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, knows his weakness, and just like his approach to the game, he deals with it head-on. “I remember like it was yesterday. The Phillies were playing at the end of the season and nobody cared about the game. I never saw my father during the season except when he came to Connie Mack Stadium. My father’s behind the plate.

This story is about John Drew Hirschbeck and his family, a remarkable little boy fascinated by tractors and bulldozers; an amazing family drawing strength from each other to endure a deadly disease. In February 1993, they allowed Referee to spend a day in their Poland, Ohio, home. “John was a big-time Dad’s boy,” recalls Dad, reflecting on the first six years of his son’s life, the years before a disease began stealing his oldest son’s mind.

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.

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 last year — the first time in 23 years he wasn’t there. He was at the top of the mountain yet stepped off it quietly and faded into the horizon. Why did he quit? Jake O’Donnell did not retire because of his infamous run-in with Clyde Drexler. Or the way the league buried him in its wake. Or his disdain for Darell Garretson. Or his lost respect for Rod Thorn.

In a 26-year career as an NL umpire, totaling 3,743 regular-season games, Terry Tata says few stand out. Aside from the high-profile, postseason and special-event games, only select games are memorable and sometimes for the craziest reasons. Sunday, Sept. 22, 1974. It was a cool, early fall day in St. Louis at the old Busch Stadium.

It was the championship game for the local semi-pro league with a crew of six officials. A pass was intercepted and the down ended near the sideline. The side judge promptly called for a new ball, but the ball assistants were nowhere near to be found. After what seemed like an eternity, they were located behind the team area playing catch. Even the most thorough plan may go awry when youngsters are involved.

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 took off, Delaney spent more than two years living under an assumed identity. In a matter of months, he went from New Jersey State Trooper to corrupt businessman in bed with the Mob. Bob Delaney quit the police force in 1975. He resigned; turned in his badge. The rumors were he’d gone bad. Beat some people up. Got in trouble. His dad had been a captain on the job.

Officiating volleyball is much different than officiating any other sport. There are many reasons for this, but this article is going to focus on only one of those reasons, and it is probably something most officials don’t really even think about because it has become second nature. What makes volleyball so unique is part of the officiating crew may not even be certified. And at the high school level, and even some college levels, part of that crew may be supplied by the host school.

Everyone, including officials, must employ self-talk at some point. Is your self-talk positive or negative? Does it enhance or hinder your performance? Does it boost your confidence or diminish it? It’s time to talk about concentration for sports officials. These are all questions we must ask ourselves.

Anyone who doubts that Pam Postema is a strong person should take a close look — at her picture and her story. In fact, the pose shown here and in a similar — more revealing — photo in the June 1992 issue of GQ magazine, was her idea. It’s intended as a demonstration of her strength. She wants the world to know that even if Baseball has stripped away her right to wear a pro umpire’s shirt, it has not stripped away her strong desire to work in the major leagues.