Strom, Earl

Strom was considered by many to be the greatest referee in the history of the NBA. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. Dec. 15, 1927 - d. July 10, 1994

Career Highlights:
Earl began his officiating career with high school and college games, and became an NBA referee in 1957. Over the next 32 years, Strom officiated 2,400 regular season games, 295 playoffs games, seven All-Star games, and 29 NBA and ABA Finals. In 1961, he and Mendy Rudolph made NBA history when they refereed all seven games of the NBA Finals (Boston Celtics vs. St. Louis Hawks). Earl was NBA Crew Chief in 1967 and 1968, and throughout his long career, Strom was respected for his colorful style and ability to control the game. His reputation for fairness earned the respect of players, coaches, officials, and even fans. In a 1990 USA Today poll, Earl was considered the league's top official in the NBA

Origin:
Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Physical description:
6'0", 180 pounds

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