The Official Forum - Referee Collapses

On Sat Feb. 2nd, I had a 7/8th girls tournament at a school about 10 miles from my home. Before the first games had started, one of the other 3 officials, Jim, who I had meet before,(didn't know his last name), said he wasn't feeling well and asked me if I was free that night to maybe fill in for a JV game. I told him no problem, just let me know. He said he would know for sure how he felt after he did these morning games. We were not partners in this tournament, so after our 2nd and final game was over, on my way back to the locker room, I meet Jim in the hallway, confirmed that I was indeed going to do his game that night. He complained about flu like symptoms and was going home to rest, shook my hand and left. I went on to the locker room where his partner told us that Jim had just thrown out the head coach, HC's assistant, and the scorer in their last game.

I did Jim's game Saturday night, fun game, came down to the wire. Since, it's too difficult for the school to write out a new check in my name, I received a check made out to Jim. Didn't pay much attention to the name on the check.

On Monday night Feb. 4th, I heard a news report of a fatal accident involving an ambulance and guy named James Hoskins. The accident was not far from our home. The collision killed both James and the ambulance driver. James apparently had a heart attack.

I found out the next day that James Hoskins was from Nashville, In and was a longtime BB official. Yes, I had an empty feeling that "Jim" from Saturday was this James Hoskins. When I got home, I immediately went to my BB checks and it was him. Although I didn't know Jim that well, I don't mind telling you, I laid a couple of tears on the check.