[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

In Fall 1993 I was working a six month contract engineering job in Columbus, Ohio, even though I lived in Toledo, Ohio. During the Thanksgiving Weekend, I officiated a girls' H.S. varsity game at Thomas Worthinton H.S. on Saturday night. But in the morning Thomas Worthington H.S. had a huge eight team boys' H.S. varsity scrimmage with teams from all over the state.

One of the teams was Toledo (Ohio) Scott H.S. which was coached by Ben Williams, a very good coach, and his teams were always in the top ten. Williams's teams always man-to-man pressed from start to finish and this scrimmage was no different. The quarter I officiated with them the Scott players were always a step to late or just weren't quick enough with their hands to make a steal without committing a foul. I must have called six fouls alone on Scott players that quarter. All of the officials, except me, were from Columbus except me. Ben was so upset with all of the fouls being called on his players he said to me: "You can't call those fouls on us, you live in Toledo." I laughed about it, but there is another side to this story. In Ohio, head coaches tell the league assigners which officials are allowed to officiate H.S. jr. varsity and varsity games. To get on league rosters you have to be approved by 100% of the coaches, one coach can black ball you. And Ben would never approve me for the Toledo City Atletic League. Ironic isn't it. He would blackball me and then wanted me to give him favors.