Charley Eckman

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Charley Eckman
Personal information
Born(1921-09-10)September 10, 1921
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
DiedJuly 3, 1995(1995-07-03) (aged 73)
Coaching career1954–1957
Career history
As coach:
19541957Fort Wayne / Detroit Pistons
Career highlights and awards

Charles Markwood Eckman Jr. (September 10, 1921 – July 3, 1995) was an American

professional basketball referee for the National Basketball Association
(NBA). He was also a sports broadcaster.

Early life

Eckman was born in

Baltimore, Maryland and graduated from the Baltimore City College high school in 1940. Eckman was a three-sport star as a youngster, excelling in baseball, basketball and track. His father, who was gassed in World War I, died when Charlie was 12 years old; after that he and his mother struggled to make ends meet.[1] Among the odd jobs Eckman did to raise extra money, he officiated basketball games. Baseball was Eckman's primary sport, however, in those days, it was the only professional team sport of any note. He was drafted by the Washington Senators after graduating from Baltimore City College and played in their farm system, but never made it to the majors.[2]

Officiating career

Eckman's career got sidetracked for two years when he enlisted in the US Army Air Forces in late 1943, but he continued to keep his eyes in shape by refereeing the Reserve intramural basketball games. Upon his discharge in 1945, Eckman moved his wife and newborn son to Arizona, where he had been stationed. He continued to officiate basketball games, this time with the American League West Coast, while working for the Phoenix office of the War Assets Administration.

The

American Basketball League's Hollywood Shamrocks called in 1947 and hired him to officiate a number of the team's games; two years after that he began refereeing games for the Basketball Association of America. The BAA merged with the National Basketball League in late 1949 and became the National Basketball Association
.

Eckman was ranked as one of the top officials in the NBA during his time as a referee, until 1954, when Pistons owner Fred Zollner signed the 32-year-old Eckman to a three-year coaching contract.

Eckman officiated at the first NBA All-Star Game in 1951, and later was the head coach of the Western Conference All-Star teams in 1955, and 1956, becoming the only person to have officiated and coached in an NBA All-Star Game.[3]

In 1967, after 29 years and over 3,500 collegiate and professional basketball games, Eckman, announced his retirement from officiating, after experiencing leg problems. Eckman is the only person to have ever officiated the

NCAA and NBA Finals games.[4]

Coaching career

During his first year as head coach, the Pistons finished with a 43–29 record, and first place in the Western Division. During the

Detroit, Michigan. Unfortunately for Eckman, his stay in Detroit didn't last long. He was relieved of his coaching duties just 25 games into the season following a 9–16 start. Eckman's overall coaching record was 123–118. He eventually returned to officiating.[5]

Broadcasting career

Eckman began working as a sportscaster on the radio in 1961 with "The voice of the Chesapeake Bay." Later in 1965, Charley accepted a position as sportscaster for

Colts
.

Death

On July 3, 1995, Eckman died of

colon cancer, at the age of 73.[6]

References

  1. ^ "Charley Eckman – The Early Years". Archived from the original on 2015-02-07. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  2. ^ "Charley Eckman". Archived from the original on 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2014-06-20.
  3. ^ Sports personality Charley Eckman dies
  4. ^ 'One Hell of a Life': Eckman Had Ability to Find Humor Everywhere
  5. ^ Charley in Charge
  6. ^ Longtime Basketball Figure Charley Eckman Dies Of Cancer

Further reading