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Profiles and stories about officials and people close to officiating.
Violet Palmer: The Road to NBA History
OCTOBER 31, 1997. HALLOWEEN. Traditionally the night for uncommon events. The perfect night for Violet Palmer to walk onto the court in Vancouver and...
Barry Mano: Interview from Referee’s 25th Anniversary Issue
“We’ve learned ... Hitting people over the head with a two-by-four doesn’t do anything but knock them out, and then they wake up and...
Don Koharski: Growth, Grit and a Life in NHL Officiating
Beloved by his peers on the NHL staff, who refer to the veteran as “Koho” and “Big Ko,” Don Koharski has compiled one of...
Dave Parry: The Best of Both Worlds
When Dave Parry refereed intramural basketball games at Wabash College in the mid 1950's for $1 a game, he recalls, "It paid for hamburgers,...
Harry Wendelstedt: He Touched All the Bases
One would be hard-pressed to find a position in professional umpiring that Harry Wendelstedt hasn't held. After a colorful, workhorse-like career and a laundry...
Steve Javie: One Stand-Up Guy
Watch Steve Javie work a basketball game and you'll recognize him as an official who is clearly in control. The same can be said...
The Most Recognizable Referee In the World
You may not know why you know this man. But you do. You've likely seen his image flashed on some sports program or in...
The Joan Powell Effect
Joan Powell has been everything in volleyball — player, coach, official, conference coordinator, national coordinator. And she has excelled at every level.How influential? How...
Robert Watts: Back From The Blindside
Veteran football official Robert Watts was recently elected president of the Austin (Texas) Football Officials Association (AFOA). It is all part of moving on...
Bernice Gera: First Lady Umpire
Some months ago, in our early correspondence with Bernice Gera we received a letter signed "Bernice Gera - First Lady Umpire." We asked her...
Jim Burr: The No-Nonsense Icon of College Basketball Officiating
When it comes to top-notch college basketball refs, few stand as tall as Jim Burr. Sure, some consider him a hard-ass, but there’s no...
Bill McCreary: NHL’s Gold Standard Ice Man
Bill McCreary has a passion for hockey, and it shows. After working three Olympic gold medal games and more Stanley Cup Finals games than...
Kari Seitz: The Most Decorated Referee in U.S. Soccer History
With an unmatched resumé of soccer officiating accomplishments, Kari Seitz retired as the most decorated international referee in U.S. Soccer history. From a young...
Art McNally: Zebra Chief
Zebra Chief. That’s the name of the boat presented to Art McNally honoring him for decades of service to the National Football League. Paid...
Like Father, Like Sons
Politics had the Adamses. Big band music had the Dorseys. Acting had the Barrymores. And officiating has the Crawfords.
Umpire Henry “Shag” Crawford retired in...
June Courteau: A Lasting Legacy in Women’s Basketball Officiating
A well-read woman with an insatiable desire to cram yet more knowledge into her mind was sitting poolside at an Aruba timeshare dwelling in the summer of 2015. Simply reading doesn’t...
Liven’ a Full Life: MLB Umpire Shane Livensparger
By Dan Ronan
Shane Livensparger has several uniforms in his closet. During the MLB season, the up-and-coming professional umpire wears the traditional MLB umpire uniform...
Chance Encounters of the Life-Changing Kind
Today, Jim Reynolds is one of MLB’s most accomplished umpires. His resume includes 16 postseason assignments, including two World Series, plus two All-Star games.
But...
VanderVelde Family Officiating Tree Reaches College Football
Mike VanderVelde always knew the apple wasn’t going to fall far from the tree.
The longtime West Michigan football and basketball official correctly guessed that...
His Plate is Full
By Dan Ronan
Dan Bellino’s phone, email and text messages never seem to stop. His schedule and life are packed full, 24/7/365. He’s been a...
Sirmons on the Mount
By Michael Clark
Published in Referee Magazine, April 2025
A
sk any aspiring NCAA basketball official what the greatest assignment could be and 100% of them will...
Care-Frontation
By Dan Ronan
bob Delaney, a retired NBA referee and the Southeastern Conference special advisor for officiating development and performance, is one of the officiating...
FONZY
By Dan Ronan
major League Baseball umpire Alfonso Márquez was driving April 21, 2005, to an early season game in Tampa, Fla., when he got...
Referee Voices: Bert Smith
As part of the 2021 NASO Sports Officiating Summit @ Home, NCAAM basketball referee Bert Smith detailed for the virtual audience his career path...