
Over the years, strikes or lockouts have impacted the officials of every major sport.
L
abor disputes have been a part of American life since shortly...
John Hirschbeck Reminisces on MLB Playoff No-Hitter
It is Oct. 6, 2010, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The Phillies are facing the Cincinnati Reds in the first game of a...
First Down in Brazil
BY MARCEL KERR
As the world continues shrinking in the palms of our hands, the NFL continues expanding its brand worldwide.
In May, the NFL announced...
“I’ll Never Forget”: Officiating Legends Recall Their Most Memorable Game
It is June 14, 1998, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The Chicago Bulls are playing the Utah Jazz in Game 6...
Mike Carey’s All-Time Memorable Game
It is Feb. 3, 2008, in Glendale, Ariz. The New England Patriots are attempting to become the second undefeated team in pro football history,...
Bronx Brawl – Yankees vs. Orioles – May 19, 1998
Over the years, MLB has seen its share of bench-clearing brawls. Once the benches clear, and the bullpens empty, it is usually a time...
YOU ARE THERE: Underdog Upset – App. State beats Michigan – Sept. 1, 2007
The giant was going to slay Jack and burn his beanstalk. Goliath was going to smother David and obliterate his slingshot. The cheetah was going to bring down the gazelle and...
The Pine Tar Incident: Brett v. McClelland – July 24, 1983
As Tim McClelland walked toward his gate at New York’s LaGuardia International Airport the evening of July 24, 1983, the first-year AL umpire had to pass...
You Are There: Cooney Launches the Rocket
Then-Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens charges at umpire Terry Cooney after Cooney ejected the fiery fireballer during game four of the 1990 ALCS.
AL...
The Glory Road Game
Thornton Jenkins had so much more than an NCAA basketball championship game to officiate when Texas Western tipped off against the University of Kentucky...