Dick Bavetta
Born	December 10, 1939 (1939-12-10) (age 68) Brooklyn, New York, USA
Nationality	American
Education	St. Francis College
Occupation	NBA referee
Spouse	Married[1]
Children	Two children[1]

Dick Bavetta (born December 10, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York)^[2] is an American professional basketball referee for the National Basketball Association (NBA). In his 32 NBA seasons, since 1975, he has never missed an assigned game. By the start of the 2006-07 NBA season, he had worked 2,164 regular season and 228 playoff games, including 24 NBA Finals games.^[3] He currently holds the league record for most officiated games.^[4] He wears uniform number 27. is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the New York City borough, or Kings County, New York. ... This article is about the state. ... St. ... NBA redirects here. ... A college basketball official from a 2008 game between Division II teams Lake Superior State University and Northern Michigan University In Basketball, an official is a person who the has responsibility to enforce the rules and maintain the order of the game. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the New York City borough, or Kings County, New York. ... This article is about the state. ... Professional basketball refers to a number of leagues in which athletes play in sports arenas, on organized teams, for profit. ... A college basketball official from a 2008 game between Division II teams Lake Superior State University and Northern Michigan University In Basketball, an official is a person who the has responsibility to enforce the rules and maintain the order of the game. ... NBA redirects here. ... The 1975-76 NBA Season was the 30th season of the National Basketball Association. ... The 2006-07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Logo of the NBA Finals. ...

Early life

Bavetta attended Power Memorial High School in New York City and is a 1962 graduate of Saint Francis College in New York^[3] and played on the schools' basketball teams.^[5] He got into officiating after his brother, Joe, who officiated in the American Basketball Association, convinced him it would be an area of interest to him.^[5] As a Wall Street broker for Solomon Brothers with an MBA in finance, Bavetta began officiating games played by fellow brokers in the Wall Street League played at New York's Downtown Athletic Club and later worked high school games.^[5] For ten years, he officiated Public and Catholic High School leagues in New York and later nine years in the Eastern Professional Basketball League, which later became the Continental Basketball Association.^[3] Bavetta was hired by the NBA in 1975 following the retirement of Mendy Rudolph.^[6] New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... St. ... Elaborate marble facade of NYSE as seen from the intersection of Broad and Wall Streets For other uses, see Wall Street (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Broker (disambiguation). ... MBA redirects here. ... The field of finance refers to the concepts of time, money and risk and how they are interelated. ... The Continental Basketball Association (CBA) is a professional mens basketball league in the United States. ... Mendy Rudolph Marvin (Mendy) Rudolph (March 8, 1926 - July 1979, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was a National Basketball Association (NBA) referee for 25 years, from 1953 to 1978. ...

NBA officiating career

Altercation with Earl Strom

Bavetta was officiating an NBA game during the mid-1970s between the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets with Earl Strom as his partner for that game.^[7] Bavetta overruled Strom on a crucial last-second personal foul call against the Nets, which would have been a victory for the 76ers.^[7] When the game ended and players were walking to their respective locker rooms, the door to the referees' locker room flew open and Bavetta came staggering out.^[7] His uniform was allegedly ripped and he was wearing a big welt over his eye, running to get away from Strom.^[7] Strom stepped out into the hallway and hollered after Bavetta, "You'll take another one of my fucking calls again, right, you motherfucker?"^[7] The Philadelphia 76ers (also known as the Sixers for short) are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team. ... Earl Strom Earl Strom (December 15, 1927 – July 10, 1994), born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, was a basketball referee for 29 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and for three years in the American Basketball Association (ABA). ... In basketball, a personal foul is a breach of the rules that concerns illegal personal contact with an opponent. ...

Most memorable game

Bavetta's most memorable game occurred during a 1980s nationally televised contest between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics when he was forced to officiate an NBA game by himself after his partner, Jack Madden, broke his leg in a collision with Celtics guard Dennis Johnson.^[4][8] As the game progressed, Celtics forward Larry Bird and 76ers guard Julius Erving began to strangle each other and were ejected by Bavetta.^[4] Bavetta believed this game assisted in the progession of his career in the NBA.^[8] The Philadelphia 76ers (also known as the Sixers for short) are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Boston Celtics are a professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005 For other uses, see Basketball (disambiguation). ... Dennis Johnson (September 18, 1954 – February 22, 2007), nicknamed DJ, was an American professional basketball player and coach. ... In the context of basketball, forward usually refers to one of two positions: Power forward Small forward In addition, some basketball players share the attributes of a small forward and a point guard, and are accordingly called point forwards. ... Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is a retired American NBA basketball player, widely considered one of the best players of all time, and one of the best clutch performers in the history of sports. ... Julius Winfield Erving II (born February 22, 1950 and raised in Roosevelt, New York), commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim. ...

Consecutive game record

On February 8, 2006, Bavetta officiated his 2,135th NBA game, setting a league record for most games officiated that was previously held by Jake O'Donnell.^[6] Bavetta said the secret to his longevity was "wearing five pairs of socks", which he claims helped keep his feet in good shape.^[6] Contributing to his good health, Bavetta says he runs five to eight miles every day.^[6] is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jake ODonnell, NBA referee James Michael Jake ODonnell (born January 25, 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a former sports official who worked as a National Basketball Association (NBA) referee for 28 seasons from 1967 to 1995, and also as an umpire in Major League Baseball for four seasons...

Knicks-Nuggets brawl

During the 2006-07 NBA season, Bavetta officiated a December 16, 2006 game between the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets. The game involved a brawl where all ten players on the court were ejected by Bavetta and his officiating crew.^[9] The league eventually suspended seven of the players for a total of 47 games and fined both teams $500,000.^[10] The 2006-07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The 2006-07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. ... Knicks redirects here. ... For the original defunct Denver Nuggets, see Denver Nuggets (original). ... The Knicks-Nuggets Brawl was an on-court altercation at a National Basketball Association game between the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets at Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, on Saturday, December 16, 2006. ...

Charitable race against Charles Barkley

During the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend, Bavetta raced Turner Network Television (TNT) studio analyst and former NBA player Charles Barkley for a $75,000 charitable donation ($50,000 contributed by the NBA and $25,000 by TNT) to the Las Vegas, Nevada Boys and Girls Clubs of America,^[11] but lost by a narrow margin.^[12] The distance of the race was three and one half full lengths of the court^[12] (or 329 feet). Bavetta lost the race despite a last-second dive and Barkley running the last portion of the race backwards.^[12] The dive resulted in an abrasion injury to Bavetta's right knee.^[2] Bavetta gave Barkley a hug and a kiss on the lips after the race.^[13] 2007 NBA All-Star Game logo The 2007 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. ... Turner Network Television, usually referred to as TNT, is an American cable TV network created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner. ... This article is about the basketball player. ... For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ... Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) is a national non-profit youth organization that links together individual clubs throughout the United States with the aim of providing places to go, activities, health and fitness enhancement, and programs for young people. ...

Controversy

Bavetta was one of three referees for the notorious Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between Sacramento and the L.A. Lakers. Disgraced former referee Tim Donaghy has alleged that at least one of the referees working this game had subjective motives for wanting the Lakers to defeat the Kings, and made officiating calls to effectuate this outcome. On June 12, 2008 the New York Times reported that the FBI is investigating allegations that Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference finals between the Lakers and Kings had been manipulated to further the series to a seventh game.

References

ABC News logo ABC News Special Report ident, circa 2006 ABC News is a division of American television and radio network ABC, owned by The Walt Disney Company. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Basketball Association, more commonly referred to as the NBA, is the worlds premier mens professional basketball league and one of the major professional sports leagues of North America. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... [[Media:Italic text]]{| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Chris Sheridan is a sportswriter who covers the National Basketball Association for ESPN. He previously worked 18 years for the Associated Press. ... ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Runners World magazine, published by Rodale Press Runners World is a globally circulated monthly magazine for recreational runners, published by Rodale Press in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the United States. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... [[Media:Italic text]]{| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Basketball Association, more commonly referred to as the NBA, is the worlds premier mens professional basketball league and one of the major professional sports leagues of North America. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Professional Basketball Referees Association