International Association of Approved Basketball Officials History ...

[BillyMac]

I've been appointed as the first ever historian of our local IAABO board. I've been researching for this project all summer long. While I won't bore you with the history of the IAABO Connecticut State Board, or my local IAABO board tucked into a little corner of Connecticut, I thought that the few IAABO members on the Forum would appreciate the history of the International organization. While 90% of the information below is on the IAABO website, I've come across a few additional tidbits.

Any additions or corrections would be appreciated.

International Association of Approved Basketball Officials History

The organization of the First Board of Approved Basketball Officials took place in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Board of Approved Basketball Officials was organized in November 1912 by Phillip G. Lewis, the first organization of its kind in the world. Phil Lewis had as his ultimate objectives the standardization of the playing rules and officiating through interpretive meetings and demonstration games.

In 1915 the Joint Basketball Rules Committee was formed when the Amateur Athletic Union and the National College Athletic Association decided to produce one set of rules, publish a Basketball Guide, and organize officials into an accredited group. A national list of approved officials was drawn up.

The rapid development of local boards (many chartered boards began to organize around 1919) resulted in the first meeting, conducted on May 6, 1921 in the Hotel Astor in New York City, of what was to eventually become the present International Association of Approved Basketball Officials.

Representatives from five of the seven chartered boards attended the meeting. The chartered boards functioning at that time were Philadelphia, Chicago, Montclair, Hartford, Eastern Massachusetts, Detroit, and Rochester. The Montclair, New Jersey group had begun meeting informally in 1905. Prior to the increased establishment of chartered boards in the twenties, members merely sent their names to the Spalding Officials Basketball Guide and they became listed as officials.

The early thirties saw further registration of officials nationally and their inclusion on the Joint Basketball Rules Committee. Prior to this officials were just given a copy of the rules and an arm band, an indication of registered status, when they paid the one dollar fee.

On April 6, 1935 chartered boards began the process of organizing the National Association of Approved Basketball Officials, and in 1936 the National Association of Approved Basketball Officials (NAABO) was formed from nearly eighty local boards. With the outbreak of World War II many officials entered the Armed Services and the national annual meetings ceased. However, from the end of the war to 1949 national level discussions began for the adoption of an official uniform and the inclusion of the Manual of Officiating in the handbook.

The 1950s saw little change in membership numbers, but the official adopted uniform underwent several changes from the long sleeved gray shirt with navy cuffs and collar to a knit shirt with gray short sleeves. And at the national level, the National Association of Approved Basketball Officials changed its name to the International Association of Approved Board Officials (IAABO) and Stewart Paxton was elected as Executive Secretary of the IAABO during this time period.

The International Association of Approved Basketball Officials is a nonprofit service and professional organization of basketball officials. Through a worldwide organization of nearly 200 local boards spanning thirty-eight states, eleven foreign countries, and over 16,000 members. IAABO’s primary purpose is to educate, train, develop, and provide continuous instruction for basketball officials.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

The rapid development of local boards (many chartered boards began to organize around 1919) resulted in the first meeting, conducted on May 6, 1921 in the Hotel Astor in New York City, of what was to eventually become the present International Association of Approved Basketball Officials. Representatives from five of the seven chartered boards attended the meeting. The chartered boards functioning at that time were Philadelphia, Chicago, Montclair, Hartford, Eastern Massachusetts, Detroit, and Rochester.

Hey Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. Why didn't you and your buddies from Toledo, Ohio show up?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Prior to the increased establishment of chartered boards in the twenties, members merely sent their names to the Spalding Officials Basketball Guide and they became listed as officials ... officials were just given a copy of the rules and an arm band, an indication of registered status, when they paid the one dollar fee.

"Put my name on the list and here's my dollar."

I wonder how good some of these guys were?