Norm Drucker
His NBA and ABA officiating career as both a referee and Supervisor of Officials spanned the careers of all-time pro basketball greats, from George Mikan, Bob Cousy, Dolph Schayes and Bob Pettit in the 1950s, to Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Bill Russell in the 1960s, to Julius Erving, Rick Barry, Bill Bradley and Walt Frazier in the 1970s and to Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the 1980s.
Drucker attended Erasmus Hall High School in Flatbush, where he played on the basketball team,[1] starting in 1937, in an era when there was no 3-second rule, goal tending was permitted and there was a jump ball after every basket.
As a junior varsity freshman under coach Sam Winograd, Drucker was described as a "scrapper" who "played hustling ball".
[5] Drucker played varsity ball under future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Nat Holman.
[6] One of Drucker's teammates was Red Holtzman (then known as Bill)[7] another future hall of fame coach, who would go on to lead the New York Knicks.
[9] He, along with Hall of Fame referee Pat Kennedy, also officiated a serious, not comic game when the Harlem Globetrotters defeated the College All-stars.
In 1949, Drucker began his officiating career refereeing AAU, high school, collegiate, and American Basketball League.
'"[1] In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he was involved in what the press called a heated "feud" with legendary Boston Celtic coach Red Auerbach.
His second ejection of Auerbach in a one-month period led to the coach's 3-game suspension by NBA president Maurice Podoloff on November 13, 1961.
[21][full citation needed] to a full-time career, with greatly improved working conditions, benefits and pension plans.
[22] It was the first time in history that a league had promoted the quality of its officials which improved the ABA's credibility,[23] and as a by-product enhanced the public's interest in, and respect for referees.
Julius Erving noted, "The NBA elected to take the best of the ABA, which was me, George Gervin, David Thompson, Artis Gilmore and the coaches and the 3-point shot and the three referees.
[27] When he retired, his total of 38 NBA and ABA championship round games officiated was the second highest in pro basketball history.
[29] In a 1969 interview with Newsday's Stan Isaacs, he said, "I think there is a part of me deep down that enjoys calling a foul against the home team and then standing out there alone, almost defying the cries of the hometown mob.
According to the Associated Press, on February 24, 1964, in Los Angeles, Drucker was "mauled and kicked as he was leaving the dressing room at halftime".
[32][33] On November 15, 1958, in Detroit, after a two-point Piston loss, a fan ran onto the court and "took a punch at Norm Drucker".
[34] As late as 1964, security for NBA officials was so lax, that "a fan tangled with referees Norm Drucker and Richie Powers," as they left the court after San Francisco defeated St. Louis in a playoff game.
After the Lakers defeated the Celtics in game 5 of the NBA Finals in Boston on April 24, 1966, "a gaggle of idiots" confronted Drucker and Earl Strom.
"[36] For 14 seasons, from 1963 through 1977, Drucker along with Mendy Rudolph and Earl Strom, were generally recognized as the top referees in pro basketball.
[37] The Sporting News noted that the other official "... is a [referee] who belongs in the company of Mendy Rudolph, Norm Drucker [and] the late Earl Strom.
At the end of his officiating career, Drucker demonstrated a commitment to improving the salary, benefits and working conditions for future generations of professional referees.
His decade as a referee administrator had a substantial impact on NBA playing rules and improving the quality of basketball officiating.
As an administrator in the ABA and NBA, he recruited and/or trained young referees, many of whom had long, successful NBA careers, including Joe Crawford, Bernie Fryer, Ed Middleton, Jake O'Donnell, Jack Nies, Jim Clark, Wally Rooney, and Jess Kersey.
The star, ... is so accustomed to accolades and pats on the back that he does not have the 'loner' temperament a referee needs to reassure himself that the decision he has just made is correct and that one entire team and 18,000 fans are wrong.
