ae a
LET A COMLTSSIONER OR COMMISSION
SELECT THE OFFICIALS -.

By William G. Mokray, Scorts
writer - RIDER LOR » Fad *

Following a close game, or when fe tay feeling runs espec ially
high, the BESS HE FS ery... Ons hears is "Way didn't they hire two GOOD
officials{"

without Piet. to criticise officials, at must be said
that several elose.,contests are marred by poor refereeing. On ‘the
Other hand, there have been closely played contests which have been
so well nandled that, Lireapecki ve of tne outcome, no one dares
“accuse a Fererce OF being < either partial’ or incompetent, Instances,

Ssuch.,as the latter, however, are less c omt:.on than the alternate,

How can the officiating sroblem ve improved, wuen? °
‘Lfter closely watching baske tall for tie past £0 years, both in and
outside New England, it appears to me that those who-‘navée the say
here in New England are too conservative and susvicious and are play-
ing a gane that puts the emphasis upon the winning -"- at the cost
of the individual players, teams, college ‘eae toes Get eee and,
“eventually, their very selves

It seems to me , that very row colleges are innocent tow such a

charge,

it. one; were Lo study the newspaper. box scores of the various
“college teams here in’ New England, he will detect that several en-
lightening points standout, In the firsy platy, nei si note — u
certain college is make it a point to employ a certain referee or pair
of referees at most of their home contests, He'll rote Ait such
colleges (and their PAUSE, naturally) conform to a game or style
of. play that appeals to these selected referees. . ee

HEncs:,. a, minimum nunber. of fouls, The result? They're hard to
defeat at home, and invariably lose or come near losing the moment
a new set of officials is encountered,

By no means do I accuse, or infer, in the least, that New Eng-
land officials are dishonest, In fact, I honestly feel that their
integrity is as good as mine.

What:we cannot deny is that we are -all human!

Let's look at the present set-up of assigning officials to
college basketball games here in New. Engiand, As a rule, the physical
director (graduete manager, or coach) corresponds with officials,
asking whether they would come down for such and such a game on such
and such a date,. aN is understood that’ the two officials, on report-
ing, will ‘be paid the fee, ¢lus traveling expenses.”

Like everyone eise,. I “would like to" rece ard refereeing as a
hobby, an official being an individual, who, eSpéclally fond of the
game, likes to pursue it in the capacity of an umpire. The pay, then,
is incidental, being.a renumeration for sacrificing an evening to
execute his tasks.

However, wnen refereeing attains a point where an official (or
officials) earn, during the winter season, renumerations that go well
into three figures, and, in many. instances, undoubtedly, far above
$1,000, then we ean. no longer term it a HeRee but, indeed, "big
business, " De

Continued,