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Profiles and stories about officials and people close to officiating.
Bobby Dibler: “I’m Still Here” After Unimaginable Tragedy
A Life Devoted to Basketball
A boy with hoop dreams, the scope of which he could never have comprehended would one day come to fruition...
Mendy… We Hardly Knew You
Mendy Rudolph's NBA officiating legacy is unmatched. On the basketball court he was always in control, always a leader. Yet outside the glare of...
One Last Game: An Unforgettable Tribute to Vern Marshall
Vern Marshall didn't know if he could work even one last game. He sat alone in the locker room, slumped forward and head down....
In the Line of Duty
A single punch from a 17-year-old player led to the tragic death of Utah soccer referee Ricardo Portillo.
“It’s going to happen again.”
That’s the firm...
Being Joe Crawford: The Fire, Temper and Passion of an NBA Referee
Angry, gritty, old school. Easily one of the NBA’s premier officials, Joe Crawford’s got issues. But there’s something else — the man knows himself,...
Dad’s Boy: John Hirschbeck, His Son and a Family’s Fight Against ALD
This story is about John Drew Hirschbeck and his family, a remarkable little boy fascinated by tractors and bulldozers; an amazing family drawing strength...
Jake O’Donnell: The NBA Referee Who Walked Away at the Top
It’s been almost a year since the legendary Jake O’Donnell officiated his last game. It was strange not seeing him in the NBA Finals...
Bob Delaney: From Undercover Cop to NBA Referee
You’re used to seeing 14-year NBA veteran Bob Delaney on the court with Shaq or the Mailman. But long before his officiating career ever...
Pam Postema: Her Fight to Reach the Major Leagues
Anyone who doubts that Pam Postema is a strong person should take a close look — at her picture and her story. In fact,...
Red Cashion: The Story Behind “First Dowwwwwnnn!
Psychologists call it word association. They say “peanut butter,” you say “jelly.” They say “mother,” you say “father.” They say “Red Cashion,” you say,...
Dallas Keefover: The Tragic End of an Umpiring Dream
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in the May 1986 issue of Referee. It contains detailed discussion of suicide and reflects the language...
Mills Lane’s Biggest Fight
It’s been 10 years since former legendary boxing referee Mills Lane refereed a fight. But even after suffering a stroke in 2002 that left...
Ed Hochuli On Balance
It takes extraordinary strength to take charge of a Super Bowl – strength of will, of desire and of conviction. Ed Hochuli has done...
A Lifetime Earning Respect: Jon Bible’s Officiating Journey
In a 40-year officiating stretch, Jon Bible hit some mighty high peaks — seven College World Series assignments as a baseball umpire and three...
Ron Foxcroft: The Official Behind the Whistle
When people in officiating circles hear the name Ron Foxcroft, they think of the man who developed the Fox 40 whistle. Comparatively few realize...
Skokie to the Super Bowl: Jerry Markbreit
Walking Away
Jerry Markbreit doesn't know what he's going to do next.
He does know that when the 1998 NFL football season ends, he'll walk off...
Jim Garman: The Best Umpire in College Baseball
Relying on faith and family, Jim Garman has found success throughout his life. In umpiring, he has 50 NCAA postseason assignments, including eight trips...
Before the Booth: Dean Blandino’s Rise as Football’s Replay Authority
Dean Blandino used an understanding of technology and the NFL’s philosophy of instant replay to rise from an intern with no officiating experience in...
Solid Stance: Gerry Davis Profile
The honor hardly could be more fitting.
OK, perhaps having a behind-the-plate stance named after you — as Gerry Davis does — isn’t technically an...
The Full Monty
Look at Monty McCutchen on the court, and you see an NBA referee near the top of his game. A veteran in his 16th...
No Doubting Sarah Thomas
As the game clock counted down that cold Dec. 9, 2006, night at Jackson Memorial Stadium in Mississippi, so was football official Sarah Thomas’...
Paul Tamberino: Nothing Dirty, Nothing Cheap
For two years in a row, Paul Tamberino was voted the MLS’ top referee. As one of America’s premier soccer officials, he also represented...
Doug Harvey: The Umpire’s Umpire
And for 31 National League seasons, that's just what Doug Harvey did before retiring after the 1992 season. His passion for the game defined...
Two Right Hands Too Late: Lew Eskin and the Willie Classen Tragedy
November 23,1979 — Referee Lew Eskin stops the fight seconds into the tenth round. Middleweight Willie Classen has heard his last bell.
It was March...