J. Dallas Shirley
Dallas Shirley (1913-1994) was born in Washington, D.C. and educated at George Washington University where he was a member of the basketball team. Shirley began to referee games as a way to earn extra money during the Great Depression.
Known worldwide as an authority on basketball rules, Shirley ranks among the most popular officials of all time. An outgoing personality with a staunch work ethic, Shirley traveled the world recruiting, training, and improving officials. His 33-year career boasts more than 2,000 games and numerous clinics, as well as articles on the game. A member of the Southern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference, and Mason Dixon Conference officiating staffs, Shirley's officiating legacy spanned numerous NIT and NCAA tournament games, as well as the international circuit.
He was named associate commissioner and coordinator of officials for the Southern Conference in 1967 and would spend 21 years serving in this capacity.He also spent many years on the college basketball rules committee. In 1980, he was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.