Mendy Rudolph facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mendy Rudolph
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| Born | March 8, 1926 |
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| Died | July 4, 1979 (aged 53) |
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| Nationality | American | ||
| Occupation | Sportscaster (1975–1977) | ||
| Spouse(s) | Susan (1973–his death) | ||
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Marvin "Mendy" Rudolph (born March 8, 1926 – died July 4, 1979) was a well-known American professional basketball referee. He worked in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 22 years, from 1953 to 1975. Mendy Rudolph was one of the few basketball officials to be honored in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
He was the first referee in the league to work 2,000 games. In total, he officiated 2,112 NBA games, which was a record when he retired. He also refereed eight NBA All-Star Games. Plus, he was part of 22 straight NBA Finals series. After being a referee, he became a TV commentator for CBS Sports for two seasons (1975-1977). He also appeared in a TV commercial for Miller Lite. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.
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Mendy Rudolph's Early Life and Family
Mendy Rudolph was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. His father, Harry Rudolph, was also a famous basketball referee and baseball umpire. Mendy played basketball when he was young. He later chose to follow in his father's footsteps as an official.
After finishing high school, he started refereeing basketball games. He worked at the Wilkes-Barre Jewish Community Center and then high school games. At age 20, he began officiating games with his father. His father was the President of the Eastern Professional Basketball League. Mendy refereed many important games in this league. He also served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War.
Rudolph was married twice. His first marriage was to his childhood sweetheart, and they had three children. Later, he met Susan in New York City in 1961. They both worked for WGN, a TV station. Mendy and Susan Rudolph got married in 1973. Two years later, their daughter, Jennifer Rudolph, was born.
Mendy Rudolph's Integrity and Challenges
Throughout his life, Mendy Rudolph faced financial difficulties related to gambling. At that time, NBA referees were allowed to gamble, but this is now against the rules. Even with his financial struggles, Rudolph always put his principles first.
He was once offered a way to clear his debts by doing something dishonest in a game. But he refused. He told his wife, "It goes against all my principles. I love the game too much, respect it too much. I couldn't do it to you. I couldn't do it to the memory of my father, and I couldn't do it to myself." This shows how much he valued honesty and the sport. He paid off his debts by using his pension fund. Later in his life, he reduced his gambling.
Mendy Rudolph's NBA Officiating Career
Starting as an NBA Referee
Mendy Rudolph was recommended to the NBA by Eddie Gottlieb. Gottlieb was the coach and owner of the Philadelphia Warriors. Rudolph was hired by the NBA in February 1953. He was the youngest official in the league at that time. He quickly became a respected official. He even worked playoff games within his first two years.
Memorable NBA Finals Games
Rudolph refereed the 1955 NBA Finals between the Syracuse Nationals and Fort Wayne Pistons. This series was known for its intense moments. In one game, a fan threw a chair onto the court to protest calls made by Rudolph.
Six years later, he made history by officiating the entire 1961 NBA Finals. He worked this series between the Boston Celtics and St. Louis Hawks with his colleague Earl Strom.
Rudolph and Strom also refereed a famous game in the 1964 NBA Finals. In Game 5, Wilt Chamberlain of the San Francisco Warriors hit Clyde Lovellette of the Boston Celtics. Celtics coach Red Auerbach rushed onto the court. He demanded that Chamberlain be removed from the game. Rudolph stepped in and joked, "Red, do you have any other seven-footers who'd like to volunteer?" This showed his calm and witty nature.
Leading NBA Officials
As his career grew, Rudolph took on more responsibilities. In 1966, he became the "referee-in-chief." He worked with Dolph Schayes, who was the league's supervisor of officials. In this role, Rudolph helped with referee training and understanding the rules. He even wrote the NBA Official’s Manual and Case Book.
During his time as head of officials, four experienced referees left the NBA for a rival league, the American Basketball Association (ABA). This happened because of disagreements over salaries. By the 1969-70 season, Rudolph helped the NBA change referee uniforms. They switched from the traditional "zebra" shirt to a plain gray uniform. This was done to make officials less noticeable during games.
Final Years as a Referee
By 1975, Mendy Rudolph's health began to decline. He had to retire after getting sick during a 1975 NBA playoff game. This game was between the Buffalo Braves and Washington Bullets on April 25, 1975. In his last game, he had to be carried off the court.
On November 9, 1975, Rudolph officially ended his career. He had officiated 2,113 games, which was the most by any official at that time. Later, Earl Strom broke Rudolph’s record, working over 2,400 games.
Mendy Rudolph's Career After Officiating
Broadcasting Career
After retiring as a referee, Rudolph became a broadcaster. He worked as a television analyst for CBS Sports. He covered The NBA on CBS during the 1975-76 and 1976-77 NBA seasons. In his first season, he worked with Brent Musburger and Rick Barry for the 1976 NBA Finals.
This championship series included a famous triple-overtime Game 5. Many people call it the "greatest game" in NBA history. During this game, a player made a shot that seemed to win the game. Rudolph and the other commentators noticed that there were still two seconds left on the clock. The referee decided that one second remained.
Television Commercial Appearance
In 1976, Rudolph appeared in a Miller Brewing Company television commercial. He was with then-Celtics head coach Tom Heinsohn. The ad promoted Miller Lite's "Tastes Great, Less Filling" advertising campaign. In the commercial, Rudolph and Heinsohn debated whether Miller Lite was "less filling" or "tastes great." When Heinsohn disagreed, Rudolph comically pointed his thumb up and yelled, "You're out of the bar!" This ad helped make Miller's slogan very popular.
Mendy Rudolph's Legacy
Mendy Rudolph passed away on July 4, 1979, from a heart attack in New York City. He collapsed outside a movie theater. At the time of his death, NBA Commissioner Larry O'Brien said that Mendy's contributions to basketball were "legendary."
To honor him, officials wore a patch with Rudolph's uniform number, 5, on their sleeves the season after he died. No other official in the NBA has worn this number since.
Rudolph was known for his charm and strong presence on the court. He became the most recognizable official during the NBA's early years. Bob Ryan of The Boston Globe said that Mendy Rudolph was an "NBA institution." He set high standards for future referees. Joe Crawford, who later became an NBA referee, studied Rudolph's style. Earl Strom, another famous referee, said Rudolph greatly influenced his career. Strom called Rudolph "one of the most prominent referees because of his style, courage, and judgment." He also said, "Mendy Rudolph was simply the greatest referee of all time."
Strom worked hard to get Rudolph into the Hall of Fame. On April 2, 2007, Rudolph was announced as one of the new members of the Basketball Hall of Fame. He was inducted in September 2007, twenty-eight years after his death. He was the thirteenth referee to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
