- HOME <> NBA History <> Advertise <> About US <> Write for us <> Contact Us! -

MENU
> HOME
> General NBA info
> Awards
> Records
> Stats
> Player Facts
> Team Facts
> Other Leagues
> Contact us!


NBA Referees Year by Year

Historical NBA referee rosters and uniform numbers by season, including referee-number records from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and season-by-season referee pages from the 2000s.

1960s 1970s 1980s 2000s

NBA referees have worn uniform numbers for much of league history, but those numbers have not always remained attached to the same official from season to season. This archive preserves the referee names and numbers recorded by NBAHoopsOnline for individual NBA seasons.

The listings are presented by season so changes in the officiating staff and referee uniform numbers can be followed over time. An n/a designation is retained when the historical record does not list a uniform number.

1960s NBA Referees
Season # Referee
1960-613Sid Borgia
4Arnold Heft
5Mendy Rudolph
6James Duffy
7Norm Drucker
8Willie Smith
9Richie Powers
10Earl Strom
11Peter D'Ambrosio
12Lenny Toff
13John Payak
14Joe Conway
15Terry Kilkenny
1961-623Sid Borgia
5Mendy Rudolph
6James Duffy
7Norm Drucker
8Willie Smith
9Richie Powers
10Earl Strom
11Peter D'Ambrosio
20Robert Wortman
22Joe Gushue
23Ron Rakel
1962-633Sid Borgia
5Mendy Rudolph
6James Duffy
7Norm Drucker
8Willie Smith
9Richie Powers
10Earl Strom
11Joe Gushue
12Tom Birch
20Red Oates
21John Vanak
22Don Murphy
n/aJay Dempsey
1963-643Sid Borgia
5Mendy Rudolph
7Norm Drucker
8Willie Smith
9Richie Powers
10Earl Strom
11Joe Gushue
12Tom Birch
20Red Oates
21John Vanak
22Don Murphy
n/aJay Dempsey
1964-655Mendy Rudolph
7Norm Drucker
8Willie Smith
9Richie Powers
10Earl Strom
11Joe Gushue
21John Vanak
22Charley Eckman
23Don Murphy
24Paul Ruddy
1965-665Mendy Rudolph
7Norm Drucker
8Willie Smith
10Earl Strom
11Joe Gushue
20Leo Oates
21John Vanak
23Don Murphy
24Paul Ruddy
25Jack Madden
1966-675Mendy Rudolph
7Norm Drucker
8Willie Smith
9Richie Powers
10Earl Strom
11Joe Gushue
12Manny Sokol
20Leo Oates
21John Vanak
23Don Murphy
24Paul Ruddy
25Jack Madden
28Bill Kunkel
30Ed Rush
33Darell Garretson
n/aDick Dolack
n/aGene Kelly
1967-685Mendy Rudolph
7Norm Drucker
9Richie Powers
10Earl Strom
11Joe Gushue
12John Vanak
20Leo Oates
23Don Murphy
24Paul Ruddy
25Jack Madden
26Charles Marino
28Bill Kunkel
29Charles Newman
30Ed Rush
32Jackie White
33Darell Garretson
34Alex Robinson
35Louis Moser
36Jake O'Donnell
1968-695Mendy Rudolph
7Norm Drucker
10Earl Strom
11Joe Gushue
12John Vanak
14Manny Sokol
23Don Murphy
24Paul Ruddy
25Jack Madden
30Ed Rush
33Darell Garretson
35Louis Moser
36Jake O'Donnell
40Jack Taylor
41Charles Camuso
42Alan Brunkhorst
43Alex Anderson
44Ken Hudson
45Howard Kinsbrunner
46Ed Middleton
47Sam Pulice
48Bob Rakel
49Charles Newman
1969-705Mendy Rudolph
6Don Murphy
7Jack Madden
8Manny Sokol
9Ed Rush
10Darell Garretsin
11Jake O'Donnell
12Charles Camuso
14Ken Hudson
14Bob Rakel
16Alan Brunkhorst
17Jack Taylor
18Jerry Loeber
19John Parker
20Bob Rhodes
21Manny Gomes
22Jim Harvey
23Dick Ferguson
24Jerry Bannan
25Dutch Shample
26Richie Powers
Back to top
1970s NBA Referees
Season # Referee
1971-725Mendy Rudolph
6Don Murphy
7Jack Madden
8Manny Sokol
9Ed Rush
10Darell Garretson
11Jake O'Donnell
12Mike DiTomasso
14Ken Hudson
15Bob Rakel
17Len Wirtz
18Jerry Loeber
20Paul Holly
22Paul Mihalik
23Peter Pavia
24Jerry Bannan
25Joe Belmont
26Richie Powers
27Ed Batagowski
29Mark Mano
30Lee Jones
1973-745Mendy Rudolph
6Don Murphy
8Manny Sokol
10Darell Garretson
11Jack O'Donnell
12Earl Strom
14Mark Schlafman
15Bob Rakel
16Alan Brunkhorst
17Len Wirtz
18Jerry Loeber
19Jim Capers
20William Jones
21Forrest Harris
22Paul Mihalik
24Ed Batogowski
25Hugh Evans
26Richie Powers
28Tommy Nunez
29Mark Mano
30Lee Jones
1974-755Mendy Rudolph
6Don Murphy
7Joe Gushue
8Manny Sokol
9Jimmy Clark
10Darell Garretson
11Jake O'Donnell
12Eal Strom
14Mark Schlafman
17Len Wirtz
18Jerry Loeber
19Jim Capers
20Williams Jones
22Paul Mihalik
23Bill Oakes
24Bill Saar
25Hugh Evans
26Richie Powers
28Tommy Nunez
29Mark Mano
30Lee Jones
1975-766Don Murphy
7Joe Gushue
8Manny Sokol
9Jimmy Clark
10Darell Garretson
11Jake O'Donnell
12Earl Strom
15Bob Rakel
16Ken Falkner
18Jerry Loeber
19Jim Capers
20Williams Jones
21Ken Sussman
22Paul Mihalik
23Bill Oakes
24Bill Saar
25Hugh Evans
26Richie Powers
27Dick Bavetta
28Tommy Nunez
30Lee Jones
31Mel Whitworth
32Sylvester Dobson
33Joe Crwford
34Dick Schaper
35Phil Bova
36Houston Vaughn
37Don Durr
38Bruce Alexander
39John Alderton
40Milt Cooper
41Blaine Reichelt
42Hue Hollins
43Roy McKercher
44Dick Bestor
45Joe Forte
1976-776Don Murphy
7Joe Gushue
8Manny Sokol
9John Vanak
10Darell Garretson
11Jake O'Donnell
12Earl Strom
14Jack Madden
15Bob Rakel
16Ken Falkner
17Ed Rush
18Ed Middleton
19Jim Capers
20Jess Kersey
21Norm Drucker
22Paul Mihalik
23Bill Oakes
24Bill Saar
25Hugh Evans
26Richie Powers
27Dick Bavetta
28Tommy Nunez
29Mike Mathis
30Lee Jones
31Mel Whitworth
32Sylvester Dobson
33Joe Crawford
34Dick Schaper
35Paul Campbell
36Houston Vaughn
37Don Durr
38Bruce Alexander
39Robert Siembida
40Milt Cooper
41Terry Durham
42Hue Hollins
43Wally Rooney
44Bernie Fryer
45Joe Forte
46Phil Bova
47Robert Dillard
48Roger McCann
50Rich Jackson
1977-786Don Murphy
7Joe Gushue
8Manny Sokol
9John Vanak
10Darell Garretson
11Jake O'Donnell
12Earl Strom
14Jack Madden
15Bob Rakel
17Ed Rush
18Ed Middleton
19Jim Capers
20Jess Kersey
21Mel Whitworth
22Paul Mihalik
24Bill Saar
25Hugh Evans
26Richie Powers
27Dick Bavetta
28Tommy Nunez
29Mike Mathis
30Lee Jones
33Joe Crawford
40Milt Cooper
42Hue Hollins
43Wally Rooney
44Bernie Fryer
1978-794Ed Rush
6Don Murphy
7Joe Gushue
8Lee Jones
9John Vanak
10Darell Garretson
11Earl Strom
13Bill Mathis
14Jack Madden
15Bob Rakel
16Wally Rooney
17Len Falkner
18Ed Middleton
19Jim Capers
20Jess Kersey
21Bill Oakes
22Paul Mihalik
23Bob McCallister
24Bill Saar
25Hugh Evans
26Richie Powers
27Dick Bavetta
28Tommy Nunez
29John Borgia
30Roger McCann
31Terry Durham
32Tommy Wood
33Joe Crawford
34Ralph Lembo
35Jack Nies
36Dick Schaper
37Blane Reichelt
38Bruce Alexander
39Jess Thompson
40Bill Jones
42Hue Hollins
44Bernie Fryer
Back to top
1980s NBA Referees
Season # Referee
1980-814Ed Ruch
7Joe Gushue
8Lee Jones
9John Vanak
10Darell Garretson
11Jake O'Donnell
12Earl Strom
13Bill Mathis
14Jack Madden
15Bob Rakel
16Wally Rooney
18Ed Middleton
19Jim Capers
20Jess Kersey
21Bill Oakes
22Paul Mihalik
24Bill Saar
25Hugh Evans
26Bruce Alexander
27Dick Bavetta
28Tommy Nunez
32Bill Simmons
33Joe Crawford
34Ralph Lembo
35Jack Nies
39Barry Rogan
42Hue Hollins
Back to top
2000s NBA Referee Pages

NBAHoopsOnline also maintains individual referee roster pages for the following seasons. These links are preserved from the original page.

2001-02 NBA Referees 2002-03 NBA Referees 2003-04 NBA Referees 2004-05 NBA Referees 2005-06 NBA Referees 2006-07 NBA Referees
About the Referee Archive

Referee uniform numbers are an overlooked part of NBA history. Officials such as Mendy Rudolph, Earl Strom, Norm Drucker, Jake O'Donnell, Darell Garretson, Richie Powers, Dick Bavetta, Joe Crawford, Jess Kersey and Hue Hollins appear throughout these season-by-season records.

Because referee assignments and uniform numbers changed over time, the season listings should be treated as historical snapshots rather than a single career-long number assigned permanently to an official. Duplicate numbers within the historical source have been retained.

Several names in the original archive contain possible spelling errors or inconsistencies. They have been retained here where the historical entry has not yet been independently verified.

Corrections and Additions

NBAHoopsOnline continues to preserve historical NBA referee information. If you have a missing referee roster, uniform-number correction or information for one of the seasons currently absent from the archive, please send the information with a reliable source when possible.

Send corrections, additions and updates to:
Rednecksbasketball@yahoo.com

Submissions will be reviewed before changes are made to the NBAHoopsOnline historical records.

Back to top