The Kaysinger Conference Basketball Tournament paused for moments of silence throughout the week of February 7-12 to remember longtime area referee and official, Ernie Dow, who died last Tuesday, Feb. 7.
While referees usually elude the spotlight, coaches, players and coworkers remembered Dow’s no-nonsense attitude, sense of humor and iconic traveling call.
“He loved athletics and he loved the Kaysinger Conference,” said Sacred Heart boy’s basketball head coach Steve Goodwin, who helped umpire summer league softball games. “He loved the kids that played, and I’m going to miss the way he was, geniune. Didn’t mince words. And I’m going to miss his travel call more than anything — it was a slow burn.”
Dow was a 1961 Smith-Cotton graduate, served two years in the Army, earned a B.S. in Education from Central Missouri State University and taught at Carrollton and Northwest High Schools.
He spent 41 years as a referee in football and basketball, 25 years in baseball and 18 in softball.
Darrell Sypes and Rich Pond, of the Smithton boy’s basketball coaching staff, worked with Dow frequently.
“Ernie always spoke what was on his mind. Ernie was old school.” Sypes said. “20 years ago I had the opportunity to officiate football games with him, and that was quite the treat. If somebody made a tackle or something, you could hear Ernie’s voice across the field. It would carry.”
Pond remembers playing high school games officiated by Dow, and later playing golf with him as an adult.
“He was always happy, always joking around, always giving you a hard time,” Pond said. “Always had that dry sense of humor that, you know, he’d make a joke and be laughing about it, and you would still be trying to figure it out.
“It’s sad to see him go.”
