College baseball season has come to an end for Mississippi’s “Big Three” and the countdown for football to kick off is ticking down to around 60 days.
Time for a few stories from my 35 years of officiating high school football to help spark some excitement until the beginning of the upcoming season.
Way back in the fall of 1974, as part of my 15-minute introduction to officiating intramural flag football games at Mississippi State, I was told to avoid having “rabbit ears.” This term meant being overly aware of the players and fans on the sidelines screaming at you during a contest. “Rabbit Ears” was a sure way to lose your composure, become angry, and even look for ways to get even with the insulting mob in the stands.
It was great advice but was easier said than done…not just at State…but during my 35-year career calling MSAIS contests.
Early in my high school career I was assigned a game with a veteran crew at Madison Ridgeland (MRA) Academy. At the time, MRA was coached by Jack Carlisle, a legend in Mississippi coaching circles. Coach Carlisle led Jackson Murrah for many years, winning countless Big Eight Conference championships.
Growing up in Jackson, I was in absolute awe of Jack Carlisle. Later, he moved down Lakeland Drive and was the first coach of the Jackson Prep football team.
It was hard for me to hide my excitement during our pre-game meeting. And, I was assigned to work as line judge, which meant that I would be standing right in front of the MRA sideline and having Carlisle shadow me for 48 minutes.
Early in the second quarter I saw a commotion in the middle of the field and spotted a yellow flag on the ground. Our head referee motioned me to mid-field to discuss the penalty, since it was my responsibility to report the infraction to Coach Carlisle.
Our umpire for the night was Jim Book. Book was built like a fire plug…short and squatty; plus he wore thick, wire rimmed glasses. He was an easy target for abuse from the stands and the sidelines.
As I approached, Book exclaimed to our referee…”number 64 on blue told me…”hey, fat a**, ….you better watch yourself.” He then added; “64 is gone…he ain’t gonna talk to me like that.”
I was instructed to go tell Coach Carlisle what happened. I am sure my voice shook as I approached him with fear and trembling, still being in awe of his presence.
“Coach…THEY got unsportsmanlike conduct on number 64.” (Note that I didn’t say WE got unsportsmanlike conduct. I was blaming Book and the rest of the crew and trying to nonchalantly act as if I had nothing to do with the call…not wanting to get added to his “scratch list” so early in my career.”
Carlisle asked, “what did he do?”
I replied, “he called Book a fat a**.”
Surprisingly, he said…”then throw his a** out.
The next day, Tom Rice, our Assigning Secretary, happened to run into the father of the infamous number 64 at the grocery store. The dad asked Tom why we threw his boy out of the game. Tom told him that his son had called our Umpire a “fat a** and had added “he better watch himself.”
The father explained to Tom that his boy, (#64), was talking to his best friend on the other team. Seems they went to church together, hunted and fished together, but his friend just happened to play for Jackson Academy, (JA), the opponent the night before.
Book just happened to be in the line of fire and apparently too sensitive about his stocky size!
So, Jim Book, suffering from a severe case of “rabbit ears”, ejected an innocent man!!!
Kendall Smith is a Northsider.
