Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame

The Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame is organized as a means of recognizing, preserving, and promoting the heritage of sports officiating in the state of Alabama. Many individuals have made extraordinary contributions and have had superb accomplishments in sports officiating from our state. The Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame honors the contributions and accomplishments of these individuals who are worthy of statewide recognition as examples for others to emulate. Join us in honoring those listed below.

Class

2024

Pat Adkison

Gene Patrick Adkison worked seven different AHSAA sports, 39 years each in both football and softball and worked basketball, baseball and wrestling at the collegiate level. He began his officiating career by taking an officiating course while attending Troy State University. He began his tenure at Gadsden State in 1965, where he taught officiating sports for 27 years. Adkison was instrumental in the administration of softball in Alabama, as well as throughout the United States. He assisted long time AHSAA executive director, Bubba Scott, organizing the first softball state championship. Mr. Scott also selected Pat as the director of officials for wrestling, where he worked 13 straight state wrestling championships as the lead official. He was the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) umpire in chief for 14 years before appointing fellow Hall of Fame inductee, Max Wilkes as the umpire-in-chief (UIC). Former ASA state UIC Charles Clark, said of Adkison, “He was successful because of his attention to detail and his pursuit to enhance any endeavor that involved him.” Adkison served as ASA state commissioner for 35 years and was the President of the ASA of America for four terms. Although, he may be most remembered for his success with the ASA, one of his most personal memories was when he worked the plate for the 1990 NCAA Division II Baseball national championship game where Jacksonville State defeated Cal State Northridge. He attended Samson high school where he was Mr. Samson High, Troy State where he was Mr. Troy State in 1958, and the University of Alabama. Pat is married to Linda and has a daughter, Deborah and son, Gregory along with two granddaughters.

Alan Cosby

Dr. Robert Alan Cosby began his basketball officiating career with the AHSAA in 1989. He worked his first basketball game with fellow inductee, Pat Adkison, and has worked numerous state championships during his career. Cosby started officiating at the collegiate level in 1992, where he continues to officiate for multiple conferences. He worked the 2006 National Junior College Championship in Hutchinson, Kansas, and the next year he worked the NCAA Division II Elite 8 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Cosby has worked multiple conference tournaments for the Gulf South Conference, Southwestern Athletic Conference, Sun Belt Conference, Southern States Conference, and the Alabama Junior College Conference. He worked many college and high school games with fellow Hall of Fame member, Kyle Chambers. Chambers said of his lifetime best friend, “His integrity and intelligence along with his knowledge of the rules and ability to apply the rules effectively made him a quality official.” While still officiating at the collegiate level, he also served as the AHSAA Northeast district director. A graduate of Southside High School, Gadsden State Community College, Jacksonville State University, and the University of Alabama, he is currently serving as the Superintendent of Etowah County Schools. Alan is married to Jeannie, and they have two sons, Johnson, and Hayes.

Don English

Leslie Donald English has officiated sports for over 48 years, primarily in the sport of football. He credits his uncle Bob “Chief” Wells for getting him started when he was a fire fighter in Birmingham in 1972 as a member of the Birmingham Football Officials Association (BFOA) when four person crews were used, and officials had red and white flags. In 1981, he moved to Grove Hill and joined the Mobile Metro Football Officials Association (MMFBOA), where he served as lead trainer, rules interpreter and secretary. English served as a referee camp instructor for over 20 years and worked six AHSAA state championship games and the Alabama/Mississippi Football Classic. He personally remembers working the 2006 Hoover vs. Prattville game with an estimated crowd of 35,000 fans at Legion Field in Birmingham. Former AHSAA Executive Director, Steve Savarese said “Don has an exceptional family bloodline in officiating as his uncle (Chief Wells) officiated until 85 years young and Don until 76 years young.” English was known for his pre-game meetings with the officials, by passing out a zero candy bar to each crew member to remember zero mistakes. Don attended Glenn High School, Jefferson State Community College, and University of Alabama-Birmingham. Don is married to Mary, and they have one son, Grant and one daughter, Leslie along with three grandchildren.

George Evans

George Patrick Evans is one of two former mayors being inducted this year. He served as Mayor of Selma from 2008 until 2016 and served as the president of the city council for eight years A person in a suit and tie Description automatically generatedprior to becoming mayor. The 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march was during his term as mayor and Evans had the privilege of standing alongside President Obama at the foot of the Selma Edmund Pettus bridge. Hall of Famer, Johnny Robertson, said he remembers Evans inauguration speech, where he said, “issues in Selma will no longer be a black/white issue but will be a right or wrong issue.” Evans began officiating for the AHSAA in 1968 in the sports of basketball and football and would work numerous state championships and serve as the West Central District director. He officiated for numerous collegiate conferences after joining the SWAC in 1979, where he later became the coordinator of officials. Evans advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Division I tournament, working games coached by Bobby Knight, Jim Boeheim, and John Calipari. He was inducted into the AHSAA Hall of Fame in 2002. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree for two of his sons, Patrick, and Byron. Both sons officiate at the Division I level in multiple conferences. A lifelong resident and native of Selma, he graduated from Selma City Schools and attended St. Mary’s College, Livingston University and Troy State University. George passed away on May 15, 2023, and is survived by his wife, Jeannie, three sons: Patrick, Duane (Evelyn) and Byron and eight grandchildren.

Mickey Haddock

James M. “Mickey” Haddock is one of two former mayors being inducted this year after serving as the Mayor of Florence from 2012-16. He started his officiating career in 1975 by working the sports of football, baseball, and softball. Haddock worked football state championship games in 1985 and 1988 and was asked to be a football camp instructor in 1992. In 1984, he began his collegiate football officiating career in the Gulf South Conference and joined the SEC in 1996, where he worked as a line judge for 15 seasons. Haddock worked six bowl games and was selected to serve as president of the SECFOA in 2010. Former Florida coach, Steve Spurrier, told Haddock during the first quarter of a contest that he was the second best official in the league at his position. Wondering who was ahead of him throughout the game, Spurrier told him in the fourth quarter that all the others at his position were tied for first. He went on to serve as an SEC replay official and worked the 2019 Rose Bowl in that capacity. Hall of Fame member, Jeff Hilyer, said of Haddock, “His character and integrity will make the ASOF proud to have him as an inductee.” A lifelong resident of Lauderdale County, Haddock attended Central of Florence high school, Northwest State, and the University of North Alabama. Mickey is married to Linda, and they have two sons: Chris (Suzi) and Heath (Beth) along with 3 grandchildren.

Mike Murphy

James Michael Murphy served over 35 years in basketball officiating, working at both the high school and collegiate levels, and also worked baseball for eight years. As a member of the Capital City Basketball Officials Association, Murphy served as a board member and assigner for many years and worked in numerous AHSAA state basketball tournaments. He joined the Gulf South Conference (GSC), what was known as one of the most respected Division II conferences in the country, and later became the conference’s Supervisor of Officials for both men’s and women’s basketball. In 1992, Murphy had the pleasure of working with fellow Hall of Fame members, Paul Andrzejewski and Bill Gauldin where Troy set an NCAA scoring record of 258 points beating DeVry who scored 141. He also worked the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Louisville along with several GSC tournament finals and Alabama Junior College tournament finals. Murphy was also a member of the Sunshine States, SIAC, TransAmerica, ASUN, MidAmerica and SWAC. Mary Day, member of the inaugural 2019 Hall of Fame class, gives credit to Murphy for getting her involved with basketball officiating. Day says that Murphy got her and five other women to start that season and “all six of our lives were changed and impacted” that day. Murphy attended W. A. Berry High School and the University of Montevallo. Mike is married to Joy and has three children: Cort Peavy (Mandi), Justin Peavy (Renata), and Merritt Jones (Stephen) along with ten grandchildren.

Steve Newton

John Stephen “Steve” Newton, Sr., retired from officiating in 2021 after 46 years of service. He was a part of the Fox 6 Sideline Show for five years, providing a segment on high school rules and was a referee state camp instructor with the AHSAA for many years. Fellow camp instructor and current inductee, Don English, stole one of Newton’s teaching quotes that he used in each of his pre-game meetings, “Do not officiate air!”. Newton served on the initial mechanics manual committee when the AHSAA developed its own manual and held many administrative positions with the Birmingham Football Officials Association (BFOA). In 1996 he received the “Dick Burleson Outstanding member Award” which is named for Hall of Fame inaugural class member, Dick Burleson. Newton worked numerous state championship games, as well as several games televised on ESPN. Newton was also a referee at the collegiate level in the Gulf South Conference and Southland Conference, while also working as a replacement official for the National Football League in 2001. He attended Edgewater High School in Orlando, Florida, and Auburn University. Steve is married to Dottie, and the couple has three children: Jamie (John), John (Jana), and Carrie (Phillip) and blessed with eight grandchildren.

Keith Robertson

Keith Crews Robertson has worked the sports of football and baseball at the high school and collegiate levels for more than 43 years, while also working in the Regional Football League (RFL), calling the championship game in 1999. Hall of Fame member, Mark Jones, said “If Keith had not torn his Achilles tendon while trying out to join the SEC, we would have seen him working numerous bowl games.” Jones, also said, “there was no one more enjoyable to officiate with in any sport at any level.” In addition to his 18 years of experience in baseball and 43 years in football, Robertson also officiated high school basketball for 18 years. He worked many AHSAA state championship games, as well as many playoff games at the collegiate level in Division II and Division I-AA. Robertson currently is serving his ninth year as a football district director and served as an umpire camp instructor for the AHSAA. Hall of Fame member, Don Hudson, said Robertson “was the best ever” at the umpire position. Hudson also said, “his rapport with players and coaches and his ability to make the correct call at the appropriate time was one of his major assets.” Robertson also served as one of the first baseball district directors. He attended Anniston High School, Auburn University and Jacksonville State University. Keith has one son, Taylor (Samantha).

Kathy Odom White

Kathy Odom White is known as one of the best high school volleyball officials in the state of Alabama. She officiated high school volleyball for 26 years and collegiate volleyball for 12 years before retiring in 2021. White helped mold many volleyball officials while serving as a state instructor for the AHSAA. She was the founder and first president for the Tri-County Volleyball Officials Association and held numerous administrative positions during her officiating tenure. Patsy Burke, Hall of Fame class of 2020, said, “Kathy was a mentor to both seasoned and new volleyball officials.” White was honored as district official of the year six times and state official of the year twice and worked numerous state tournaments before retiring after working the 7A state championship. White was also an outstanding volleyball player for Brewer State, as the starting outside hitter where they won consecutive state championships and earned a trip to the national tournament in Miami. She attended Berry High School and Brewer State Junior College. Kathy is married to Gary White and has five children: Meagan Stephens, Seth Odom, Josh White, Brandi Hix and Tylor White, and eight grandchildren.

Bill Young

William “Bill” H. Young, Sr., has over 36 years of service with the AHSAA in basketball but also worked the sports of baseball, football, and softball. While working in multiple women’s collegiate conferences, (SEC, ACC, CUSA, Sunbelt, OVC, ASUN, SWAC, Southland and Big South), he continued to significantly contribute to high school basketball, especially with the association he helped form - the Big East Basketball Officials Association. Young also officiated at the junior college level in Alabama and in Georgia. In addition to working numerous state championships, he also worked the NCAA Division II Final Four twice and the Elite Eight four times as well as working in Division I Tournaments 16 times. Even with Young’s success at the collegiate level, he was always devoted to high school officiating and being a mentor for his fellow officials. Hall of Fame member, Don Hudson, said “Bill’s personality and rapport with players and coaches provided him with the ability to diffuse tense situations.” Young attended Benjamin Russell High School and Troy State University. Bill is married to Donna and has two children: a daughter, Kaylan Williams (Bill) and son Will Jr., and three stepchildren: Clark, Kyle and Kacie, along with three grandchildren.

Class

2023

Allen Baynes

Allen Baynes joins his father, Ronnie Baynes (class of 2019), and brother Rusty Baynes (class of 2022) with his induction to the Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame. With 28 years of football officiating, Allen has spent the last 14 seasons officiating in the National Football League. Prior to the NFL, he officiated seven years in CUSA, four years in NFL-Europe, six years in AFL Indoor Football, two years AF2 Indoor Football and nine years of high school football with the AHSAA. Allen also served as a baseball umpire for three years. He is the second youngest official (30 years old) to be selected to work in the NFL. He has worked over 13 NFL playoff games including this year’s NFC championship game as Side Judge (his brother Rusty was an alternate official on the game). This was his second NFC championship game to go along with two AFC championship games. He also worked numerous bowl games as a college official to include the Holiday Bowl, Gator Bowl and Las Vegas Bowl. He also worked the Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine Bowl, and Blue- Gray game.

Greg Brewer

Greg Brewer devoted his life to officiating. His impact on officiating has been recognized in high school sports on both the local and national level. After graduating from Bradshaw High School in Florence in 1975, Greg began officiating football, basketball, and baseball with the AHSAA in 1976 where he continued to officiate until 1992. He joined the AHSAA full-time in 1985 as assistant director. He became the first Director of Officials with the association, and was responsible for registering, testing, training, and overall administration of officials in all sports. He established statewide training camps that became the standard for most states across the country. Greg served multiple terms on the NFHS Baseball rules committee, where he helped implement the AHSAA pitch count, and now many other states and baseball organizations utilized this rule. To assist with the recruitment of officials, he created a sports officiating class taught in many high schools across Alabama. While receiving his master’s degree from the University of Alabama, he taught a sports officiating class and supervised intramural sports. He also served as the official scorer for Alabama basketball games from 1980-2001. After his retirement from the AHSAA in 2016, he continued to be involved in officiating by founding the Alabama Sports Officials Foundation. He served as the executive director of the foundation until passing in September of 2022. Greg was inducted into the AHSAA Hall of Fame in 2018. He received the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Distinguished Service Award in 2012.

George Cavender

George Cavender has 42 years of service as an official. He graduated from Athens State College in 1976. He spent 42 years as a baseball umpire, 18 as a soccer official, 11 as a softball umpire, 8 as a basketball official and 6 as a track official. He held association leadership positions of President, Vice President, Assigner and Board Member, where he was a founding member of the North Alabama Soccer Officials Association in 1978 and officiated soccer until 1996. He also officiated soccer at the collegiate level for eight years. He umpired in numerous state and regional Babe Ruth Championships from 1992 to 2017 and umpired the Inaugural Cal Ripken World Series in 2000. He worked AHSAA baseball state finals in 2004, 2006, and 2010. Also in 2010 he was selected as both the State and Northeast Regional Baseball Umpire of the Year.

Stanley Dixon

Stanley Dixon is being inducted into the Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame with more than 50 years of officiating service. Stan has served on the board and served in many roles with the Mid State Football Officials Association and the Capital City Basketball Officials Association during most of those 50 years. Stan has been selected as the district and state official of the year for basketball and was recently selected to serve as the basketball district director for the South-Central District. He has worked numerous state championships in both basketball and football with the AHSAA. He was a Division I and Division II football and basketball official on the collegiate level, including several years in football for the Southeastern Conference and worked several bowl games. Stan is a graduate of Demopolis High School and Western Michigan State University.

Tim Dees

Tim Dees retired from officiating after serving the AHSAA for 50 years. He began officiating in 1972, shortly after graduating from BC Rain High School in 1971. He graduated from Spring Hill College in 1975. He officiated baseball and basketball for more than 30 years. He also umpired baseball at the collegiate level and was a charter member of the Sun Belt Conference Umpire Association, where he was selected to work the Sun Belt Conference tournament in 1994. Although he retired from baseball and basketball officiating after 30 years, he continued to officiate football as a member of Mobile County Football Officials Association and later joined the Metro Mobile association. During his tenure he served as President and Chairman of the Board as well as other roles in the association. He was selected as the state and district official of the year in 2015, and worked a Super Six Championship in 1998 and a Super 7 championship in 2015.

Bob Harris

Bob Harris is being inducted into the Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame with over 45 years of officiating experience in the sports of basketball, volleyball, and softball. He received the Greg Brewer Distinguished Service Award in 2019 and was selected as the State basketball official of the year in 1999. He received the volleyball district official of the year in both 2003 and 2011. Because of his experience and teaching abilities he was selected as District Director in the sports of Volleyball and Basketball with the AHSAA. He worked the AHSAA basketball finals for 21 consecutive years, and also was selected to work numerous state championships in both volleyball and softball. Bob also had a long tenure of working volleyball and basketball at the collegiate level, working Division I, II, NAIA, and JUCO in both sports. He was registered as an AHSAA official from 1974-2019.

Billy Henderson

William “Billy” Henderson began officiating in 1942 at the age of 18, and was selected to officiate the Alabama state basketball tournament because many of the regular officials had joined the military. He officiated basketball at both the high school and college level for 50 years, and officiated football for 40 years and baseball for 35 years. In 1968 he represented the AHSAA in Ft. Myers, Florida to assist making a film on national rules for baseball. He was one of only a hand full of officials that officiated both Football and Basketball in the Southeastern Conference for 30 years. He also officiated basketball in the Gulf South Conference and later became the assigner for the league. Billy also umpired collegiate baseball for 35 years. He worked the University of Alabama football scrimmages for Bear Bryant, Ray Perkins, Bill Curry and Gene Stallings. He played in three sports while attending college at the Citadel. He received the Most Outstanding Athlete award in 1947. In addition to his officiating, he also coached at Tuscaloosa High School and was the State Coach of the Year in football in 1964. He received the AHSAA Distinguished Service Award (now known as the Greg Brewer Dedicated Service Award) in 1990. He was inducted into the Alabama High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 1994. He passed at the age of 89 on April 21, 2013.

Dana Loconto

Dana Loconto has a long and successful career as a chair umpire in professional tennis. The Gadsden City Tennis complex is named in his honor as well as being enshrined in the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame and the Alabama Tennis Hall of Fame. He wrote regular articles in two Tennis magazines – Tennis and Tennis International. For many years during his 17 years of service, he has worked 31 Grand Slam Tournaments to include: Wimbledon, US Open (including the chair of the 1989 men’s finals), French Open, Australian Open, and Men’s Grand Prix. He has also sat in the chair for the NCAA Men’s National Championship as well as countless other professional tournaments around the world. He received the Jack Stahr Award for US Open umpire rookie of the year. He created the Palm-Top Electronic Scorecard Computer that is still in use today. Dana attended Etowah High School and Auburn University.

Steve Patrick

After completing a football playing career at Pinson Valley High School and Jacksonville State University, Steve Patrick began officiating high school football with the Alabama High School Athletic Association. After two years with the East Alabama Officials Association, he moved to the collegiate level by joining the Southland Conference. After working two NCAA playoff games during his five-year stint with the Southland Conference, he joined the Southeastern Conference and worked 14 seasons. During his time with the SEC, he worked 11 bowl games to include two Fiesta Bowls and two Orange Bowls (one of which was the NCAA National Championship Game). He also worked three SEC Championship games, two Senior Bowls, and one East-West Shriner’s game. After his 14 seasons with the SEC, he was asked to join the NFL staff where he worked for 9 seasons. During his time in the NFL, he worked numerous post season playoff assignments. Steve has served as the boy’s golf coach at Oneonta High School for five seasons. Steve joins his father, Bob Patrick (class of 2019), with his induction into the Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame.

Michael Pretnar

Michael Pretnar is being inducted into the Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame with over 44 years of service as a basketball official. He has 24 years of service as a volleyball official and 18 years as a baseball umpire. He has served in numerous administrative positions with his local AHSAA associations to include President, Chairman of the Board and Booking Agent for over 35 years. He has worked numerous state finals and regional championships in each sport. He also officiates volleyball at the collegiate level. He attended Mendel Catholic High School in Chicago and the University of Illinois and Purdue University.

Nancy Price

Nancy Price began her officiating career in North Carolina in 1976 where she officiated in the sports of baseball, volleyball, softball and basketball. She was the first female official to officiate a high school baseball game and a boy’s high school basketball game in North Carolina. While in North Carolina she worked multiple state tournaments in each of the sports she officiated while serving on the North Carolina Board of Women’s Sports for Basketball and Volleyball from 1979-1992. In 1992, she moved to Alabama to continue her officiating career, and became the first female to work an AHSAA baseball state tournament. She worked in baseball post season for 22 years and had two state finals. She worked numerous state championships in volleyball and softball. She received the District Official of the Year honors in baseball, softball, and volleyball during her career in Alabama, and served as a state baseball camp instructor for five years. She also worked collegiate softball and volleyball in the Gulf South Conference, Trans Atlantic Conference, Conference USA, and Alabama Junior College Conference. She worked an NCAA regional volleyball tournament in 1998. Nancy also worked Babe Ruth baseball in both North Carolina and Alabama, working 13 regional tournaments and was the first female to work a Babe Ruth World Series when she worked at Clifton Park, New York and Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She attended Winston Salem State University, East Carolina University and received her PhD/ABD at Concordia University of Chicago.

Michael Shirey

Michael Shirey has over 39 years of experience as a football official at both the high school and collegiate levels. After attending Fort Payne High School where he lettered in five sports, Mike decided to walk-on the football team at Auburn University. Shirey eventually became the starting center and was the first captain for Coach Pat Dye, and was the first player to earn a degree under Dye when he received a degree in Civil Engineering in 1981. In the Fall of 1982, he joined the Northeast Alabama football official’s association, and his officiating career progressed to the collegiate level where he worked for the Independent College Football Officials Association and later joined the Southland Conference. In 1999, he was selected to join the Southeastern Conference as a line judge. He has earned post season games in two SEC championship games, two Rose Bowls, three Fiesta Bowls, and three Orange Bowls. He worked a Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl and Fiesta Bowl with Referee Steve Shaw, Alabama Sports Officials Hall of Fame member (class of 2021). He has served as the SEC line judge position chief and SECFOA president. He was inducted into the Dekalb County Sports Hall of Fame in 2020, and also received the Bobby Gaston – Ed Dudley Spirit of Officiating Award in 2019.

Class

2022

Rusty Baynes

Rusty Baynes has dedicated 26 years to officiating football, baseball and basketball in the high school, college and professional levels. He is recognized as being one of the best lineof-scrimmage officials in the country. He began his career in 1993, working National Intercollegiate Athletic Association baseball games. In 1995 he began officiating football games for the Alabama High School Athletic Association through the Central Alabama association. Baynes has officiated numerous State Playoff games. His college career began in 2001 with Conference USA as an on-field official. During his career he has worked the Big 12 Championship game and seven bowl games. He also served as a clinician for the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Southern Conference. At the professional level he has officiated three Super Bowls -- XLIX (40), L (50), and LV (55) – and worked in four different leagues. For the National Football League, he worked three American Football Conference-National Football Conference Championship games as well as several divisional and wild card games. He spent three years with the NFL-Europe program. He officiated four years of Arena Football league and two years of Arena2 Football League games. He is one of five officiating family members of Hall of Fame official Ronnie Baynes.

Kyle Chambers

Kyle Chambers’ 34-year basketball officiating career has included superlative performance at both the high school and college levels. His high school work began in 1986 and continued through 2020. He called Alabama High School Athletic Association state finals games in 2002 and from 2017 through 2020. In 1991 he entered collegiate officiating with the Alabama Junior College Conference, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and the Southern Conference. In 1994 he began a16-year association with the Gulf South Conference in the NCAA Division II. Chambers officiated men’s Division II tournament from 1996-1998.His NCAA Division I work also began in 1994 with assignments in the Atlantic Sun Conference and the Ohio Valley Conference. He officiated conference semifinal games in both. He joined the Southeastern Conference in 1997. In 2008 he was selected to officiate the first two rounds of the NCAA March Madness tournament. He officiated the Men’s National Invitational Tournament from 1997 through 2009. From 2003-07 he called the San Juan Shootout tournaments in Puerto Rico. From 2017 to the present, he has been an Observer for the SEC Men’s Referee Development Team. During his career he has also served as Assignor, Instructor, Association Officer, and Program Coordinator. Former Birmingham-Southern College coach Duane Reboul said: “When Kyle Chambers walked out on the court as one of our officials, I immediately breathed a sigh of relief. I knew we were going to receive a well-officiated game. Kyle is extremely knowledgeable of the rules of the game, possesses the physical presence to enforce those rules, and has the personality to diffuse conflicts.”

Ron Collins

Ron Collins has devoted 40 years to young people as a football, baseball, and basketball official in Alabama and Mississippi. He joined the ranks of the Alabama High School Athletic Association in 1978 and further honed his skills by attending the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School, where he was ranked 15th in a class of 200 future umpires. He served as AHSAA Baseball District Director for 12 years and President of the Central Alabama Basketball Officials Association for 10 years. He was named Official of the Year by the Central Alabama Basketball Officials Association. In the words of a colleague, Collins was “always eager to help train new officials and also to help veteran officials improve their performance.” He was also an official on the college level, officiating basketball, football, and baseball in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. He was on the SWAC Basketball Instruction Staff. He has been a basketball official for the Alabama Junior College Conference. He worked the NCAA Division II World Series, Division IAA football playoffs, and the SWAC championships. His baseball career included the honor of being the first African American to umpire a Southeastern Conference game.

Al Ford

Al Ford’s officiating career spanned more than 35 years at the high school and college levels. After two years of officiating basketball and football in his native Texas, he moved to Birmingham where he continued those sports and added softball to his work. He officiated in Birmingham for seven years, then moved to Florence where he officiated in Shoals area for eight years. He joined the Gulf South Conference in 1974, officiating football for eight years and basketball for 12 years. In 1982 he joined the Southeastern Conference, refereeing football for 20 years and basketball for three years. During his SEC years he refereed all of the major rivalry games at least once, including the Iron Bowl four times. Ford’s post-season work includes the Blue-Gray Game, the Independence Bowl twice, Fiesta Bowl twice, Hall of Fame Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Sun Bowl. He officiated the Southeastern Conference Championship Game two times and served as the SEC replay official for 14 years. He played baseball and basketball at Hallsville, Texas High School. He played basketball at Panola Junior College and was graduated from East Texas State University in 1964.

Lane Lawley

In a 32-year officiating career Lane Lawley has called games in football, softball, and basketball, but it is in volleyball that he found his niche and his passion. “When he is not officiating, Lane literally spends virtually every weekend in the gym helping officials,” said a colleague. At the high school level, he has served as Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Association Southwest Volleyball District. He is past president and Assignor of the North Baldwin Volleyball Association and has served as a camp instructor for the sport. He has been a USA Volleyball official for 26 years. He was Volleyball District Director from 2006-21. He formed the North Baldwin Volleyball Association in 1993 and served as president for 11 years, and as assignor for two additional years. He also officiated AHSAA softball, soccer, and basketball. He also officiated youth football, softball, and baseball from 1972-1997. He is president of the Emerald Coast Board of Officials and was president of the Baldwin County Softball Association for 10 years. Lawley is a state-rated college official, officiating in the following conference: Sunbelt, Gulf South, Panhandle, Atlantic-Sun, Peach Belt, and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. He has officiated in the NAIA and all three divisions of the NCAA. He has worked a Regional and tournament finals. Lane was inducted into the Baldwin County Middle School Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Gulf Coast Hall of Fame in 2014, and received the Gulf Coast Region Robert L. Lindsay Meritorious Service award.

Pat Martin

Pat Martin’s 43 years in volleyball is summarized this way by a colleague : “Pat best expressed her love of the sport and all of those involved in it by giving unselfishly of her time and knowledge and sharing the experiences that are gathered in a volleyball life well lived.” Martin, who died in 2016, devoted more than four decades to the sport at the high school and college levels. She fell in love with volleyball as a student at Gadsden High School. The team, with only six letter-winners, won the state championship in 1968. She went to play college and club volley. Beginning in 1970, she was involved in the sport continuously as a coach or official. With the Alabama High School Athletic Association, she served as Assignor, Instructor, Association Officer and Program Coordinator. With the Professional Association of Volleyball Officials, she served as Trainer and Rater, also regional and geographical Assigner. She was named District and State Official of the Year. She officiated both Division I and Division II with NCAA, including the national championship. She received an AHSAA Distinguished Service Award in 2007 and the USA Volleyball Robert L. Lindsay Meritorious Service Award in 2002. She was a 1920 inductee in the Alabama Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. She was inducted in the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. The City of Champions Volleyball Tournament in Gadsden was renamed the Pat Martin Memorial Volleyball Tournament after her death.

Mike Newman

Mike Newman has devoted more than four decades to high school and college officiating in baseball, basketball, and football. With the Alabama High School Athletic Association, he has served as Assigner, Instructor, Association Official and Program Coordinator. Although he has continued to teach and coach in Fayette schools, his officiating career dates to 1973. In basketball, he has called 15 Final Fours, including the first 11 tournaments. He officiated the 1997 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Basketball game in Florence, AL. He has been an Alabama High School Athletic Association Basketball Camp Instructor. He has served as President of the Northwest Basketball Officials Association for 30 years. He officiated college basketball from 1987-2017, working with several difference conferences and calling numerous Alabama Junior College Tournaments during that time. In football, he worked 7A game at the Super 7 state championship in 2019. He is currently District Director of the Football Officials of West Alabama. He has umpired and held administrative positions in baseball, also. In 2015 he received the Greg Brewer Distinguished Service Award for 41 years of service to high school athletics. He was the District Official of the Year in 2001-02.

Van Phillips Sr.

Van Phillips Sr. has been not only an outstanding wrestling official for more than 25 years but also a person who introduced the sport to numerous students. He started the wrestling program in Birmingham City Schools in 2015. He began his devotion to the sport in 1984 when he became head coach at Fairfield High School. Later he coached at Hueytown. His combined 12-year dual match record was 117-46. Phillips was named State Wrestling Sectional Coach of the Year in 1988 and 1990. In 1992 he left coaching to go into administration as an assistant principal but continued his work as a wrestling official. He retired as Center Point High School principal in 2022. Since 1986, when he was the first African American to do so, he has officiated in every state championship wrestling tournament. He has also worked countless dual matches during that time. Phillips was named District Wrestling Official of the Year in 2000 and 2016. He was also named state official of the year in 2016. He has been on the Birmingham Wrestling Officials Board of Directors since 1983 and on the AHSAA Central Board since 2015. He attended Kentucky State University on a football scholarship, graduating on the Dean’s List in 1982.

Rusty Riley

Rusty Riley has devoted nearly half a century to officiating in the high school and college ranks, excelling as an on-field official and administrator. In addition to working countless high school and college games in basketball, softball and baseball, he also helped formulate and implement much needed training instructions for upcoming and future high school officials. He spent more than 40 years officiating and implementing programs for the Alabama High School Athletic Association and the Birmingham Basketball Officials Association (BBOA). Riley received the BBOA President’s Award in 1994 and 1995. He worked multiple basketball state tournaments and served on the first group of training instructors for the AHSAA. He officiated baseball for nine years and softball for eight years, working multiple state tournaments in both. He carried his desire for helping young officials to the next level, working with the Alabama Junior College Conference and the Gulf South Conference as an Evaluator and Instructor in both basketball and softball. He officiated the 2005 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national tournament. Riley worked 18 years of Division II conference tournaments, including eight regionals and the 2009 national tournament. He worked all three divisions in NCAA softball.

Paul Stanton

Paul Stanton was there at the beginning when soccer became an officially sanctioned Alabama High School Athletic Association sport in 1991. He began refereeing soccer games in Alabama in the late 1970s. During his career, which ended only with his death in 2016, he devoted 20 years of on-field officiating for high school soccer, working the state championship semifinals and finals multiple times. He was AHSAA Soccer Official of the Year in 1999. He also served the sport through the AHSAA as District Director, Assignor, Instructor, Program Coordinator and Association Officer. He was president of the Greater Birmingham Soccer Officials Association. At the college level, he was an on-field official and Assignor for the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the Southeastern Conference, and the Gulf South Conference. He was also an Assignor for several other conferences as well as for the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association. Nationally, he was a Regional Assessor with the United States Soccer Federation and with NISOA. He was acknowledged as one of the best.

Max Wilkes

Max Wilkes devoted more than 40 years to promoting the game of softball as a player, an umpire, an instructor, and rules interpreter. He was elected the Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame in 2009, culminating decades of extraordinary service. He officiated his first national tournament in 1976. In 1983 he was appointed Umpire-in-Chief for the ASA Southern Region. In that capacity, over the years. He made more than 9,000 umpire appointments to more than 400 national tournaments. Wilkes assigned more umpires to the ASA Nationals than any umpire in the history of the organization. He himself was Umpire-in-Chief for more than 70 national tournaments. He trained more than 20 State and Metro Umpires-in-Chief. He was inducted into the ASA Hall of Fame National Indicator Fraternity in 1986. Wilkes served three terms as president of the Alabama Amateur Softball Association. With the Alabama High School Athletic Association, he was a dedicated Assigner, State Camp Instructor, and State Rules interpreter. Beginning in 1960, Max officiated baseball, softball, basketball and football games, including finals in all four sports. He was coordinator of the state softball tournament for 20 years. He was also an officer in the local officials’ organizations. He served with Phenix City Umpire Association from 1968 until his death. In his hometown of Phenix City he served as City Manager, Parks and Recreation Director, Municipal Court Clerk, and City Councilman. He was President and Booking Agent for the Phenix City Softball Umpires Association. Max Wilkes died in 2012. The Max E. Wilkes Fellowship Hall at the Martin-Idle Hour Park Community Center was named in his honor in 2016.

Dr. Faye Wilson

Dr. Faye Wilson’s officiating career included 37 years at the high school and professional sports levels. She started with the Alabama High School Athletic Association officiating basketball and volleyball from 1995-2019. She was the first black female to officiate the finals of the State Basketball Tournament. She officiated the finals from 2001 through 2007. She officiated regional playoff games for 25 years and the Alabama-Mississippi All Star Games in 2004, 2005, 2008, and 2009. She served as a Rules Interpreter for several years and was involved in numerous training and administrative activities. As a college basketball official, she worked with the Ohio Valley Conference, Trans America Athletic Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, Sun Belt Conference, Southwestern Athletic Conference, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and Alabama Community College Conference. Dr. Wilson served as Supervisor of Officials for the Alabama Community College Conference. Her post-season work included call the SIAC and ACCC tournament finals multiple times. She officiated the NCAA Division II tournament and served as an AAU tournament official. She was involved in the National Women’s Basketball League from 2002-2006. She was an Assigner/Trainer with the league and also officiated the tournament finals each year. She is a graduate of Tuskegee University and also attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Columbia Commonwealth. She was inducted into the Central Alabama Softball Hall of Fame in 2014.

Class

2021

Tony Baggiano

Tony Baggiano officiated at all levels of football and basketball for the Alabama High School Athletic association. His work included more than 35 games over 15 years in the state basketball tournament, including four championship games. He worked numerous high school football games, including state playoffs. At the college level, he officiated the finals of the Alabama Junior College Conference tournament, the Southern States Conference tournament, and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics District 27. As an administrator, he assigned AHSAA state tournament officials for 13 years. As an AHSAA clinician, he produced, instructed, and tested basketball and football officials around the state at more than150 clinics for 16 years. He developed a critique form which he filled out and gave officials after state tournament games. He served as president and held other positions in the Central Alabama Basketball Officials Association and the Central Alabama Football Officials Association. He has been inducted into the AHSAA Hall of Fame, the USA Water Ski and Wake Board Foundation Hall of Fame, and the Alabama Water Ski Hall of Fame. He received the Award of Distinction and the Award of Merit from water ski organizations. Baggiano’s dedication to high school sports was noted by former AHSAA Executive Director Herman “Bubba” Scott. He said: “We had the utmost confidence in Tony’s ability, thus putting him in what we considered to be some of the toughest playoff games. He always fulfilled and exceeded our expectations. He is the only official that I have ever known who would fly back from Washington, D.C. in order to work the high school assignment he had accepted for that night.”

Jack Burton

Jack Burton established the first wrestling official’s association recognized by the Alabama High School Athletic Association. That was the Birmingham Wrestling Officials Association that started with just three members in 1967. More than 30 officials were involved by the time he ended his officiating career in 1997. Between 1967 and 1997 he recruited and mentored hundreds of young men as wrestling officials. One of those recruits was Jeff Saxon, who said: “When I began officiating, I worked hard to emulate Coach Burton as an official because of his ability, command on the mat, and the respect and admiration that he garnered from coaches, participants, and fans.” After retiring from officiating, he remained active in his support of wrestling. He served as an assistant coach and head coach at Erwin High School and assistant coach at Hewitt-Trussville High School. He won the Class 5A State Championship at Erwin in 1999. During his 32-year career, he called more than 40 State Sectional Tournaments and 32 high school State Tournaments and was selected as Official of the Year numerous times. In 1997 he received the Distinguished Service Award from the AHSAA for his many years of service and leadership in wrestling officiating. Burton also officiated wrestling for the Southeastern Conference from 1973-79. Administrative positions held include Assignor and Association Officer for the Birmingham Wrestling Officials Association. In 2017 he was inducted into the Alabama Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Bobby Cook

Bobby Cook was a high school and collegiate official for more than four decades, working numerous contests in basketball, football, baseball, and softball. He began officiating basketball in 1962 at Fort Rucker while undergoing Alabama National Guard basic training. From there he added football, baseball, and softball to his repertoire, serving the Alabama High School Athletic Association for more than 40 years. He began officiating football in the 1970s and was instrumental in organizing a local official’s group in Chilton County. He officiated women’s basketball games for the Alabama Junior College Conference. Administrative positions held included Official, Assignor, Instructor, Association Officer, Evaluator, Camp Instructor, and Program Coordinator. As Evaluator, he traveled around the state to help officials excel and reach their potential. He was involved in training many young officials starting their careers. He served as North Central District director in basketball for eight years and supervised officials for numerous regional tournaments. He was a volunteer official for the annual Alabama Lions Club East-West Baseball Games for 15 years and volunteered on the “chain gang’” at Chilton County High School football games. He also spent many Saturday mornings volunteering as an official for the Royal Ambassador Organization youth basketball games. A long civic and business leader in Clanton, Cook was serving as a city council member when the city’s beloved, longtime mayor, Billy Joe Driver, died from the coronavirus. Cook was sworn in as mayor to complete Driver’s term.

Greg England

Greg England’s 48-year officiating career included major contributions at both the high school and college levels. He joined the Birmingham Basketball Officials Association in 1970 and over the next 32 years held numerous positions. He was on the Board of Directors for 32 years and served as president for 10 years. When he stepped down as president in 2006, the association voted to change the name of the President’s Award to the Greg England President’s Award. It is given annually to the official who demonstrates outstanding character and moral values. For the Alabama High School Athletic Association, he worked the Regional basketball tournament for 10 years and the State Tournament for 25 years. He officiated two Alabama Mississippi Basketball All-Star games and is an observer for the AHSAA North Central District. He was one of the original AHSAA State Basketball Camp instructors, a position he held for 12 years. He was a regional tournament assistant director for 10 years. Former BBOA President Bobby Stewart said of England’s dedication to officiating: “At one time, three-person crews were optional...The school only had to pay for two. Greg would always take a younger official and get them the experience they needed to advance and pay them out of his own pocket.” He was a basketball official for 25 years with the Gulf South Conference, Southern States Conference, and Alabama Junior College Conference. In 2000 he was named Official of the Year for Alabama by the National Federation Officials Association. That same year he was named North Central District Official of the Year. He was inducted into the AHSSAA Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Lowell Frobish

Lowell Frobish’s officiating contributions to soccer cover more than three decades. He officiated Alabama High School Athletic Association games from 1990-2004. He officiated college soccer for five years and was a college assessor for five years. He officiated United States Soccer Federation from 1985-2003 and served as a USSF assessor for 15 years and instructor for 22 years. He was State Director of Assessment for eight years and Southeast District Director for 10 years. As Director of Assessment, he wrote test registration questions for officials. Hall of Fame official Joe Manjone said, “Lowell’s greatest contribution to the improvement of soccer officiating in Alabama was through his work as an assessor and trainer of soccer officials.” Another colleague said that “anyone who officiated a game with him also learned good officiating techniques and positioning.” He received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Clemson, SC YMCA for contributions to the soccer program. He received a Certificate of Appreciation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture or service and contributions to the Nutrition Task Force and one from the Alabama Farmers Federation. He was named Director Emeritus of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station by Auburn University. He served on two scientific tours to the USSR to present and discuss animal nutrition problems. He is a member of the American Society of Animal Science and the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association.

Don Hudson

Don Hudson’s 40-year career in officiating included work at both the high school and college levels. For the Alabama High School Athletic Association, he called games in basketball, football, baseball, and softball. He called state championship contests in football, basketball, and baseball. He also served in administrative positions in all four sports. Coach Chucky Miller, recalling his games officiated by Hudson, said: “Don Hudson was engaged in all games he officiated with me in his character, hustle, knowledge, command of the game, and a willingness to make the game better for all persons involved.” On the collegiate level, he has officiated women’s basketball, working the Division I and Division II NCAA tournaments. He officiated the finals of the women’s NCAA Division I National Invitational Tournament finals. He has also worked with many conferences, including the Southeastern Conference. He was an instructor in Gulf South Conference camps. Administrative positions held include Assignor, Instructor, Association Officer, and District Director. He currently serves as basketball East Central District director. One colleague said, “Throughout Don’s career he has constantly recruited and taught young men and women on how to officiate and how to become a better official.” He is past president of the Masters Games of Alabama and has participated in the Alabama Senior Olympics. He is a member of the Alabama Recreation and Parks Association and the Alabama Association of Healthy, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.

Sidney James

In his 42-year career, Sidney James officiated high school baseball, basketball, and football. He officiated baseball and basketball at the collegiate level. In the Alabama High School Athletic Association, he has served in numerous administrative roles as well as being a basketball instructor. He has worked numerous state championship games in basketball and football as well as postseason assignments in baseball and basketball. At the collegiate level, he officiated for the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Gulf South Conference, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Alabama Junior College Conference, and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. He was an official for both SWAC’s men’s and women’s state basketball tournaments for 30 years. He was an NCAA women’s tournament official three times. As an administrator, he has served as Assignor, Instructor, Association Officer, and Program Coordinator. A graduate of Jefferson Davis High School, James was an All-State basketball player at Patrick Henry Junior College. He was a member of the first basketball team at Auburn University-Montgomery, earning all-conference and Most Valuable Player honors. He received the AHSAA Distinguished Service Award in 2020 and in 2016 was inducted into the SWAC Hall of Fame.

Lem‌ ‌Jones‌

Lemuel‌ ‌Jones‌ ‌has‌ ‌dedicated‌ ‌50‌ ‌years‌ ‌to‌ ‌officiating‌ ‌high‌ ‌school‌ ‌and‌ ‌collegiate‌ ‌sports‌events.‌ ‌He‌ ‌began‌ ‌his‌ ‌career‌ ‌as‌ ‌an‌ ‌Alabama‌ ‌High‌ ‌School‌ ‌Athletic‌ ‌Association‌ ‌registered‌ ‌official‌ ‌in‌1968,‌ ‌serving‌ ‌through‌ ‌2018.‌ ‌During‌ ‌that‌ ‌time,‌ ‌he‌ ‌called‌ ‌Regional/Area‌ ‌tournaments‌ ‌for‌ ‌44‌years,‌ ‌boys‌ ‌State‌ ‌Tournaments‌ ‌for‌ ‌27‌ ‌years.‌ ‌In‌ ‌1988‌ ‌he‌ ‌officiated‌ ‌the‌ ‌Alabama-Mississippi‌ ‌All-Star ‌game,‌ ‌and‌ ‌in‌ ‌1991‌ ‌he‌ ‌officiated‌ ‌the‌ ‌girls’‌ ‌state‌ ‌tournament.‌‌‌ He‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌recognized‌ ‌for‌ ‌his‌ ‌work‌ ‌in‌ ‌training‌ ‌new‌ ‌officials‌ ‌and‌ ‌serving‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌counselor,‌ ‌tutor‌ , and‌ ‌mentor‌ ‌for‌ ‌young‌ ‌officials.‌‌At‌ ‌the‌ ‌college‌ ‌level,‌ ‌he‌ ‌officiated‌ ‌the‌ ‌Alabama‌ ‌Junior‌ ‌College‌ ‌Conference‌ ‌for‌ ‌37‌ ‌years,‌the‌ ‌Southwestern‌ ‌Athletic‌ ‌Conference‌ ‌for‌ ‌24‌ ‌years,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Gulf‌ ‌South‌ ‌Conference‌ ‌for‌ ‌12‌ ‌years,‌ ‌and‌‌ the‌ ‌Southern‌ ‌Intercollegiate‌ ‌Athletic‌ ‌Conference‌ ‌for‌ ‌13‌ ‌years.‌ ‌Tournament‌ ‌games‌ ‌were‌ ‌included‌in‌ ‌all‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌conferences.‌‌‌ He‌ ‌received‌ ‌a‌ ‌State‌ ‌Tournament‌ ‌Officials ‌Award‌ ‌in‌ ‌1996‌ ‌in‌ ‌recognition‌ ‌of‌ ‌outstanding‌ ‌service‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌tournament.‌ ‌He‌ ‌was‌ ‌awarded‌ ‌the‌ ‌Alabama‌ ‌High‌ ‌School‌ ‌Athletic‌ ‌Association’s‌Distinguished‌ ‌Service‌ ‌Award‌ ‌(now‌ ‌the‌ ‌Greg‌ ‌Brewer‌ ‌Distinguished‌ ‌Service‌ ‌Award)‌ ‌in‌ ‌1997.‌‌He‌ ‌coached‌ ‌football‌ ‌and‌ ‌basketball‌ ‌at‌ ‌Southside-Selma‌ ‌High‌ ‌School‌ ‌from‌ ‌2008-10.‌ ‌A‌colleague‌ ‌said‌ ‌of‌ ‌him:‌ ‌“He‌ ‌impacted‌ ‌so‌ ‌many‌ ‌students’‌ ‌lives‌ ‌in‌ ‌numerous‌ ‌ways.‌ ‌Mr.‌ ‌Jones‌ ‌has‌ ‌a‌‌ strong‌ ‌compassion‌ ‌for‌ ‌students,‌ ‌co-workers,‌ ‌support‌ ‌staff‌ ‌, and‌ ‌administrators.‌ ‌He‌ ‌could‌ ‌reach‌back‌ ‌and‌ ‌move‌ ‌anyone‌ ‌forward‌ ‌to‌ ‌reach‌ ‌the‌ ‌highest‌ ‌level‌ ‌of‌ ‌attainment‌ ‌both‌ ‌on‌ ‌and‌ ‌off‌ ‌the‌field.‌ ‌He‌ ‌could‌ ‌take‌ ‌limited‌ ‌resources‌ ‌and‌ ‌perfect‌ ‌them‌ ‌in‌ ‌ways‌ ‌like‌ ‌none‌ ‌other.”‌

Rhonda Kirk

Rhonda Kirk’s 20-year career included work with the Alabama High School Athletic Association in football, softball, and basketball. She was a tournament director in softball, basketball, and volleyball for several years. She was among the first female football officials in Alabama and is one of only two to work a state championship football game. She worked numerous high school football playoff games, including the Class 3A game in the 2007 Super Six Football Championship. After calling her last playoff game in 2010, she was presented with a football signed by coaches to commemorate the occasion. Her commitment to softball included hosting a round-robin tournament prior to the season to make sure new officials, coaches, and players were aware of any changes to the high school rules. She was the Southeast Alabama District Umpire of the Year in high school softball for 2001 and 2004. She was state Umpire of the Year in 2004. She was Southeast Alabama Football District Official of the Year in 2009. Administrative positions held include Instructor, Association Officer, District Director, and Tournament Director. She headed the AHSAA Regional basketball tournament in Dothan for six years. She also directed the Downtown Dothan Hoops Classic Basketball Tournament and the Dothan Diamond Classic Softball Tournament. The Diamond Classic helps fund local high school softball programs. She was a volunteer and involved in finding officials for both the Miracle League and the Special Olympic state basketball tournament and track meet. Rhonda’s Softball Family Golf Tournament raises college scholarship funds for needy local students.

Eddie Miller

Eddie Miller’s 40-year career as an official included work at the high school, college, and professional sports levels. His career began calling intramural games at Walker College Jasper. From there he went on to the Alabama High School Athletic Association where he worked four state tournaments, including two championship games. His college work spanned 30 years and include 21 men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments including two Final Four games, two National Invitational Tournaments, two NCAA Division II Final Fours, and numerous conference tournaments. He worked tournament championship games for the SEC, Big 12, Southwest Conference, Metro Conference, Conference USA, Ohio Valley Conference, Gulf South Conference, and Alabama Junior College Conference. He officiated in 16 different college conferences, including 21 years in the Southeastern Conference. After retiring from active officiating in 2008, he served four years an observer with the SEC to evaluate, train and mentor the next generation of officials. He also worked for two years in the professional American Basketball League. He received a Gulf south Conference Basketball Officials Association Service Award in 1985. He was inducted into the Walker County Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. Sue Donohoe, Director of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball, said of Miller’s work: “Your role as an official during the championship competition was significant to the success of the 2000 Women’s Basketball Championship. By being selected to work the NCAA Women’s Basketball Champions, you are considered one of the top basketball officials in the country, and we feel fortunate to have such a quality individual’s service as officials for the championship competition.”

Gordon Pettus

Gordon Pettus was a high school and collegiate official for more than 30 years. After playing football at the University of Alabama, he began a career as a high school football coach, then entered the sporting goods business. But he found a higher calling in officiating. After serving the Alabama High School Athletic Association for a number of years, he ventured into the collegiate ranks. From 1956-80 he was a Southeastern Conference football official. He had numerous bowl game assignments throughout his career. In 1980 he left the field and moved into the office as Supervisor of SEC Officials. Former official Dick Burleson said of Pettus: “He was not only a great college player but also an outstanding official and SEC supervisor. Gordon was a leader in his high school association before being a member of the SEC, where he was constantly ranked the number one back judge for many years. He was recognized by everyone, especially the SEC coaches, as the very best! “Gordon was a mentor to many aspiring officials, including me. He was very instrumental in my selection and career in the SEC. He was an excellent supervisor of SEC officials.” Hall of Famer Ronnie Baynes said Pettus devoted many hours to recruiting other former athletes to become officials. Some of them had successful careers not only in the SEC but also in the National Football League. “As a result of his outstanding leadership, Gordon was selected to become Supervisor of Officials. He held this position for many years before his retirement. It was during this tenure of leadership that the SEC officials were recognized as the best in college football,” said Baynes.

Johnny Robertson

Johnny Robertson has given half a century of officiating dedication to the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Beginning in 1971 as a basketball official, he was on the court until 1999 when he went into administration. From 1999 through 2020 he was a basketball official District Director. He has served as a rules clinician, state rules interpreter, and state camp director. He called 17 AHSAA state basketball finals. He was an official with Gulf South Conference and the Alabama Junior College Conference. He was a Southern states official for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Although basketball was his specialty, he also officiated many years of football and baseball and worked the sideline for his local soccer association. Administrative positions he has held include Assignor, Instructor, Association Officer, District Director, and Rules Interpreter. He was awarded a Lifetime Membership in the Mid-State Officials Association in 1987. He received the AHSAA Distinguished Service Award in 2008. He was inducted into the AHSAA Hall of Fame in 2019. He was selected as the National Federation of High School Association’s National Distinguished Contributor in 2020. Describing Robertson as a mentor, an officiating colleague wrote: “He is dedicated to the purpose of making every official a better official. He is conscientious and has worked tirelessly to make officiating in the state the very best.”

Steve Shaw

Steve Shaw’s 40-year career has included work in the high school and college arenas as well as administrative duties in officiating. After his graduation from the University of Alabama, Shaw officiated for 14 years with the Birmingham Football Officials Association. He began his college officiating career in the Gulf South Conference, working for six years and then the Southeastern Conference for 15 years. He was selected for 14 postseason assignments. They included eight bowl games, four Southeastern Conference championship games, two National Championship games. He was a leader in the Sunbelt Conference’s officiating program, also. He served as president of the SEC Football Officials Association and as Coordinator of SEC Football Officials. He currently is the NCAA Coordinator of Football Officials. In 2020 he was selected by the National Association of Sports Officials as the recipient of the Mel Narol Medallion. NASO founder Barry Mano said the award “is presented to someone who has served NASO’s mission on behalf of its members. Steve has done that for more than a decade. With everything he has on his plate, for him to find time to help NASO grow, sustain itself, and then advocate on behalf of all who serve as officials have been remarkable.” He has chaired the CCA National Mechanics Manual Committee since 2011. He introduced the first official-to-official communication system in college football. He revamped the SEC and Sun Belt grading process with them being among the first officials’ associations to join NASO as a group.

Don Stanford

Don Stanford’s officiating career in high school and college sports spanned 50 years. It included basketball, softball, football, track, and volleyball. He officiated 50 Alabama High School Athletic Association state finals in basketball and officiated state finals in football. He officiated Alabama All-Star basketball games and the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game. He was an Alabama junior college official for 30 years, working the state tournament. He worked the National Junior College Tournament finals twice. He officiated regular season, quarterfinals, and finals games in the Gulf South Conference for 25 years. He officiated American Softball Association games for 35 years and Dixie Youth Baseball for 12 years. As an administrator, he served as an Instructor, Assigning Secretary, official observer, and as a district, regional, and state director of officials. He was booking agent for the Decatur Officials Association for 25 years. He was the basketball official’s director/coordinator for the girl's state high school tournament for 10 years. He handled state testing for basketball and football for 20 years and worked in the state basketball camp for 10 years. He played basketball for four years at Athens State University. He coached basketball and baseball at Cotaco High School, taking two teams to the state finals, and was inducted into the Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame

Class

2020

PATSY BURKE

Burke, who currently lives in Daphne, served 25 years at the UAB School of Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine and became involved with volleyball as a statistician at Pelham High School. Upon her retirement from her “first” career at UAB, she moved into volleyball and softball officiating – rising to the top as one the state and nation’s most knowledgeable experts in both sports and one of both sports’ most devoted leaders. She has officiated high school volleyball for 25 years, beginning in the Birmingham Volleyball Officials Association (BVOA) and now with the North Baldwin Volleyball Association (NBVBOA). She served as president of the BVOA and a board member and alternate assignor for the NBVBOA. She is the head clinician for the AHSAA State Volleyball Camp, serves on the board of the National Federation of Rules for Volleyball, is the AHSAA State Rules Interpreter and AHSAA State Camp Director, and served on the NFHS Rules Committee from 2010-2014. She was an AHSAA softball official from 1996-2014 serving as a past president and treasurer of the Central Alabama Softball Officials Association. Burke also was a collegiate volleyball and softball official for more than 15 years working with the NAIA, SEC, OVC, Conference USA, and Gulf South Conference and continues to work countless hours each year promoting junior volleyball. Referee Magazine also published articles by Burke in 2016 and 2017.

OWEN BUTTS

The long-time high school basketball and football coach and teacher has also spent his adult life devoted to umpiring baseball. An AHSAA umpire since 1973, Butts has been president and assignor for the Shelby County Baseball Umpires Association since 1975. He has served as an AHSAA Baseball Camp instructor and received the AHSAA Distinguished Service Award in 2000. The Alabama Baseball Coaches Association also presented Butts its Distinguished Service Award in 2001. He has also served as a college baseball umpire since 1990 and has been the ACU assignor since 1995. His college umpiring achievements include officiating eight Ohio Valley Conference tournaments, four NCAA Division II World Series, four NAIA Regionals, and six Alabama Junior College Conference (AJCC) state tournaments. Butts, who is now retired from teaching and coaching, was described by one nominator as “He has trained many of the state’s top high school and college umpires for the last 47 years and is always a teacher. He continues to make (us) a better official and game manager.”

REGGIE COPELAND

The granddaddy of basketball officiating is 90 years old and still working diligently to make a difference in the Mobile area. A past president of the Mobile City Council, Copeland, a Murphy High School graduate, is considered one of the top high school and college officials in the nation. He began officiating basketball in the AHSAA in 1952 – participating in four state tournaments. The Southeastern Conference recruited him 10 years later and he spent the next 25 years as one of the busiest basketball officials around. He worked SEC, Sunbelt, Metro, Southwest Conference, and Gulf States Conference games. He was selected to work the NCAA Tourney in 1970, called the Final Four in 1972 and 1977, and was ranked the nation’s top college basketball official in 1977. He served as Coordinator of Officials for the Southern States Conference. Copeland has been inducted into the Spring Hill College Hall of Fame (1980); Mobile Sports HOF (1990); Mobile Little League HOF (2007); Murphy HS HOF (2009); was selected a Knight of St. Gregory the Great (2006); Mobilian of the Year (2011); received the Metro Mobile Golden Eagle Award (2011), and served on the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame board for six years.

KEVIN FEHR

The former Birmingham area high school teacher and baseball coach at John Carroll and Thompson high schools began officiating basketball in 1981 when he was serving as an assistant baseball coach at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City (FL). He has officiated basketball ever since – working his way through the ranks at the high school, college, and NBA level. The UAB baseball alumnus moved back to Birmingham in 1982 and began officiating high school basketball in the Birmingham Basketball Officials Association (BBOA) and later the Magic City Basketball Officials Association (MCBOA) for the next decade. He worked the AHSAA State Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball State Tourney from 1989-1992. He moved into college ranks in 1989 – working in the SEC Gulf South, Sun Belt, Transamerica, and Alabama Junior College conferences through 1994. He worked the SEC Men’s Tourney in 1993 and 1994, the NIT Tourney (1993), and the NCAA (1994). He was hired by the NBA in 1995 through 2013. Among his NBA highlights was working a game with the Lakers when Kobe Bryant scored 81 points (2006); officiated the NBA Rookie All-Star Game (2003); called NBA games played in Mexico City (1996) and China (2013) and officiated the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles (2011). He returned to college officiating in 2015 appearing in the SEC Tourney and the NIT Tourney. Fehr was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals when he completed his college baseball career at UAB, where he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education and spent two years in the minors. He was named Shelby County Baseball Coach of the Year at Thompson High School in 1988.

BILL GAULDEN

The Birmingham native has officiated basketball in the AHSAA for 57 years and at the college level for 40 years. He has officiated softball at the high school and college level for four decades. He has officiated numerous AHSAA state championships and many college post-season tournaments. Gaulden had an outstanding career as a fast-pitch softball catcher and manager for many years – and transitioned smoothly into umpiring slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball. In addition to his many AHSAA state tournaments, he was a mainstay in USA Softball working two men's major fast-pitch tournaments in 1992 and 1996 along with the Olympic Sports Festival Tournament at Rice University – earning elite status as an umpire. After retiring as a USA umpire in 2002, he became Umpire-In-Chief for Alabama USA serving in that role at many national USA tournaments. He also served as Supervisor of Basketball and Softball Officials for the Gulf South Conference and served in the same softball capacity for the Southern States Conference. A clinician for more than 30 years for high school and college basketball and softball training camps, he was inducted into the Alabama ASA Softball Hall of Fame in 1993. He currently resides in Montevallo.

PAUL GREENE

Mobile’s Greene has officiated basketball and football for 57 years – including at the college level for 32 years. Beginning his officiating career in 1963, he still serves as a mentor and instructor for other officials. He served in the Mobile Metro Football Officials Association for more than 40 years and received the AHSAA Distinguished Service Award for 42 years of service in 2005. He officiated in the AHSAA State Basketball tournament for more than 20 years and still remains active as an instructor and observer. As a college basketball official, he worked at the NCAA Southwest Regional at Baton Rouge in 1986. His passion has been his mentoring, however. “The contribution he has made helping to develop many of the AHSAA’s current and past officials have been priceless,” said nominator and current Mobile Metro president Jeffrey McCurley.

GLENN HAWKINS

The 1944 graduate from Alexandria High School and 1952 Jacksonville State University graduate began his journey in officiating immediately out of high school. Sixty years later, he was still officiating football and basketball at the high school level – encouraging and mentoring young officials to get in the game. The Anniston native was a founding member of the East Alabama Officials Association for football, basketball, baseball, and volleyball. A fixture at the Calhoun County basketball tourney for decades, he continued to keep the clock in football and basketball even when his health in his later years prevented him from officiating on the field., Hawkins was a fixture at high school events in and around Calhoun County and most Jacksonville State events and was named an honorary coach in 2007. He devoted most of his life to the betterment of not only high school officiating but high school athletics for the youth that participated. He was inducted into the Calhoun County Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and received the National Contributor Award from the NFHS. He was a proud World War II Navy veteran and also a staunch conservationist who volunteered for over 40 years to aid in the effort to improve, protect, and preserve our state's natural resources. Now deceased, he passed away at age 82 in 2009.

JEFF HILYER

He became one of the state’s top football officials – climbing through the ranks to officiate at the NCAA and professional football level in a career that has spanned 40 years. He has distinguished himself at every level. He was a founding member of the Big East Football Officials Association in Phenix City and has been a key camp instructor. He was named the AHSAA District and State Football Official of the Year in 2002; he was chosen Sun Belt Conference Official of the Year in 2012; and received the AHSAA Distinguished Service Award in 2012. He has worked numerous playoff and championship games in the AHSAA and has represented Alabama by serving on the Board of Directors of the NFHS Officials Association. He served as board president in 2000-2001. He also served a four-year term on the NFHS Football Rules Editorial Committee and is currently the AHSAA State Rules Interpreter for football. In 2014, he received the NFHS Officials Citation Award as National High School Official of the Year. As a college football official, he has worked games in the Southeastern Conference, Gulf South Conference, and Sun Belt Conference – and has also worked several college bowl games. More recently, when he stepped away from college officiating he became the replay official for the Sun Belt. He is also the AHSAA consultant on its Instant Replay program currently being used and is the AHSAA’s replay official at the Super 7 Football Championships. Hilyer, who resides in Opelika, has mentored officials at every level – and continued to officiate high school and youth league games even after he became a college contest official.

MARK JONES

A veteran football, basketball, and baseball official who officiated a variety of sports for 42 years, Jones, a 1978 graduate of Guntersville High School, also earned his Bachelor’s degree in Education from Jacksonville State University in 1982 and a Masters in physical education in 1984. He became the AHSAA Director of Officials in 2016 after serving for more than three decades in various leadership roles at Jacksonville State University. He officiated high school basketball, football, and baseball during his career spending eight years officiating women’s basketball in the NCAA as well. He taught sports officiating at JSU for 28 years. He was a founding member of the Mt. Cheaha Basketball Officials Association and the Coosa Valley Officials Association – while serving as an assignor in basketball, instructor in football, and served in various leadership roles at the local associations. He also was an AHSAA District Director for eight years, a Football instructor for 14 years and was selected AHSAA State Football Official of the Year in 2001. He served as a referee in the 1997 Super 6 Class 5A finals and again in 2006 in the 6A championship game. In his role at the AHSAA, in addition to his duties managing and training more than 7,000 contest officials, Jones has spearheaded the AHSAA’s football Instant Replay program, which is beginning its third-year next fall. In his role overseeing AHSAA officiating, he has helped bring officiating stipends in line with other state associations and has also utilized the latest technology to streamline the assigning and payment process. He currently serves on the NFHS National Football Rules Committee. A member of NIRSA and NASO, Jones also served as a Jacksonville City Councilman for eight years from 2008-2016.

DANA WALLACE

The Haleyville High School graduate who resides in Montgomery officiated football for 21 years, basketball for 18, softball for 21 years, and baseball for 15. He officiated in 11 AHSAA state softball tournaments, worked two Super 6 football finals (1996 and 1998), one AHSAA state baseball championship series, and served as the AHSAA Southeast District Director for 18 years. He served as president of his local basketball and softball officials associations and was assignor for softball. A volunteer at many AHSAA events, he served on numerous AHSAA officiating committees. Wallace received the AHSAA Distinguished Service Award for Officials, was selected Official of the Year, and was inducted into the Winston County Sports Hall of Fame. Active in ASA softball as well, he worked in the Philippine National Championships. Also s minister, he is also active in his community with membership in the Montgomery Kiwanis Club.

JAMES WILSON

The Huntsville-Butler High School graduate (1967), who now lives in Memphis (TN), moved from the high school ranks to the college and professional ranks rapidly in his officiating career. He attended Eastern Kentucky University where he was a four-year letterman at tight end and was elected team captain and MVP as a senior in 1971. He went to work for Ford Motor Company shortly after graduation in 1972 and stayed with Ford, first in Louisville and Dallas and later in Memphis, for the next 34 years. He began his long tenure in officiating after accompanying a friend to a high school all-star game in Louisville (KY) in 1974. He joined the Kentuckiana Football Officials Association (1974-1984), moved to the Dallas (TX) Officials Association (1985-1989) and moved into the college ranks in 1981 with the Midwest Officials Association, Ohio Valley Conference (1983-1984) and Southeastern Conference, where he served for 13 years from 1985-1997. He worked several Bowl Games during that time including the Kickoff Classic (1991), Cotton Bowl (1995), and Rose Bowl (1998). He served on the SEC Officials’ Board of Directors and was the head linesman crew chief from 1996-1998. He moved into the professional ranks with NFL/Europe in 1997 – officiating the NFL Europe World Bowl in 1998. He joined the National Football League as an on-the-field official from 1998-2003, then as a replay assistant from 2004-2007 and an official observer (2012 and 2013). He has been working as an officiating scout with the NFL since 2015. Wilson was inducted the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame (2014), the Kentuckiana Football Officials Hall of Fame (2008), and the Athletic Boosters’ Club (ABC) of Huntsville Hall of Fame in 1994.

HOUSTON YOUNG

The Selma native and veteran track official is considered one of the nation’s top authorities in track and field. And for good reason. He is still going strong as one of the busiest track officials in the nation. He has been an official at the AHSAA Outdoor State Track Championships for 52 straight years – serving as the meet director for the past 20 years. He is also the AHSAA Track and Field Rules Interpreter for indoor and outdoor track and has served as the meet director for the AHSAA Indoor State Track Championships for six years. Young, who is the officia1s coordinator for two college conferences, is one of the top college track officials as well – serving as the NAIA National Championships meet director for six years and an official at the meet for 13 years. He has worked in various capacities -- as a starter, throws official and meet director – and an instructor at district camps for five decades. Among his other highlights, he was the starter at the NCAA Division I National Indoor Championships in 2019, the starter for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in 2013, and the starter for the NCAA Division III Championships in 2018. Young is a member of the Port City Track Officials Association in Mobile, the AHSAA Officials Association, and the United States Track and Field Association (USATF). He was named the AHSAA District Official of the Year (2005), the State Track Official of the Year (2008), and received the NFHS Citation Award in 2010 as the national official of the year. Young was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

Class

2019

PAUL ANDRZEJEWSKI

Has the rare distinction of having a baseball signed by him on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. He struck out 18 in a six-inning game as an 11-year old in 1958. He walked on at the University of Alabama and eventually earned a baseball scholarship. He began officiating high school baseball and basketball in the AHSAA in 1970. He also was an original member of the Alabama Collegiate Umpires Association. He has worked in the SEC, Sun Belt, Trans American, Great Midwest, Southwest, Mid Continent, Gulf South, Southern States and Alabama JUCU Conference in both baseball and basketball. He is also an original member of the umpire staff for SEC women’s softball. Andzrejewski has served in numerous basketball officials’ camps including directing the ABC Basketball Officials Camp at Troy University. He was selected by USA Basketball to officiate the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1991 in Los Angeles, umpired an exhibition game for the New York Yankees in 1994, worked a Kentucky-Indiana basketball game in 1989 attended by more than 40,000 fans, and also worked a Kentucky at North Carolina basketball game. He is also remembered for officiating Troy University’s 1992 basketball game versus DeVry College that set the NCAA scoring record (258-141). He was inducted into the John F. Kennedy High School (NY) Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991. He is currently working as an official observer.

RONNIE BAYNES

One of the most respected coaches and football officials in AHSAA history, the outstanding high school baseball and football coach rose through the ranks to become Supervisor of NFL Officials from 2001-2008. The Talladega High School alumnus was an outstanding high school athlete who turned down a professional baseball offer to attend Auburn University – becoming one of the last four-sport lettermen in AU history (football, baseball, track and basketball). After completing his college eligibility, the All-SEC defensive end played in the 1965 Blue-Gray All-Star Game, then signed with the Dallas Cowboys before a knee injury ended his playing career. He began officiating at the high school level in 1971, then moved to the Southeastern Conference from 1974-1987. He advanced to the NFL ranks in 1987 and was an on-field official for 14 years (1987-2001) before moving to Supervisor of Officials. After stepping down from that administrative position, he became Director of Scouting for the NFL until his retirement in 2015. His retirement has been short-lived. He currently serves as an SEC and Conference USA evaluator and trainer and is currently serving as Alliance of American Football Supervisor and Trainer. Baynes officiated seven bowl games during his on-the-field career, including the National Championship Game featuring Oklahoma and Washington held at the Orange Bowl. He also officiated two Super Bowls, five NFC-AFC championship games. He has been inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. One honor he especially treasures is the Art McNally Award, presented to Baynes in 2011. The highest honor an NFL official can attain, The Art McNally Award was created in 2002 by the NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and given annually to an NFL game official who exhibits exemplary professionalism, leadership and commitment to sportsmanship, on and off the field. This award is presented at the Pro Bowl each year. Baynes coached five teams to AHSAA state baseball titles and took 16 teams to the state playoffs and coached Central Alabama Community College to a third-place finish at the JUCO World Series at Grand Junction (CO).

ORMOND BROWN

He has been a high school football and basketball official in the AHSAA for 41 years, working 30 state basketball tournament finals and five all-star games. He also spent 32 years as a college basketball official, including 17 years in the SEC. He worked five SEC tournaments and one NIT Tourney. As a JUCO and NAIA official, Brown has officiated three national JUCO tournaments and three NAIA national tourneys. He has also held an international officiating license for 10 years. He has been an assignor, president and vice president in his local association and served as a District Director and Camp Instructor for more than a decade. He was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 and is an Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame inductee.

DICK BURLESON

One of the early mentors for officiating in the AHSAA, Burleson, who reached the rank of Major General in the U.S. Army Reserve, was a member of the Birmingham Football Officials Association (BFOA) from 1963-1977 where he held many leadership positions. He was selected as a clinic instructor for the first three held by the AHSAA. The J.B. Pennington High School (1957) graduate went to Georgia Tech on a football scholarship and was commissioned as a second Lieutenant coming out of college. Distinguished Military graduate. He commanded more than 40,000 troops in eight states and commanded 5,000 soldiers placed on active duty during Desert Storm. One of his highest personal honors was being presented the Audie Murphy Patriotism Award. As a contest official he served in the SEC for 25 seasons, serving as Chief Referee and president of the SEC officials. He officiated 15 major college bowl games and the SEC Championship game. His last game on the field was as the head referee for the National Championship Rose Bowl game. He is now an SEC staff advisor on officiating and evaluates officials’ performance each Saturday from the SEC Command Center. He became just the seventh athlete elected to the Blount County Sports Hall of Fame. In 2000, he became the only official to ever receive the Distinguished Service award from the Birmingham Quarterback Club, and he was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. Burleson is one of the most requested speakers in the U.S. and is a professional member of the National Speakers Association. His book, You Better Be Right, has reached #1 on the Best Sellers list at Barnes & Noble Bookstores.

MARY DAY

She made history in the AHSAA becoming the first female to officiate in a boys’ state tournament game. She has also officiated two NCAA Women’s Final 4 Championship tournaments. Active as a volleyball and basketball official, Day has served as state rules interpreter and district director in volleyball and is currently serving as the Supervisor of Women’s Basketball Officials for the Southern Athletic Association, a position she has held for 11 years. The AHSAA recognized her with a 25-Year Service Award and she was also named the 2011 Naismith Women’s Basketball Official of the Year.

RAY GARGUS

The veteran high school baseball and football official was a key teacher, leader and much respected mentor for officials over his 34 years in officiating from 1976 until his death in 2010. He served in the AHSAA with the Greater Huntsville Umpires Association and the North Alabama Football Officials Association. He was an active officer in the two Huntsville area associations serving as an assignor, board member, trainer and friend. He served as one of the AHSAA camp instructors (1992-1998) and was the first district director for the Northeast District. Gargus was posthumously inducted into the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.

WALTER GARRETT

The lanky basketball standout first drew the attention of the nation when he scored 97 points in the final game of his prep career at Birmingham’s West End High School. The 97 points set a national high school record that still stands. He scored all 97 of his team’s points in the win over Glenn. After high school, he had a hall-of-fame college basketball career at Birmingham-Southern. Garrett was highly regarded as a basketball official in the AHSAA for 30 years – working several regional and state tournaments during his tenure. He was also a college basketball official for 25 years working in the Sun Belt, C-USA, TAAC, Gulf South and Southern States conference. He officiated numerous college tournaments including a NIT Tourney official for two years. He was president of the Magic City Basketball Officials Association for eight years, a member of the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee for one year and has served as an AHSAA District Director for 12 years. He has also been a C-USA observer for four years. The AHSAA honored Garrett with its Distinguished Service Award. He also received the Governor’s State of Alabama Physical Fitness Award, was inducted into the Birmingham-Southern College Hall of Fame and the BASA Softball Hall of Fame. He is a member of the National Association of Sports Officials.

APPLE KRIDAKORN

Has 48 years of service as a volleyball official at the high school and college level. She has been the Central Alabama Volleyball Officials assigner since 1987 and has also served as past president, vice-president and treasurer. She is also the assigner for the Alabama Board of Officials (college) and is the organization’s current treasurer. She has been the NFHS Rules Interpreter for the AHSAA for 15 years, has been a state tournament referee coordinator for 15 years and a state camp instructor/coordinator for nine years. She received the AHSAA Distinguished Service Award (2004); the NFHS Section III Distinguished Active Official Award (2007); the PAVO Excellence in Service Award (2011); was named South Central District Volleyball Official of the Year by the AHSAA (2013); was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame (2016); and the University of Montevallo Sports Hall of Fame (2019).

JOE MANJONE

Manjone, a native of Hazelton, Pennsylvania, began officiating soccer as a teenager and has been involved in the sport as an official and administrator for more than 50 years. His influence in the sport has been far reaching – spanning most of the nation and two continents. In Alabama, his service stretches over more than 30 years. The AHSAA Soccer Director and former National Federation of State High Schools Association (NFHS) Soccer Rules Committee Chair has served the AHSAA in numerous soccer roles from officiating to rules interpreter. He has officiated a variety of sports including basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, football, wrestling, cross country, track and his specialty, soccer. He has worked at the high school and college level calling women’s sports in the SEC, ECAC, SIAC and AIAW. Manjone received the NFHS’s prestigious Citation for Officials in 2017, which is presented annually to only one contest official nationwide. He attended Penn State University, graduating in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree. He later earned additional education degrees from the University of Georgia and Penn State. A former college president who serves as rules editor for Referee Magazine, he was inducted into the NISOA Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2018. He also received the NISOA 1995 Officials Recognition Award; the AHSAA Distinguished Service Award (2010); The NFHS Sports Officials Contributor Award (2012); and in 2017, the Continuing Education Center at Columbia Southern University renamed the facility the Dr. Joseph Manjone Center.

BOB PATRICK

A veteran football official who came up through the high school ranks, Patrick has officiated football in the SEC for 29 years (on the field). Among his milestones have been the Rose Bowl (National Championship Game), Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl (twice), Weed Eater Bowl, Orlando Bowl, Freedom Bowl, Gator Bowl and St. Petersburg Bowl. He also has officiated 11 Senior Bowl all-star contests and has worked as an administrator for the Cotton Bowl, Armed Service Bowl and the Holiday Bowl. He is currently in his 19th year as a college administrator. He has held various administrative positions as a high school official and has also served as a game day observer and replay booth official at the college level. In addition to his selection as a bowl official, Patrick has also served as a Chief Specialist for line judges in the SEC. He is currently a member of NASO, AHSAA and SEC Officials Association.

SAM SHORT

One of the state’s most respected teachers of officiating, the Birmingham native has been the expert in football and basketball rules for the AHSAA for more than 50 years. He was involved in basketball officiating for 53 years and football officiating for 38. He was instrumental in developing state camps for officials to gain consistency throughout the state and was Supervisor of Officials and rules coordinator for the AHSAA. Short has served on the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee and was an advisor to the Football Rules Committee for 15 years. He was an original board member of the NFHS Coaches Association, and in 1999, received the NFHS Officials Association Contributors Award. Short was inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame (NFHS) in 2007 and was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame (AHSAA) in 1993 – as a member of the third class overall.

BOBBY SKELTON

Began officiating in Tuscaloosa while attending college, Skelton became a top high school football, basketball and baseball official – later working in Huntsville, East Alabama and Montgomery associations. He became an SEC football official in 1972. He worked more than eight bowl games including two National Championship Games. In 1985, he began a 20-year tenure as a contest official in the NFL. He worked Super Bowl XXIV and several playoff games including one AFC and two NFC championship games. He moved off the field in 2005 and became an NFL replay official. He held that position for six years until he retired in 2011.He also served as a position evaluator for the NFLRA for several years. As a high school official he worked top assignments in all three sports including working many of the early playoff games when only four teams were selected per class for the playoffs. He was a member of the NFL Referees’ Association, SEC Officials Association, the AHSAA, NFRA and NASO officials organizations.