Do you remember the first game you officiated?

[Mark Padgett]

Not counting the ones I worked with Dr. Naismith, here's mine.

The park district in the Chicago suburb in which I lived decided to start a rec program for Jr. HS boys. They asked those of us who had umpired park district baseball the previous year if we "knew how to referee basketball". I had worked baseball for all of two years and I told them "Sure, I can work basketball." All I knew about the game was what I had seen on television and in watching my HS games. This was January of my junior year in HS.

My first game was between two 7th grade teams. I was partnered up with another HS kid. The games were played in a gym at city hall, which originally was the old high school building. I remember I had a blue whistle I bought at Woolworth's. The park district gave us some striped shirts and we wore blue Levis and white high top gym shoes. We did the best we could and there really weren't many complaints at all. I do remember calling a shooting foul on a missed shot right before the end of the game when the game was tied and the kid made one of the free throws. Hey - NO OVERTIMES - even then.

BTW - this was 1964.

[Raymond]

Yep, November 2001. Intramural game at Langley AFB, VA. Off the opening tip A1 gets a break-away lay-up. After ball is clearly through the basket B1 slaps the backboard. I whistle a T. My vet partner overrules me and waves off the T.

After the game, a buddy of mine who had been officiating about 2-3 years (and is now a D1 official) told me I had made the right call and the vet shouldn't have waved off my T.

[PIAA REF]

My first game was a Jr High Game for my hopd high school but I wasn't a certified official at the time and it was just a scrimmage. My first real action was a varsity boys scrimmage followed by a jr high girls game. I remember my first call in that game was GREEN. No signal I just blew the whistle and yelled the color. I settled in after that. 8 years later, I have learned a lot since that first game, finished this year off with a District Championship and a couple state playoff games. I have grown a lot since that first experience. Much to do with great officials like many of you that like to help young bucks like me along. It is very much appreciated.

[referee99]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Yep, November 2001. Intramural game at Langley AFB, VA. Off the opening tip A1 gets a break-away lay-up. After ball is clearly through the basket B1 slaps the backboard. I whistle a T.

You called a T 5 seconds into your first game?
I couldn't bring myself to call one for about 20 games.
I am impressed!

[Adam]

I had one in probably my third game; middle school boys. Player decided he was frustrated enough to throw the ball against the wall after they gave up a basket.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by referee99

You called a T 5 seconds into your first game?
I couldn't bring myself to call one for about 20 games.
I am impressed!

Yeah, but it didn't count since my partner "over-ruled" me.

I don't remember when/what/where my first official "T" was in my career.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Not counting the ones I worked with Dr. Naismith, here's mine.

The park district in the Chicago suburb in which I lived decided to start a rec program for Jr. HS boys. They asked those of us who had umpired park district baseball the previous year if we "knew how to referee basketball". I had worked baseball for all of two years and I told them "Sure, I can work basketball." All I knew about the game was what I had seen on television and in watching my HS games. This was January of my junior year in HS.

My first game was between two 7th grade teams. I was partnered up with another HS kid. The games were played in a gym at city hall, which originally was the old high school building. I remember I had a blue whistle I bought at Woolworth's. The park district gave us some striped shirts and we wore blue Levis and white high top gym shoes. We did the best we could and there really weren't many complaints at all. I do remember calling a shooting foul on a missed shot right before the end of the game when the game was tied and the kid made one of the free throws. Hey - NO OVERTIMES - even then.

BTW - this was 1964.

October 1987. I had graduated high school in June. They played Junior High ball in the fall and I worked with some people who, as it turned out, didn't know what they were doing, either.

I don't remember a lot of the details, but I do remember getting lost on my way to a lot of the rural schools I had to go to. Then I worked JV and Freshman ball in the winter. My first varsity game was in 1990.

[bas2456]

Mark, what suburb did you live in?

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by bas2456

Mark, what suburb did you live in?

Chicago Heights. Home of Jerry Colangelo, Bret Saberhagen and Jim Bouton. Oh yeah, and me.

[bas2456]

Gotcha. Ever do a game at Rolling Meadows High School?

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by bas2456

Gotcha. Ever do a game at Rolling Meadows High School?

No way. That's way up on the north side. Probably all Cubs fans.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Do you remember the first game you officiated?

Yup. I was 17. There was some political crap going on in my local and as a result, I received zero training. Bottom line: I sucked, and big time. I quit, and didn't try again until years later. Coincidentally enough, when I re-started, there was political stuff going on, and way way deeper too.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Do you remember the first game you officiated?

No.

[GoodwillRef]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

No.

Bob...you are still a young man...is your memory going already?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Not counting the ones I worked with Dr. Naismith, here's mine.

The park district in the Chicago suburb in which I lived decided to start a rec program for Jr. HS boys. They asked those of us who had umpired park district baseball the previous year if we "knew how to referee basketball". I had worked baseball for all of two years and I told them "Sure, I can work basketball." All I knew about the game was what I had seen on television and in watching my HS games. This was January of my junior year in HS.

My first game was between two 7th grade teams. I was partnered up with another HS kid. The games were played in a gym at city hall, which originally was the old high school building. I remember I had a blue whistle I bought at Woolworth's. The park district gave us some striped shirts and we wore blue Levis and white high top gym shoes. We did the best we could and there really weren't many complaints at all. I do remember calling a shooting foul on a missed shot right before the end of the game when the game was tied and the kid made one of the free throws. Hey - NO OVERTIMES - even then.

BTW - this was 1964.

Mark:

To be completely honest, I do not remember my first game except that it was a boys' Jr. H.S. doubleheader during the 1971-72 season at the H.S. from which I graduated in 1969.

MTD, Sr.

P.S. But I do remember Mark, Jr.'s first games because I officiated the games with him: Thursday, December 13, 2007. It was a girls' 7th grade/8th grade doubleheader in the Midland Athletic League at North Baltimore (Ohio) Jr. H.S. (the home team) vs. Bascom (Ohio) Hopewell-Loudon Jr. H.S. He had to carry me in these two games and he has been carrying his old man ever since, .