Hugh Evans (basketball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hugh Evans
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Evans in 1974
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| Born | November 8, 1940 Squire, West Virginia, U.S.
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| Died | July 8, 2022 (aged 81) |
Hugh Evans (born November 8, 1940 – died July 8, 2022) was a famous American basketball referee. He worked in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 28 years. During his career from 1972 to 2001, he was a referee for 1,969 regular season NBA games. He also officiated 35 NBA Finals games. After he stopped being a referee, he helped supervise other officials for the NBA.
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Early Life and Sports
Hugh Evans was born in 1940 in Squire, West Virginia. He went to North Carolina A&T State University. There, he was a talented athlete. He played both basketball and baseball for the school's teams, known as the Aggies.
After college, Hugh was chosen in the 1963 NBA draft. The St. Louis Hawks picked him. He was the third player from his university to be drafted by an NBA team. However, Hugh decided to play baseball instead. He played for several years in the minor leagues for the San Francisco Giants. In 1963, he had a good season. He hit for a .288 batting average and scored 6 home runs.
Becoming an NBA Referee
Hugh Evans later moved to New York City. By 1968, he was in charge of a community center in Brooklyn. He decided to try something new. He paid $100 to join a camp for basketball officials. He later said this was "the best investment I ever made."
He started by officiating amateur basketball games. These games were played in the summer league at Rucker Park in Harlem. The person running the camp soon asked him if he wanted to referee professional games. In 1972, Hugh signed a part-time contract with the NBA. He worked 47 games that year. The next year, he became a full-time NBA referee. He was the second NBA referee to come from a historically Black college or university.
Hugh Evans' Referee Career
Hugh Evans had a long and successful career as an NBA referee. He officiated 1,969 regular-season games. He also worked 170 playoff games and 35 NBA Finals games. He was even chosen to referee four NBA All-Star Games.
One game he worked was very memorable. It was Game 5 of the 1984 NBA Finals. The game was played in very hot conditions. It was 97 degrees Fahrenheit in Boston Garden. Hugh became dehydrated during the game and fainted. He worked the first half, but another referee, John Vanak, took over for the second half.
During the 1995–96 NBA season, Hugh was considered one of the best officials. Coaches, general managers, and NBA leaders ranked him as the second-best referee in the league. His last game was Game 4 of the 2001 NBA Finals. This game was played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 13, 2001. Throughout his career, Hugh Evans wore the uniform number 25.
Life After Refereeing
After retiring as a referee in 2001, Hugh Evans continued to work for the NBA. He became an assistant supervisor of NBA officials. He held this job until 2003.
In 2002, he was honored for his achievements. He was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame. He also joined the North Carolina A&T Hall of Fame. In April 2022, just a few months before he passed away, he received another great honor. He was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. At that time, he was one of only six NBA referees to be in the Hall of Fame. He was officially inducted after his death in September 2022.
Personal Life
Hugh Evans was married to Cathy. They were together until his death. Hugh had two sons named Aaron and Todd. Later in his life, he moved to the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Hugh Evans passed away on July 8, 2022. He died from congestive heart failure.
