Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the February 1996 issue of Referee under the title “Incident in Black and White.” It recounts a 1995 incident in which high school football referee Ken Smotrys was assaulted by a player during a game — an attack captured on video and ultimately seen by millions of people across the country. While assaults on amateur sports officials had occurred before, the Smotrys incident was among the early cases to break into the national consciousness, making it a watershed moment in an unfortunate new era for sports officials and sportsmanship. The incident became still more complicated when Smotrys was accused of using a racial slur. A CIF Southern Section investigation did not corroborate the allegation, and Smotrys was reinstated, although representatives of the players involved disputed the investigation and its findings. The article is presented below as it originally appeared and contains language and descriptions that reflect the reporting and editorial conventions of its time.
Ken Smotrys was punched in the face by an angry black player; those wounds healed. Despite what a high-profile civil rights attorney told a nationwide television audience, an investigation concluded that Ken Smotrys did not push a black player to the ground and call him a “n*****”; the wounds of accusation may never heal.
It was a fairly normal play. That’s the scary part for anyone who officiates. One play out of the thousands that prep football official Ken Smotrys has covered in his 12-year career. The game, however, had a volatile emotional undercurrent that Smotrys and his crew didn’t bargain for: racial tension.
First, the cast: Beverly Hills High School is a team with a mix of minority and white players. They played host Oct. 20, 1995, to Centennial High School, a mostly black team based in Compton, Calif. (south-central Los Angeles), a 1990s hotbed for racial strife. Centennial is coached by Omar Bradley, the mayor of Compton.
Ken Smotrys, a white football official, was punched by Kumasi Simmons, a black Centennial player. Smotrys, 34, suffered swelling and a cut below his left eye. Frankly, if that’s all that happened, the minor assault might not even make the pages of Referee. Assaults on officials are so common they’re usually not even news anymore. In this case, however, there is much more to the story.
Signs Unseen
The racial problems that spewed forth that day began long before the officiating crew arrived. Smotrys said that in the first half, linesman Sal Failla was told by a Centennial coach that people were calling Centennial players names as they were getting off the bus. Failla explained to the coach that the officials had no jurisdiction at that time, and any problems were administrative.
Post-incident reports from Beverly Hills High personnel to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section noted that prior to the game, while the players were stretching, Centennial coach Bradley, who is black, was walking the field and saying loudly for all to hear, “Remember, last year they were calling us n******!” The negative tone was set while the crew was still sliding on their knickers. Beverly Hills coach Carter Paysinger, who is black, denied that anyone from his school made such remarks, adding that many of his players are black, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Signs Seen
Smotrys said that in the first half, a Centennial player was screaming, “Get their rich white asses!” Line judge Ernie Hammock and Smotrys told that player to knock it off. Smotrys then had linesman Failla and Hammock go to their sidelines and warn both teams. No penalties were assessed.
Later in the half, Smotrys says he flagged a Centennial player for unsportsmanlike conduct after he was seen “violently jerking” a Beverly Hills player after a play. Smotrys was not concerned about the tone of the game at that time because he thought the warnings and one flag controlled things.
The Play
Beverly Hills player Andre Farkas returned the second half kickoff to Centennial’s 30 yardline, where he was tackled by Kumasi Simmons and others. Smotrys said that as he was moving in to cover the play, Simmons pushed Farkas back to the ground as Farkas was trying to get up. “I was screaming at (Simmons) to stop it and to get out of here, away from the pile,” said Smotrys. “I very easily could have given him an unsportsmanlike flag.” Another Centennial player, Vincent Brooks, was about 10 yards behind the play. As Brooks ran toward his sideline after the play and Smotrys ran toward the pile of players, the two brushed slightly, with Smotrys extending an arm to prevent further contact. Brooks spun around pirouette style — never looking back at Smotrys — and continued toward his sideline.
Smotrys moved into his referee’s position in the Beverly Hills backfield for the next play. Then, he saw Simmons in the Centennial huddle bouncing up and down, similar to a boxer practicing in an imaginary ring. Seconds later, imaginary turned real.
With both teams still in their huddles, Simmons crossed the line of scrimmage then crossed the line of decency. The 6-foot-1 inch, 185-pound, 16-year-old ran after Smotrys, leaped off his feet and landed a blow to Smotrys’ face, knocking him off balance and causing cuts from Smotrys’ broken glasses. Players from both teams intervened and prevented further attacks. However, the incident was really just beginning.
The Aftermath
The police were called to arrest Simmons. After talking with police, Smotrys forfeited the game to Beverly Hills, which was leading 14-0 at the time. “I didn’t feel I was in any mental state to continue the game,” said Smotrys.
Even if Smotrys wanted to continue, he soon learned he couldn’t because he was being arrested. After Brooks — the Centennial player Smotrys brushed on his way to spot the ball — spent several minutes with Coach Bradley, Smotrys said: “The police came over to me and said that (Brooks) was alleging that I pushed him to the ground and called him a racial name. (Brooks) wanted me arrested for assaulting him.” Smotrys added, “There was so little contact between us; I didn’t even know what they were talking about until I saw the videotape days later.”
In a Beverly Hills Police Department report, a copy of which was obtained by Referee, Brooks stated that Smotrys “for no reason, pushed him (Brooks) to the ground and said ‘n*****.’” Brooks stated in the report that that’s why Simmons hit Smotrys. Videotape clearly shows Brooks was not pushed to the ground by Smotrys.
When Simmons was asked by police if he heard Smotrys call Brooks a “n*****,” Simmons answered, “No.” Simmons, who is Centennial coach Bradley’s nephew, said in the police report he punched Smotrys because Smotrys threatened to penalize him. Simmons later changed his story, saying the police intimidated him at first.
Smotrys, still in uniform, was handcuffed and taken away in a police car. Smotrys told Referee: “The police totally felt that it was retribution for me having (Simmons) placed under arrest. But if a citizen wants to pursue an arrest, their hands are really tied in that situation.” The charge against Smotrys was later dismissed.
Smotrys was suspended by the CIF — Southern Section during its investigation. Dean Crowley, Southern Section commissioner, said it is routine to suspend an official pending an investigation.
On Dec. 7, 1995, the Southern Section announced Smotrys was cleared of allegations that he used the racial slur. According to a private investigator hired by the CIF, there was no corroborated testimony found indicating Smotrys used a racial epithet. Smotrys said, “I believe it is his (Simmons’) parents, his coach and his attorneys that have raised those allegations.”
The simple battery charge against Simmons was sent to the juvenile probation department in Santa Monica, Calif. In that state, battery against an official carries a maximum fine of $2,000 and a year in jail. During the investigation, the Compton Unified School District discovered Simmons did not legally reside in its school district and never lived at the address on his enrollment documents. Simmons was expelled from Centennial High.
Media, Lawsuits
The Los Angeles Times, USA Today and other major newspapers covered the story. A Current Affair and Rivera Live broadcast segments nationally. Leo Terrell, an outspoken civil rights attorney representing Brooks and Simmons, touted his clients’ position on Rivera Live and has threatened lawsuits against Smotrys, the Beverly Hills School District and the CIF. “Being called a ‘n*****’ is a violation of (Brooks’) rights to attend a racially free environment,” Terrell said, according to USA Today. Terrell says he has eight witnesses to corroborate Brooks’ account.
Smotrys has retained various attorneys, running up substantial legal fees. One of those attorneys, David Heck, said, “When (Smotrys) does the obvious thing and has the kid arrested, they turn him into Mark Furman.”
Moving On
Despite his reinstatement by the CIF and the clearance of his battery charge, Smotrys is still defending himself. His officiating reputation is now punctuated by this incident and the allegations — marks that will not be erased quickly, if at all. The pending lawsuits still loom overhead. The CIF said he can continue to officiate, but will things ever be normal? Is it possible this incident is career ending? “Not by my choice,” said Smotrys.
Among the details of this story lies a stunning truth for all sports officials: It could happen to you.
Bill Topp served as an editor for Referee Magazine for more than 20 years, eventually becoming COO of Referee Enterprises and NASO President.
What Happened Next
The story did not end when Referee published “Incident in Black and White” in February 1996. What happened on the football field had already grown into something much bigger — an investigation, lawsuits and a national discussion about race, sportsmanship and the treatment of sports officials.
The Investigation
The racial allegations surrounding the incident require an important distinction between what the players said they experienced and what investigators were ultimately able to establish.
Centennial players Kumasi Simmons and Vincent Brooks maintained that Smotrys had used a racial epithet during the game. Their attorney, Leo Terrell, strongly challenged the subsequent investigation and argued that his clients’ accounts had not been given adequate consideration. Simmons, Brooks and Centennial coach Omar Bradley did not participate in interviews conducted by the private investigative agency retained by the CIF Southern Section.
The 75-page investigation included interviews with all five members of the officiating crew and players from both teams. One Centennial player supported the allegations but declined to be interviewed on the record. None of the officials reported hearing Smotrys use a racial epithet.
Ultimately, investigators found no substantial evidence to corroborate the allegation. The CIF Southern Section cleared Smotrys and allowed him to return to officiating.
That finding does not mean the perceptions of the young men involved should simply be dismissed. The game had been charged with racial tension, and their attorney continued to dispute the investigation and its conclusions. But the investigation could not corroborate the allegation that Smotrys had used a racial epithet.
The Legal Fight Continued
Being cleared did not put the incident behind Smotrys.
In January 1996, he filed a civil lawsuit against Simmons, Brooks, Bradley, the city of Compton and the Compton Unified School District. By October of that year, the case was still pending and headed toward voluntary mediation. Smotrys sought damages stemming from the assault and allegations he said had threatened his reputation, officiating career and his family’s financial security.
Smotrys did return to high school football. He asked not to be assigned games involving Beverly Hills or Centennial, however, and acknowledged that moving past what had happened was difficult.
The incident also produced changes beyond Smotrys and the two schools. The CIF Southern Section created a 30-member Human Relations Committee to examine racial tensions and develop sensitivity training for officials, coaches and student leaders. The response recognized that regardless of the findings concerning Smotrys, the racial tensions surrounding the game deserved attention.
The Case Is Resolved
In April 1997, nearly 18 months after the game, the story reached an important conclusion.
Attorneys representing Smotrys and Bradley announced that the dispute had been resolved. According to a Los Angeles Times report on the resolution, the parties agreed the allegation involving the racial epithet resulted from a “mistake or misunderstanding” and that Smotrys had not used a racial epithet. The terms of the settlement were confidential.
That resolution adds important context to the original story. The racial tension surrounding the game was real, and the players’ perceptions of what happened should not be dismissed. But the allegation against Smotrys was investigated and could not be corroborated. The eventual legal resolution went further: The parties agreed the allegation resulted from a “mistake or misunderstanding” and that Smotrys had not used the racial epithet.
When Violence Against Officials Became National News
There is another reason the Smotrys incident deserves to be remembered three decades later.
Assaults on amateur sports officials were not new in 1995. What was unusual was the audience this one reached. The attack was captured on videotape, replayed on national television and seen by millions. An assault during a high school football game had entered the national consciousness.
It was an early warning of an issue sports would continue to confront.
Today, cameras are everywhere. Parents, spectators, schools and participants routinely record games. Social media can take something that happens on a high school field or in a youth gym and put it in front of thousands — or millions — of people within hours.
Violence and harassment directed at officials have also received increasing attention from lawmakers. The NASO Sports Officials Legislative Scorecard tracks states that have adopted laws providing specific protections for sports officials. NASO has advocated for stronger legal protections for officials for decades.
The laws vary from state to state, but the principle behind them is simple: Officials should be able to work a game without fearing physical violence because of a call, ruling or decision.
Thirty Years Later
The original article ended with a warning that still resonates today:
“Among the details of this story lies a stunning truth for all sports officials: It could happen to you.”
Thirty years later, that line still lands.
Technology has changed dramatically since 1995. The basic problem has not. Officials still work in an environment where emotions run high, decisions are disputed and, on occasion, someone crosses the line between disagreement and abuse or violence.
What has changed is how quickly the rest of the world can see it happen.
The attack on Smotrys was remarkable in part because videotape of an assault on a high school official reached a national audience. Today, virtually any game can produce the next video seen across the country.
Officials know disagreement comes with the job. Violence cannot. What happened to Smotrys in 1995 showed what can happen when that line is crossed — and why protecting officials remains an issue for sports three decades later.
