Dallas Shirley collection

J. Dallas Shirley (1913-1994) graduated from George Washington University in 1936, where he was a member of the basketball team. He received a Distinguished Alumni Achievement award from GW in 1981, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980. Dallas Shirley was known worldwide as an authority on basketball rules, and ranks among the most popular officials of all time. His outgoing personality and staunch work effort enabled him to travel the world. He devoted much of his life to recruiting, training and improving officials through his many papers and clinics. In a 33-year career that saw J. Dallas officiate more than 2,000 games, he served as a member of the Southern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, ECAC and Mason Dixon conference officiating staffs. His officiating legacy spanned numerous NIT and NCAA tournament games, as well as the international circuit. He referred a game that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) played while in high school at Power Memorial in New York. A member of the NBA's first officiating crew, Shirley was the only American official chosen to work at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. A noted specialist in his field, Shirley has held a number of prestigious positions, including President of the IAABO (1952), the CBOA (1954) and the NABA. Knowledgeable in all aspects of the game, Shirley has conducted clinics in a dozen different countries. A true professional, Shirley is one of the most highly acclaimed officials by coaches, players and fellow officials. He was President and charter member of the College Basketball Officials Association (1955-56), a member of the NCAA Rules Committee, the chief official of the 1959 Pan American Games, a member of the U.S. Olympic Basketball Committee (1976) and Chairman of the U.S. Olympic Basketball Officials Committee (1976).

An oral history with Mr. Shirley also exists as part of MS0371, the Oral History Collection.

This note was written in 2005.