Brown, Sam 1998-08-14

Southwest Officials Association member Sam Brown talks about working as a basketball and football official and the separation of the Southwest Officials Association with the Southwest Conference.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Sam Brown

Additional Parties Recorded:

Date: August 14, 1998

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Interviewer: Abel Ramirez with Bud Alexander

Length: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1: Brown, Sam, Born in Memphis, Tennessee in September 25, 1914, Parents, Father, In charge of Virginia Bridge and Iron Co., Married in 1911, Mother, Siblings, Moved to Houston, Texas at the age of 25, 1939, Transferred by Pittsburgh Steel Co., Childhood years, Brother - Jack, Played prep football at Georgia Tech, Tulane University, Amateur football, Professional football, Injured hand, 1937, High school, Football, Won 3 championships, Coach, Basketball, Grades, Influential teachers, Scholarship to West Tennessee Teaches College, 1934, Dropped out after a year because father got sick, 1935, Experience, Sister, Brother, Wife, Famous Brown, Married August 28, 1937, First child died a day after birth, 1939, Worked for Pittsburgh Steel Co. in Houston, Texas, 6 years, Salary, World War II, Children, Sam, born 1942, Janis, born 1946, Pittsburgh Steel Co. (again), Shipping military supplies for World War II, Southwest Conference officiating, 1946, Basketball, Started doing junior high and J.V. games, Training, Exam, Southwest Conference officiating (continued), High school, Basketball (again), Points earned officiating, Uniforms, Football, Progression through points earned, Officiating fees, Basketball, Minimum $7.50 a game, Most earned in a game $15.00, Football, Most earned in a game $35.00, Progression through points earned (again), Grade reports of officials, Basketball (again), Difference between officiating girls’ and men’s basketball, College games, Football, NFL supervisors, Southwest Conference, Football, Uniforms, Number of officials, Brown, Sam (again), Secretary of Southwest Officials Association, 17 years, Had to resign because of a promotion at Hughes Tool Co., Elected again after retiring from Hughes Tool Co., Southwest Conference officiating (again), Integration, Tuesa, Joe, Black officiating organizations, Merging the two black organizations into one, Space City Chapter, Henry, ? - President, Jordan, Cecil - Secretary, Black schools, Different officiating rules, Merging the black and white officiating organizations together, Rules of entering for new members, Black members wanted to start at their current division standings, Committee formed, Merger went through, Selecting officials for games, Crews, Animosity against merger, Reasons

Tape 2: Separation of Southwest Officials Association and the Southwest Conference, Southwest Officials Association, Election, 1974, Gary, Bob - President, Brown, Sam (again) - Vice President, Hayes, Jack - Head of coaches organization, Coaches, UIL, and Southwest Conference running high school officiating, Williams, Dr. Ray, Meeting between coaches, UIL and Southwest Conference, Interviewing candidates to direct the Southwest Officials Association, Lewis, Dodson selected, Executive director of Southwest Officials Association, Two Southwest Conference officials threatened to sue, Sam Brown met with a lawyer, Everything was in order to form the organization, Southwest Officials Association (again), Support from Southwest Conference, Becoming self supportive, Gary, Bob (again), Southwest Conference, Demise, Reasons, Departure of Arkansas to Southeast Conference, Media coverage, Big 12 Conference, Stability, Traveling expenses for teams, Brown, Sam (again), Quit officiating in 1968, Reasons, Southwest Officials Association, Reasons for separations, Brown, Sam (again), Wife (again), Died at 83, Recollections, Brown, Sam (again), Wife (continued), Anecdote, Officiating, Recollections of a basketball game, Lemar Tech vs. Southwest Texas (1966 or 1967), Recollections of a football game, Lemar Tech vs. Spring Branch, Wife (again), Attending games, Anecdotes

Range Dates: 1914-1998

Bulk Dates: 1946-1998

Access Information

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