Clock Expires on Havertown Family’s Legacy of Calling the Game

By

Joey Crawford
Joey Crawford

For only the second time since 1955, professional sports in America are without a Crawford calling the game.

The profession that impassioned three men’s lives was set to go without their presence, but legendary NBA referee and Havertown native Joey Crawford couldn’t keep himself away from the action. He’s still watching, but from the vantage point of the league’s supervisor of referee operations.

“I didn’t do well. I missed being around the game,” Joey Crawford said of retirement in a Philadelphia Inquirer feature by Frank Fitzpatrick. “I have the NBA (TV) package, and I was watching every game, rooting for the refs.”

Crawford, who graduated from Cardinal O’Hara High School, spent 39 years and almost 3,000 games with a whistle in his mouth. He grew up watching his father, Shag Crawford, umpire Major League Baseball games for 20 years. His brother, Jerry, stayed with baseball for 33 more seasons. The only break between the two was 1976.

“Consistently rated among the best at their professions, blessed with genetic gifts many peers lacked, the square-jawed, hard-nosed Crawfords seemed born to officiate,” writes Fitzpatrick. “Joe and Jerry inherited their father’s superb eyesight, fearsome work ethic, and feisty assuredness. They also got his intimidating sneer, a look capable of both igniting arguments and wordlessly stopping them.”

“It’s a tremendous profession,” Jerry said, “but not an easy one.”

Read much more about the Crawford legacy in the Philadelphia Inquirer here.

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